X-Waters Mass Swim Closes Volga and Oka

This weekend, Nizhny Novgorod will host the massive X-Waters swim event, closing the Volga and Oka to small vessels.

Jul 30, 2026

The mass swim will take place in Nizhny Novgorod for the tenth time.
Source:
Natalya Burukhina / NN.RU

This weekend, Nizhny Novgorod will host the massive X-Waters swim. Traffic of small vessels on the Volga and Oka will be closed, organizers reported.

Map showing the closure zones on the Volga and Oka rivers for the X-Waters event.
Source:
organizers of X-Waters

The Volga and Oka will be closed to small vessels on July 26 from 11:00 to 17:00 on the section from the Kanavinsky Bridge to the cable car and Krasnoye Sormovo.

The restriction is introduced to ensure the safety of athletes and participants. Small vessel operators should adjust their routes in advance.

The X-Waters Volga World Championship stage will take place in Nizhny Novgorod for the tenth time, a milestone edition. This year, participants can test their strength on two new distances — 10 and 30 km. In addition, a night swim will be held for the first time. The traditional distances of 1, 2, 3, and 5 km will also remain.

For safety, swimmers will be accompanied by rescuers and volunteers, and each swimmer will be provided with their own safety buoy. The swim dates are July 25 and 26. The start village will be located on the Nizhne-Volzhskaya Embankment at the foot of the Chkalov Stairs.

Earlier we reported that on Saturday, July 25, the embankment of the Rowing Canal in Nizhny Novgorod will be closed for the Russian Junior Triathlon Championship among juniors under 23.