Started Swimming at 50, Became the First Turkish Person to Make History in the US

Starting to swim at age 50 to lose weight, Ragıp Vural Tandoğan has become one of the names pushing the limits of open‑water marathons over the years. Completing the grueling crossings in Lake Tahoe, which sits at about 2,000 metres above sea level in the United States, Tandoğan entered history as the ninth person worldwide and the first Turkish athlete to achieve this.

Tandoğan’s open‑water journey began with the Boğaziçi Intercontinental Swimming Competition trials, which he entered at his friends’ encouragement. Realising he could swim in cold water and over long distances, he later turned to marathon swimming.

In recounting his beginnings, Tandoğan said, “When I started training in the pool to lose weight, my friends told me, ‘You swim well, join Boğaziçi.’ I entered the trials of the Istanbul Boğaziçi race and began open‑water swimming. Later, realising I could swim in cold water and over long distances, I turned to marathon swimming.”

He swam 70 kilometres in 14 days.

Tandoğan, who has tackled open‑water courses around the world, achieved his first major success at Lake Tahoe in 2022. Completing three separate crossings of 19, 17 and 34 kilometres in fourteen days, the athlete swam a total of 70 kilometres to earn the lake’s “Triple Crown” title.

Stating that he was the first athlete worldwide to complete those three courses in fourteen days, Tandoğan said, “I did three consecutive crossings of 19, 17 and 34 kilometres. I was the first athlete in the world to accomplish this in fourteen days, and I had earned Lake Tahoe’s ‘Triple Crown.’”

Tandoğan, who swims long distances in places such as San Diego and Lake Malawi, returned to Lake Tahoe this year to achieve a new success.

The struggle began at 2:00 a.m. that night.

Lake Tahoe, at an altitude of about 2,000 meters, presents extremely harsh conditions for swimmers with its low oxygen level, cold water, and variable currents. Tandoğan explained that the high altitude raised his pulse and affected his swimming speed, and that the air temperature dropped to as low as 5 degrees during the night.

Starting around 2:00 a.m. for both crossings, Tandoğan first tackled the 19-kilometer “Godfather” course. Completing that leg, which he fought against the currents, in about 12 hours, he then set out on the 21.2-kilometer “Thunderbird” course. Despite the cold weather and harsh conditions, he finished the second crossing—where he moved more organized with his team—successfully.

Opening our flag was a great joy.

Having completed the courses, Tandoğan, the ninth in the world and first in Turkey, described the emotions he felt upon reaching the shore with these words:

Seeing the goal, approaching it, and reaching land is a great honor, a great joy. Raising our flag… Being the first Turkish person and the ninth in the world to receive this title is a great pride for me.

Emphasizing that his team played a significant role in his success, Tandoğan thanked Miraç Turhan, who has supported him for the past three years. Tandoğan said that Turhan used his annual leave to accompany him in races, and that the crossings were completed through strong teamwork.

I was struggling on the boat in my jacket.

Miraç Turhan, who has supported Tandoğan in many areas—from training in Istanbul to race organization, nutrition, and the preparation process—also explained that the conditions at Lake Tahoe were harsher than expected.

Turhan, noting that the air temperature fell sharply during the second crossing, said, 'I was struggling inside the boat even with my jacket, and I wondered, 'Vural Abi, what is it like in the water right now?''

Turhan said that Tandoğan maintained his motivation until sunrise, adding, 'Vural Abi kept himself highly motivated, continued, and preserved his strength. In fact, we achieved this crossing together, as a team.'

Ragıp Vural Tandoğan, who turned the journey he embarked on to lose weight into an international success, is now continuing his work on new open-water goals.