In a historic feat, Bartłomiej Kubkowski, an ultra-swimmer from Poland, became the first person to successfully swim across the Baltic Sea from Sweden to Poland without any physical help. Making it to the other side in 55 hours and 10 minutes, Kubkowski completed the 160-kilometre trek under very difficult conditions. Swimming through the cold water and fighting the current, as well as sleep and physical fatigue, he managed to accomplish something no one had done on this route before.The historic swim began on Friday from the Swedish coastal village of Kaseberga and ended on Sunday evening when Kubkowski reached Dziwnow on Poland’s Baltic coast. Throughout the journey, a support boat accompanied him with food, hydration and safety monitoring, but he was never allowed to touch it. According to Euronews, the exhausted yet triumphant swimmer became the first person to conquer the challenging Baltic crossing entirely under his own power after spending more than two continuous days in open water.
A historic 160-kilometre swim completed on the fifth attempt
Kubkowski began his journey from Kaseberga on Sweden’s southern coast on Friday and arrived at Dziwnów in Poland roughly 55 hours later after swimming approximately 160 kilometres across the Baltic Sea. The crossing had strict rules: although accompanied by a support boat for navigation, food and hydration, he was not allowed to touch the vessel at any point. To have the achievement officially recognised, he also had to leave the water under his own strength, a requirement he successfully fulfilled.The achievement came after years of perseverance. Kubkowski first attempted the crossing in 2022 but had to abandon it after covering 115 kilometres. His closest attempt came in 2025, when he swam around 159 kilometres before extreme exhaustion forced him to stop only a short distance from the Polish coast. This fifth expedition finally turned his long-held ambition into reality.
Battling exhaustion, cold water and hallucinations for more than two days
Swimming the Baltic Sea implied coping with the cold water, unpredictable weather, and physical exhaustion without sleeping at all. Kubkowski felt extremely tired, confused, and even hallucinated after more than 50 hours in the water; these difficulties were foreseen by his team from their experience in other similar attempts.During the swimming session, his safety was strictly observed while providing him with food and water with the help of long poles, without letting him touch the boat. Despite getting lost and being unable to concentrate sometimes, Kubkowski managed to finish the last kilometres of his swim on the shore of Poland. Euronews reported that he later admitted he was simply too exhausted to fully comprehend what he had achieved.
Years of preparation and a swim that also raised money for charity
Kubkowski’s historic crossing was not just a sporting milestone but also a charitable mission. The swim raised hundreds of thousands of Polish zlotys for the Cancer Fighters Foundation, supporting people battling cancer.Kubkowski was not only a professional swimmer but also had the title of being the world record for the greatest distance swim in a pool within 24 hours. He trained for months through rigorous endurance sessions and night swims to be able to accomplish his feat, which has brought him much fame not only in Poland but also in other countries of Europe.
