One Water Race

Team Sweden-Australia Set the Bar High at the First One Water Race

Press Release / 30.08.2022

The first official One Water Race, the world’s toughest long-distance race, started on August 23 at 7.00am. The winning team, Team 4 (Sweden/Australia), crossed the finish line at Landsort with an unbelievable time of 47 hours and 19 minutes. The runner up, Team 8 (Australia), finished in an amazing 49 hours and 41 minutes.

Seven teams started at Arholma to challenge all physical and mental limits by competing over 250 kilometers of running, swimming, and orienteering—non-stop, across Stockholm’s archipelago to Landsort. The winners, Team 4 (Sweden/Australia) with Adriel Young, Daniel Hansson, Johan Hasselmark and Kristin Larsson, crossed the finish line after 47 hours and 19 minutes. The total prize pool is USD 100,000, of which the winning team receives USD 60,000 and the remaining teams share USD 40,000.

The second team to finish was Team 8 (Australia) with Rob Preston (ranked 2nd in the world in endurance sports,) Elizabeth Dornom, Glenn Wilkinson, and Julian Dent, who finished a little more than 2 hours behind the winners with a time of 49 hours and 41 minutes. The third team Team 2 (Sweden) finished at 58 hours and 34 minutes.

The weather conditions have been quite fair, but the chilly nights and extreme swimming, 200 kilometers, and 50 kilometers of running and the lack of sleep has been stressful for everyone. Three US teams, Team 1, Team 3, and Team 7 became separated during the competition.

“We are extremely impressed by the performances of all the teams,” says Thomas Ogander, initiator, and founder of One Water Race. “They have fought so hard and just kept going without sleep. The winning team is well-knit and has trained incredibly hard ahead of the race. My vision was a finish tonight, after 55-60 hours, but they managed it in an incredible 47 hours and 19 minutes, which is unbelievably strong. Now, we are waiting for the third team, Team 2, to finish. We are already looking forward to next year and hope that even more athletes join the competition, which raises awareness for the climate challenge in our waters and seas and elevates endurance sports.”

“This is the most enjoyable and challenging race we have ever taken part in,” says Daniel Hansson Team 4 (Sweden/Australia). “The lack of sleep was the biggest challenge, closely followed by the weather conditions with hot days and extremely cold and dark nights. We are delighted that we managed to finish first because it will allow us to devote even more time and effort in the future,” says Daniel Hansson Team 4 (Sweden/ Australia.)

In November 2022, teams from all over the world can apply for a spot in One Water Race 2023.

One Water Race will be arranged annually during World Water Week, when the Stockholm Water Prize is awarded by HM King Carl XVI Gustaf as well as Stockholm Junior Water Prize and Baltic Sea Day. All activities are meant to further raise awareness for water-related challenges.

One Water Race is adapted to a digital and content-driven world. The race is produced with advanced media technology and broadcast in real time via the Web and social media platforms worldwide. In collaboration with Storyfire, a documentary is also produced for global streaming services. The race and results can be seen on www.onewaterrace.com as well as on social media channels.

One Water Race, leaderboard

1 TEAM 4 – SWEDEN & AUSTRALIA 47:19:00 FINISHED

2 TEAM 8 – AUSTRALIA 49:52:00 FINISHED

3 TEAM 2 – SWEDEN 58:34:00 FINISHED

4 TEAM 5 – SOUTH AMERICA 57:22:00 30.755 DNF (CHECKPOINT 12)

5 TEAM 3 – USA 52:29:00 42.739 DNF (CHECKPOINT 11)

6 TEAM 7 – USA 50:00:00 85.729 DNF (CHECKPOINT 9)

7 TEAM 1 – USA 38:40:00 85.729 DNF (CHECKPOINT 9)

8 TEAM 6 – SWEDEN 00:00:00 00.000 DNF (RETIRED DUE TO INJURY)