Mangaluru: The Third edition of the ‘Den Den’ international sea swimming competition will be held at the blue-flag Tannirbhavi beach on January 26.

After two successful editions, Den Den Swim has quickly emerged as a marquee endurance event on India’s west coast, drawing national-level athletes and a growing contingent of international swimmers, and placing Mangaluru firmly on the global open-water swimming map.

This year, Den Den Swim 2026 features race categories of 500m (open swim), 2km, 4km, 6km and 8km, welcoming both competitive endurance swimmers and passionate amateurs seeking the thrill of swimming in the open sea.

The championship has seen strong year-on-year growth.

Organisers shared that around 200 swimmers participated in the second edition, with nearly 400 competitors expected this year, alongside an increase in international participation.

The competition’s technical committee is headed by Olympian Gagan Ullalmath. 

Given the open-sea format, Den Den Swim is designed with a strong emphasis on safety and sea awareness. The Indian Coast Guard has extended cooperation for security and safety measures, supported by trained lifeguards and on-ground protocols to ensure a safe race environment.

“Den Den Swim is not just a race, it’s a movement to build sea confidence, sea safety awareness and a stronger open-water swimming community. We’re excited to welcome swimmers from across India and overseas to Tannirbhavi,” said Karthik Narayan, Secretary, Mangalore Surf Club.

One of India’s pioneering coastal sports communities, Mangalore Surf Club is known for promoting surfing, open-water swimming and ocean safety. Den Den Swim is the club’s flagship sea swimming championship, now in its third edition.

Here are the event details: 

  • Date: January 26, 2026 (flag-off at 6.30 am)

  • Venue: Mangalore Surf Club, Tannirbhavi Beach, Mangaluru

  • Race categories: 500 m, 2 km, 4 km, 6 km, 8 km

The Mangalore Surf Club has announced Mukund Realty as the title sponsor for Den Den Swim 2026. Mukund Realty is a leading real estate brand in Mangaluru. 

“We’re proud to support Den Den Swim as title sponsor because it represents the future of Mangaluru, healthy, active, aspirational and globally visible. Events like this don’t just build sport; they build a city’s identity and confidence. We want Mangaluru to be recognised globally as a destination for world-class experiences,” said Gurudatta Shenoy, Managing Partner, Mukund Realty.

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Pratapgarh (UP) (PTI): Four people were booked here for the abduction and assault of a man who they allegedly tied to a tree and beat up, police said on Wednesday.

The incident, a video of which has gone viral, took place on Tuesday afternoon under the Kunda police station limits.

The FIR was registered on Wednesday evening based on a complaint from the victim's father.

According to Keshav Prasad Yadav, a resident of Mauli village, some people called his 18-year-old son Nikhil Yadav on the phone and asked him to come out of his house around 2.30 pm on Tuesday.

As he reached outside the village as instructed, the accused allegedly forced him into a car and took him towards the Tinpedwa forest area, where they tied him to a tree and assaulted, the complainant said.

The attackers also recorded a video of the incident and circulated it on social media. The purported video shows the men thrashing Nikhil one after another, while one of them is assumed to have recorded the act.

Kunda Station House Officer Manoj Pandey confirmed the incident and said efforts are underway to identify and arrest all the accused.

Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav has shared the video on social media, describing the incident as reflective of a "dominant mindset" against the PDA (Pichda or Backward, Dalit, and Alpasankhyak or Minority), and demanded strict action against the accused.