# Deniz Kayadelen

Deniz Kayadelen (born June 20, 1987, in Frankfurt) is a Turkish-German open-water swimmer, extreme swimmer, inspirational speaker, and author. She is holder of the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming and holds the world record for the highest swim on Earth as part of the Madswimmer team by swimming in Mount Putha Hiunchuli in the Himalayas at 6405m. She is also an ice swimming world champion and has crossed the English Channel. She is a business psychologist and consultant alongside her athletic career.

## World Record

The 10th of May 2024, Deniz Kayadelen, as part of the Madswimmer team, set a World Record for the highest swim on Earth at 6,405 meters on Putha Hiunchuli in the Himalayas. They did a 15-day ascent covering 138 kilometers on foot to reach the swimming point.
The Madswimmer mission aimed to raise awareness about climate change and raise funds for two African charities. Finding no water at a height of 6,405 meters, the team carved a swimming hole in the ice and filled it with melted ice. They swam in 3.7 °C water with an outside temperature of -6 °C, taking three-minute turns.
The expedition team included:
* Jean Craven (Swimmer and sponsor, creator of Madswimmer ONG).
* Vanes-Mari du Toit (Swimmer and sports personality).
* Neo Mokuene (Swimmer and award-winning SA filmmaker).
* Sean Disney (Tour Guide).
* Chiara Baars (ER Doctor).
Almost all participants lacked mountaineering experience.

## Early life and education

Kayadelen was born in Germany and moved to Turkey at age 11 following her parents' divorce. She completed her high school education at European College. She pursued her university studies at Istanbul University in Turkey and Bochum Ruhr University in Germany, earning a double diploma in psychology. She specialized in organizational psychology obtaining a master's degree in business and organizational psychology from Bochum Ruhr University.

## Swimming career

Kayadelen's swimming journey began in her youth, starting at Yeşilyurt Sports Club in Turkey before continuing at Bakırköy Ataspor Club. She ventured into open water swimming in 2008, participating in the Istanbul Bosphorus Cross-Continental race, earning 4th place initially and subsequently 1st place in the following years. She achieved 1st place in Aquamasters Arena races, setting two Turkish national records in her age category in 2019 and 2022.
Kayadelen started with marathon swimming in 2019, completing two relay swims. First, crossing the North Channel with the relay team called the "Mad Turks" becoming the first Turkish team to complete a relay crossing. Later that same year, in August, the same team renamed "Out of Comfort Zone" swam the English Channel as a relay. They covered 33.5 km from England to France in 11:40 hours.
One year later, in March 2020, Kayadelen crossed Robben Island to Blouberg in South Africa, becoming the first Turkish woman to achieve it. She completed the crossing in 2 hours and 28 minutes alongside Ryan Stamrood, the world record holder for most Robben Island swims. That same year, she participated in the Peace Route Swim for World Peace Day, where nine participants swam 91.27 km in a relay team, starting in Northern Cyprus and finishing in Mersin, Turkey. This swim was nominated for the 2020 WOWSA Awards for World Open Water Swimming Performance of the Year.
The following year, in June 2021, she participated in the world record attempt for a 320 km international relay swim from Sochi, Russia, to Giresun, Turkey. This swim lasted six days, from 14 to June 20.
In 2022 and 2023, she became world champion in ice swimming in the IISA 4th and 5th World Championships. First in Poland, Glogow, in 2022, got 1st place in the 500m - 250m Freestyle & 50m Butterfly age category in 3.2 degrees water. Then, in 2023, she got the 1stplace in the 50m and 100m Butterfly age category in Samoens, France, in a water temperature of 4.2 degrees.
In July 2023, Kayadelen crossed the English Channel, one of the Oceans Seven and of the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming, in her first attempt. This body of water between England and France is 32 km wide, with a temperature of 15 to 18 degrees, strong currents, and jellyfish. Due to the heavy tides, Kayadelen swam a total distance of 57 km in 15 hours and 8 minutes in 16-degree water.
In 2024, Kayadelen completed the remaining two swims required to earn the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming. In July, she crossed the Catalina Channel in 14 hours and 49 minutes, spending eight hours swimming in the dark. A month later, she completed the 20 Bridges Manhattan swim in 7 hours, 58 minutes, and 4 seconds, becoming the fastest Turkish woman to swim the Hudson River. These two accomplishments, combined with her earlier crossing of the English Channel, secured her place as a Triple Crown holder.

## International competition placings

* 2024: Winter Swimming World Championship, 3rd place Ice Swimming in 200m and 450m freestyle age category 35-39, water temp. 0.2 degrees, Tallinn, Estonia
* 2023: IISA 5th World Championships, 1st place in Ice Swimming (50m and 100m Butterfly) age category 35-39, Samoens, France
* 2022: IISA 4th World Championships, 1st place in Ice Swimming in 500m - 250m Freestyle and 50m Butterfly age category 35-39, water temp. 3.2 degrees, Poland Glogow
* 2022: Aquamasters Arena Turkish Championship: - Record age category - 1500 Freestyle
* 2019: Aquamasters Arena Turkish Championship: 50m, 200m Butterfly, woman 1st place (200m age category record) - Turkish national record
* 2019: 10k Oceanman turkey – 3rd place – 2:55:55.17
* 2018: 9th International Arena Aquamasters Swimming Championship – 3 km first place 18
* 2016 – 5 km German championship open water – top 15
* 2015: Bosphorus Cross-Continental Swimming Race, 6.5 km, Woman 1st
* 2015: International Hessian Open Water Swimming Championships - 5k open water 3rd place
* 2014: 42.4 kilometers swim in 24 hours in Stuttgart, Germany, woman 1st Place
* 2013: 39 kilometers swim in 24 hours in Stuttgart, Germany, 2nd place

## Personal life and work

In addition to her swimming career, Kayadelen has established herself as a consultant with over 15 years of experience specializing in talent management, change management and work motivation. Kayadelen has also founded her own company, "Out of Comfort Zone," focusing on fear management, resilience, and motivation. She works with cold water immersion and coaching with individuals and teams in companies.

## Media Projects

In January 2024, the German television channel SAT3 released the Documentary "Motivation Superpower—Strong Will to Achieve Your Goal" (Superkraft Motivation—Willensstarkzum Ziel) based on Deniz Kayadelen's life. The documentary explores the science behind motivational forces, focusing on psychological and neuroscience aspects and presenting diverse case studies.
Kayadelen also participated in an ARD German TV channel documentary called "My body. My feel-good temperature—Cold" (Mein Körper. Meine Wohlfühltemperatur —Kälte), released in February of the same year. This documentary explores the impact of cold water on the body and the ways in which cold can be beneficial. It shows different case studies of people who have developed resistance to the cold, Kayadelen being one of them.

## Books

She is the author of the book "Out of Comfort Zone: Cutting Edge Business Lessons Based on Sports Psychology from the Experience of an Extreme Swimmer," first published in December 2020. It has been translated into German and Turkish. In this book, Kayadelen documents her journey as an extreme swimmer and offers insights into overcoming challenges and achieving success. Swimming is used both as a metaphor and a bridge to corporate life.
She wrote her first book in German in 2011, "German Expats in Turkey: Successful Management in an International Context."