Germany’s ONEflow Aquatics has connected with a Turkish hotel to open a high-altitude training center in Erzurum, Turkey.
ONEflow is a German club, and was originally one of the inaugural franchises announced by the International Swimming League. (The club ultimately decided to delay a year for “strategic and financial reasons,” but should join the ISL next year.) Coach and co-founder Chris Hirschmann told SwimSwam that the club wanted a closer-to-home option for high-altitude training, and decided to start a center themselves.
ONEflow started high-altitude camps in 2017, and though Hirschmann saw huge swimming improvements, travel to Flagstaff or Colorado Springs in the United States was a major barrier.
The club got connected with a hotel in the city of Erzurum in eastern Turkey.
Hoehentrainingslager Erzurum Mai 2019, Photo: JoKleindl
“We found a pool that is ten lanes, 50-meter,” Hirschmann said. “A pretty new pool, built in 2015… we just tried it out last year in May, and we decided to make our own spot out there.”
ONEflow plans to make three trips a year to the high-altitude location, spending three weeks at a time in Erzurum. They’ve partnered with SWAY Hotels to set up food and accommodations, and have opened up the training center to other clubs looking for a more geographically-friendly altitude training option. So far, the center has hosted clubs and swimmers from Slovenia, Russia, Switzerland, Hungary and the Netherlands.
“Our big plan for 2021 is to build a new pool right next to the hotel,” Hirschmann said. “All the plans are done right now, and we will make a decision at the end of February.”
Hoehentrainingslager Erzurum Mai 2019, Photo: JoKleindl
The current pool is a whopping 1930 meters above sea level, per Hirschmann, but the hotel (including the proposed new pool) is 2100 meters above sea level. The hotel has a gym with weightlifting and fitness equipment, and the center is also able to personalize meal plans for clubs based on their specific nutritional needs.
Clubs, coaches or athletes interested in learning more about the high-altitude training center can e-mail [email protected] for information.
I mean… I think it’s great to have more options, especially with a long course pool, but they make it sound like Europe is entirely devoid of high altitude training options… when in truth, practically EVERYONE trains at CAR (2300+ m) every spring, and Font Romeu, St. Moritz, and Livigno all have pools at above 1800m altitude.
So, just be honest… it’s cheaper than staying in Europe or going to America.