Through her swimming feat, ACI’s ambassador, young long-distance swimmer Dina Levačić, will reveal the beauty of Dalmatia and Croatia to the world, once again confirming that the largest marina chain in the Mediterranean is truly “The Best with the Best.”
The national nautical chain has been one of the greatest promoters and sponsors of Croatian sports for many years, supporting both professional and amateur levels. The company’s support for national sports is also reflected in its collaboration with numerous Croatian athletes. The latest athlete to collaborate with ACI is the young long-distance swimmer Dina Levačić, whom the largest marina chain in the Mediterranean is following on her swimming project “104 Dalmatians.” Dina recently embarked on a grand adventure to connect the Dalmatian islands, islets, and reefs, with ACI marinas serving as the starting points for this sports-humanitarian project. ACI Marina Korčula, one of the most unique units in the system, visually perfectly integrated into the old town core, was the point from which Dina set off towards the island of Badija.
The world’s best long-distance swimmer is particularly dedicated to promoting Croatia and Dalmatia
Dina Levačić boasts numerous top-notch results and swimming achievements. She was chosen as the best athlete of 2023 by the World Open Water Swimming Association (WOWSA) and was also named Večernjak’s Person of the Year. Additionally, she is the first Croatian woman to swim across the English Channel and earned the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming by swimming the Manhattan Island Marathon Swim in New York and the Catalina Channel from Catalina Island to San Pedro, becoming the sixth person in history, and only the second woman, to achieve this within 90 days. Dina also completed the “Ocean’s Seven” and became the youngest woman in history to do so. Earlier this year, the young long-distance swimmer embarked on a three-week adventure in Africa, where she was accompanied by ACI for the first time. During this occasion, Dina became the first person from Croatia to swim around Robben Island, known for its infamous political prison, and conquered two major swimming challenges – False Bay and Cape Point.
The latest project to which the Croatian swimmer has devoted her full attention is the project “104 Dalmatians.” Swimming around 104 Dalmatian islands, islets, or reefs, Dina Levačić will promote the beauty of the Dalmatian coast, especially the islands, and Croatia as an ideal destination for sports tourism. This project also has a humanitarian aspect, as Dina will collect donations for humanitarian projects on these islands during her swimming journey.
“I am currently dedicated to the project ‘104 Dalmatians,’ whose idea is to swim around 104 Dalmatian islands, islets, or reefs in four Dalmatian counties. My goal is to showcase the beauty of each of these islands not only to the local audience, who are often unaware of many of them, but also to people from all over Croatia and foreigners. We want to present Croatia as an ideal location for sports tourism, especially for swimming, which I consider a truly ideal, beautiful, safe, warm, and clean pleasure. Additionally, the project has a humanitarian note – collecting donations through the ‘sale’ of islands, with all proceeds directed to projects implemented on Dalmatian islands,” said ACI’s ambassador Dina Levačić, the renowned long-distance swimmer.
ACI Marina Korčula provided a beautiful backdrop for Dina’s new swimming feat
Given their common goal – promoting the beauty of Croatia to the world, it is not surprising that there is a natural connection between the national nautical chain and Dina Levačić. After accompanying Dina on her three-week African adventure in February, ACI is the main partner for the young swimmer on her swims between Dalmatian islands. One of the latest swims Dina started was from ACI Marina Korčula, around the islet of Badija, which is in the immediate vicinity of the marina and the island of Korčula. Several of her swims will start and finish in ACI marinas across the four Dalmatian counties, symbolizing the love, unity, and dedication of the community to sports and the sea.
“The entire swim was about six kilometers. I would like to thank the director of ACI Marina Korčula, Mr. Marko Skokandić, who supported us throughout the endeavor. I am glad I had the opportunity to meet him before the swim, and we exchanged souvenirs – I gave them something from the project, and they gave me something from ACI Marina. When you feel appreciated for what you do, it truly gives a great boost and motivation for future projects,” said Dina Levačić.
Before the swimming feat, Dina was hosted and appropriately gifted by the director of ACI Marina Korčula, Marko Skokandić. “We are truly delighted that the successful young Croatian athlete Dina Levačić chose Korčula as one of the starting points for her grand project and that we had the opportunity to host her in our ACI Marina. We are proud of the exceptional effort, ambition, and dedication of ACI’s ambassador, who, by swimming around the beautiful Dalmatian islands, promotes the beauty of Croatia, its coast, and ACI marinas. I believe that Dina is a true role model for the younger generations, and I hope that the younger members of island communities will find inspiration for new projects in her endeavor,” said Marko Skokandić, director of ACI Marina Korčula.
