Strel to Swim Drava River to Mark Anniversary of Independence
Slovenian ultra-marathon swimmer Martin Strel will swim 450 km of the total of 707 km of the Drava river to mark Slovenia's 15 years of independence, he told the press on Thursday as he announced yet another of his extremist challenges.
Starting his quest on 19 June at Drava's spring in Italy's Dobbiac (Toblach) in South Tyrol, Strel is to present at the same time the famous tourist sights and traditions in the four countries through which the river runs, Italy, Austria, Slovenia and Croatia.
The 51-year-old holder of numerous marathon swimming records, including one for being the first person to swim the Mississippi River, is to continue on to Austria through Lienz, Spittal, Ferlach (Borovlje) and Ruden (Ruda).
Strel is to make a stop in Slovenia's Maribor on 24 June, the eve of the day when Slovenia officially declared its independence. He is to conclude his Drava swim, sponsored by power company Dravske elektrarne Maribor, on 26 June in Croatia's Varazdin.
According to the extreme swimmer, Drava is not "as normal as other rivers around Slovenia". Beside its hydro power stations, it can be very dangerous and is not quite that innocent, he added.
Strel, who has swum many of the world's greatest rivers, his latest the Yangtze in 2004, reassured the press that he is preparing for Drava as intensively as he did for other rivers, especially as this river can be quite cold in Slovenia.
Director of Dravske elektrarne Maribor Danilo Sef was pleased that after all his world records, Strel still finds Drava a challenge. Despite its energy use, the river offers numerous activities, which are also supported by the power company.
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