10,000 swimmers will swim across Pearl River on August 20, according to Guangzhou Daily quoting Chen Zhongming, director of Guangzhou water sports administration center.

Chen said the cross-Pearl River project has been basically finished and will be submitted for approval. According to the plan, the starting point will be at Zhongda Wharf and the finishing point at Xinghai Concert Hall.

The route is about 1000 meters and the journey will take about 20 minutes to finish. The event will be one of the ceremonies to mark the 2,220th anniversary of the founding of Guangzhou city. In the past ten years the Guangzhou government has done a lot of work to clean up Pearl River. The water quality has since improved and is believed to be safe for swimming.

Editor: Yan