ÖTILLÖ Swimrun Malta
Hard Racing At Ötillö Malta, The Former World Champs Take It Again!
Press Release / 24.11.2019
The last ÖTILLÖ Swimrun World Series, the 7th in the year was a tough day out for the racers. Malta showed all sides, big wind from the west and some rain during part of the day made the race course challenging. Most swims were quite protected except for the last ones which got the full force of the wind. The rain made it difficult as the clay ground became slippery and with some comical clay build up under the shoes. This together with the very strong field of racers made the race quite challenging.
This first edition of ÖTILLÖ Malta saw a new team take the win. Team Head Gravelines Tri (FRA) - Guillaume Henneman & the young Remy Mariette. Less than a minute ahead of the former World Champions - Fredrik Axegård & Alexander Flores, Team ARK Swimrun (SWE) and Henrik Wahlberg (SWE) & Francesc De Lanuza Gimeno (ESP) - Team Envol Powered by Head Swimming - These two teams crossed the line at exactly the same time! Just 45 seconds after the winners. The winning time was 4: 41: 53.
The womens category looked like a hornets nest from the beginning. In the end Team ARK Swimrun - Helena Sivertsson & Hanna Skårbratt (SWE) Took a comfortable win, 26 minutes ahead of Team Hella - Lorraine Axegård & Helena Dalivin (SWE). The winning time 5: 18: 25.
In mixed the competition it was a stiff chase with many of the top racers in the world going for it. The winners Anna Hellström & Viktor Dahl - Team Envol (SWE) won 3 minutes ahead of the seasoned team - Ulrika Eriksson & Peter Oom, The winning time was 4:58:50.
ÖTILLÖ Malta 2019 has been the race weekend with the most amount of participants of the year (667 in total) and with racers from a total of 31 nations.
More information about ÖTILLÖ Swimrun Malta: https://www.otilloswimrun.com/races/malta
The Race in Detail
The sold out inaugural ÖTILLÖ Malta with more than 200 starting teams of two started their Sunday morning by running hard out of the old town of Valletta, from the Triton Fountain inside the rampart walls to the first swim where they swim across the harbour entrance to Sliema. From Sliema the teams followed the coast towards the North West, along the rocks, on trails and across bays until they come out on to the rough coast of Malta. The course went to the west end, then turned south through Popeye village, to push hard to the finishline at Golden Sands. The fast pace sightseeing in the tough conditions took its toll.
In total, they covered almost 31 km on foot and 8,7 km swimming making a course distance just less than 40 km with 13 swims in total.
Water temperatures have been around 20 degress and the weather was tough with wind and some rain.
Several teams had to struggle to make it in time for the three cut offs. Some had to abandon along the way. The top teams pushed each other hard, chasing each other in a tight group in the first two hours before the pace took its toll. The level of competition this year has really become the next level!
At all ÖTILLÖ swimrun World Series events teams race in pairs. Using each other’s strengths will push boundaries. The team experience is incomparable and is part of why swimrun is growing so fast in popularity.
206 teams of two from 27 different nations travelled to Malta to compete in ÖTILLÖ World Series Malta, the third qualifier for ÖTILLÖ, The Swimrun World Championship 2020 in the Swedish archipelago and also the finals of the 2019 ÖTILLÖ Swimrun World Series.
The day prior to the race two shorter, more accessible races were organised, the ÖTILLÖ Sprint and ÖTILLÖ Experience, offering the same flavours as the longer, more challenging race but in a smaller format.
Eight top teams at ÖTILLÖ Malta qualify to ÖTILLÖ, The Swimrun World Championship 2020 on August 31st, 2020 in the Stockholm Archipelago; top 2 men, top 2 mixed, top 2 women.
Top 3 results ÖTILLÖ Swimrun Malta, November 24th, 2019
Men
1. - Remi Mariette @ Guillaume Henneman (FRA) Team Head - Gravelines Tri
2. Fredrik Axegård & Alexander Flores (SWE) Team ARK Swimrun
2.. Henrik Wahlberg (SWE) & Francesc de Lanuza Gimeno (ESP) - Team Envol Powered by Head swimming
Mixed
1. - Anna Hellström & Victor Dahl (SWE) Team Envol
2. Ulrika Eriksson & Peter Oom, Team ARK Swimrun (SWE),
3. Annika Ericsson & Stefano Prestinoni (SWE) ARK/ Swimshop.se
Women
1. Helena Sivertsson & Hanna Skårbratt (SWE), Team ARK Swimrun
2. Lorraine Axegård & Helena Dalivin (SWE) Team Hella
3. Linnea Olausson & Jenny Ramstedt (SWE) - Primal Coaching HEAD Swimming
Complete results list here: https://otilloswimrun.com/races/malta/results-2019/
Website here: https://otilloswimrun.com/races/malta
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