Croatian Dina Levačić to take on famous Alcatraz swim

Dina Levačić off to San Francisco (Photo: Private album)

SPLIT, 17 September 2025 (Hina) – Croatian marathon swimmer Dina Levačić (29) has announced her next major challenges, set to take place at the end of September in San Francisco.

Levačić revealed at a press conference in Split that she will attempt two demanding swims in American waters – a 16-kilometre swim around Long Island and the famous crossing from Alcatraz to the San Francisco shoreline.

“I have planned the Long Island swim for 28 September. It is 16 kilometres long and could take up to eight hours, depending on the strong sea currents in the area,” Levačić explained.

The Alcatraz swim, spanning three kilometres, will be scheduled later depending on weather conditions. The sea temperature along both routes is expected to be around 16°C, making preparation for colder water crucial.

“I have trained intensively for the past month and a half for both of these swims, focusing on endurance and adapting to colder sea temperatures,” she added.

Alcatraz

Honours and achievements

Earlier this year, Dina Levačić was inducted into the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame, based on Jersey Island – the highest recognition a marathon swimmer can receive.

She has already made history as the youngest woman ever to complete the ‘Oceans Seven’, a collection of the world’s most challenging marathon swims:

• Cook Strait (New Zealand)

• Catalina Channel (California, USA)

• English Channel (Europe)

• Molokaʻi Channel (Hawai‘i, USA)

• Tsugaru Strait (Japan)

• Strait of Gibraltar (Spain–Morocco)

• North Channel (Northern Ireland–Scotland)

In 2023, Levačić was also named World Open Water Swimming Association (WOWSA) Open Water Swimmer of the Year, cementing her status among the sport’s greats.