The Swimrun Season Will Officially Start May 28-29

News Release / 19.05.2016

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The island of Utö in the Stockholm archipelago hosts the finish of ÖTILLÖ, the internationally renowned endurance race and world championship in swimrun, 5 September 2016. Utö is also the beautiful arena of the the first swimrun race of the season, the ÖTILLÖ Swimrun Utö, a qualifier race to ÖTILLÖ and part of the new ÖTILLÖ Swimrun World Series.

Almost 300 teams (600 competitors) and 17 different nationalities will challenge the elite at Utö, Sunday, May 29. The competitors run and swim a total of 39,8 km around the island of Utö and its neighbouring islands, in the rapidly growing sport of swimrun. The teams will give it all they have to earn the much coveted eight qualifying spots to ÖTILLÖ. The day prior the race, on Saturday 28 May, a shorter event of 12 km, the ÖTILLÖ Swimrun Sprint Utö, is organised for those who wish to try swimrun racing for the first time or stick to more human challenges…

Swimrun is one of the fastest growing sports in Europe, where you in teams of two alternate running and swimming on a course in wild nature. With the many changes between running and swimming, you run in your wetsuit and swim in your shoes! The ÖTILLÖ qualifier at Utö is a bit more than half the length of ÖTILLÖ but still a grueling challenge. To succeed you need to be fast between the changes of running and swimming and never stop. Early spring means that competitors need to be ready for some cold Baltic sea water (9-12 degrees C)!

Reigning and previous world champions and other experienced swimrun adepts are on the start list for Utö, as well as new hungry athletes, who will give the veterans a run for their money to catch a qualifier spot to ÖTILLÖ. Swedes Staffan Björklund and Marika Wagner, the reigning swimrun world champions in the mixed category, are stronger than ever and will give a shot at the overall victory! Even another mixed team could be dangerous for the overall top three, with the super strong multisport athlete Kristin Larsson and the previous swimrun world champion Daniel Hansson. But they will meet tough competition in the twofold world champion Paul Krochak of Canada, who is racing with the new swimrun ace Nicolas Remires of France, who won at Utö last year and took third at ÖTILLÖ. A very strong team to look out for this season!

There are more all-female teams than ever before, with 30 registered teams. The Utö local Maja Tesch, who impressed the swimrun world last year by taking victory at ÖTILLÖ, will, with her team mate Lisa Jansson be a tuff competition for the veterans and ex world champions, mother and daughter Bibben Nordblom and Charlotta Nilsson.

The Swedish hiphop star Petter will compete at Utö for a third consecutive year.

You can follow live reports during race at http://www.otilloswimrun.com/live