X-WATERS Амур

The current of the Amur River pulls at your stroke, a constant reminder of the sheer scale of this waterway as you navigate the main channel toward the distant embankment. Beneath the surface, the ecology is as complex as the history of these shores; you might pass over the nesting grounds of the bitterling, a small fish that relies on freshwater bivalves to protect its offspring until they are strong enough to join the current. Looking toward the shore, the silhouette of the Khabarovsk Bridge rises above the water, its completion in 1916 having finally freed trains from the precarious need to cross the river over temporary tracks laid across the winter ice.

A landscape of memory

As you approach the finish near the Admiral Nevelskoy embankment, the Dormition Cathedral serves as a prominent landmark. The site holds a heavy past, having once housed the marble tomb of Baron Andrei von Korff before the original structure was razed in 1930. The water you swim in today has witnessed centuries of turbulence, from the 1652 Battle of Fort Achansk, where Cossacks under Yerofey Khabarov stood their ground against Manchu cavalry, to the grim events of 1900 when the river became a site of profound tragedy during the Boxer Rebellion. This is the stage for X-WATERS Amur, an annual event that draws swimmers to the confluence of the Amur and Ussuri rivers.

Race day logistics

The event offers distances ranging from 500m to 68km, with the longest crossing starting in Fuyuan, China, and finishing in Khabarovsk. The logistical complexity of managing a cross-border event, including navigation of the main channel and ensuring safety in such a massive waterway, is reflected in the organization of the race. For the 5km and shorter distances, the start is positioned near the Erofey Arena or the Laguna Yacht Club. Whether you are a local enthusiast or traveling for the challenge, the experience is defined by the raw, powerful environment of the Far East, where the water demands respect and offers a perspective on history that is only visible from the surface of the river.