Perfect conditions at ÖTILLÖ Swimrun Utö

Press Release / 29.05.2017

In beautiful summer weather, almost 650 competitors from 22 different nations took on the magic landscape around the island of Utö in the Stockholm archipelago for an exceptional weekend of swimrun. After an extremely tight battle between the three top teams, the ÖTILLÖ Swimrun Utö, part of the ÖTILLÖ World Series, was won today by Swedes George Bjälkemo and Pontus Lindberg, Team Garmin, with the finishing time 4h 11min and 22 sec. The first mixed team Jasmina Glad Schreven (FIN) and Thomas Schreven (NED) was chasing the leading pack and took an impressive fourth place overall, finishing 4:31:56. The first women’s team Kristin Larsson and Eva Nyström (SWE), Team Campz.com lead the women’s field around the course and took victory with 5:06:45.

A shorter sprint race on Saturday 27 May, saw 80 teams (160 competitors) on the start line and was a huge success introducing the sport of swimrun to new disciples.

ÖTILLÖ Swimrun Utö is a fantastic combination of being one of swimrun’s hardest elite races as well as being a great celebration of sport, nature and swimrun. The several hundred competitors from all over the world were cheered on by dedicated fans all along the course. ÖTILLÖ Swimrun Utö is a clear example of how the development and interest of swimrun is going fast forward!

Even the level of the competitors is evolving to impressive performances. The three top teams led an intense battle and pushed each other to a remarkable pace around the 43 km long course. Finally, Team Garmin’s Pontus Lindberg and George Bjälkemo (SWE) managed to pull away and take the lead towards victory.

"It was stressful to have such a tight race all the way. We had to dig deep to do a final push to shake them off. It got a bit easier when we got some distance at the end but it was great to push each other when we were all so close," said winner George Bjälkemo, who alongside his swimrun career is a professional triathlete.

Jasmina Glad Schreven (FIN) was the fastest women around the course, and with her partner Thomas Schreven finished only 20 minutes after the overall winners.

"Team dynamics is our strength, we know each other inside out and know how far we can push. This course is incredibly beautiful and swimrun is so much fun, I guess that team work and enjoying it so much is the recepie to our success!"

The 43 km race course around Utö and its surrounding islands is beautiful and challenging. The 37,6 km trail running sections are very varied: on dirt roads, single tracks, cliffs and rocks, completely off-road and with some challenging short, steep sections to climb. The open water swim sections of 5,2 km are many, there are 19 different sections, and most of them are relatively short. That means 39 transitions between running and swimming in total, and being the fast in and out of the water is key to keep a fast pace.

Eight teams at ÖTILLÖ Swimrun Utö qualify to the ÖTILLÖ Swimrun World Championship 2017, on 4 September 2017 in the Stockholm Archipelago: top 3 men, top 3 mixed, top 2 women.

Top 3 results ÖTILLÖ Swimrun Utö, 28 May 2017

Men
1. Pontus Lindberg & George Bjälkemo (SWE), Team Garmin, 4:11:22
2. Jonas Ekman & Lars Ekman (SWE), Bröderna Bäver, 4:14:50
3. Daniel Hansson & Fredrik Axegård (SWE), Swedish Armed Forces, 4:18:17

Mixed
1. Jasmina Glad Schreven (FIN) & Thomas Schreven (NED), Say no to doping!, 4:31:56
2. Marika Wagner & Jonas Andersson (SWE), Apollo Sports/Head Swimming, 4:50: 17
3. Michelle Nyström & Erik Fridolf (SWE), Team Garmin, 4:54:12

Women
1. Kristin Larsson & Eva Nyström (SWE), Team Campz.com, 5:06:45
2. Natalie Rec & Jessica Fridlund (SWE), Ironladies, 5:14:13
3. Matilda Bertlin & Helen Maalinn (SWE), Wolff Wear Swimrun, 5:17:08

Complete result list here: http://otilloswimrun.com/races/uto/results-2017

Website here: http://otilloswimrun.com/races/uto