Međunarodni plivački maraton Jarak – Šabac

The Međunarodni plivački maraton Jarak – Šabac covers an 18.88-kilometer course along the Sava River, starting from the village of Jarak and concluding at the 'Stari Grad' beach in Šabac. Held annually in August, this long-distance river swim operates as a point-to-point challenge in the Mačva region. The event is locally recognized as the 'Race of Peace'.

Historical currents and landmarks

As you navigate the downstream route, the riverbanks reveal layers of regional history that have defined the Sava’s strategic importance for centuries. Near the finish, you pass the site of the Šabac Fortress, a defensive structure originally established in 1470 as the 'side-striker' on the right bank to serve as a buffer point between competing empires. Further along the course, the landscape shifts from rural banks to modern infrastructure, where the 1,335-meter motorway bridge now spans the water, connecting the Srem and Mačva regions. The riverfront area itself underwent significant topographical changes in the post-WWII era, particularly with the drainage of the Benska Bara, a former swamp that has been reclaimed and integrated into the city's residential fabric.

A strategic river crossing

The military history of this stretch of water is marked by centuries of conflict, including the 1521 campaign when Suleiman the Magnificent directed the construction of towers and a defensive moat fed by the river, personally overseeing the installation of a pontoon bridge during his ten-day stay. Later, in 1789, the Polish commander Józef Poniatowski saw his early military leadership tested during the intense fighting to seize control of the town. During the 1941 conflict, the riverfront served as a focal point for the failed assault on the occupying garrison by combined partisan and local rebel forces, an event that remains etched into the local geography visible from the water today.