The Swedish Swimrun idea has new world champions
What once began in a bar is now one of the toughest races in the world. Swimming 75 kilometres in shoes and running with paddles on your hands takes its toll. Nevertheless, 320 athletes from 25 nations took part in the Swimrun World Championship.
Most boozy ideas don't survive the hangover the following day. But some do grow up. The swimrun legend goes like this: In 2002, Anders Malm and colleagues were sitting together in the bar of his hotel on the island of Üto off the coast of Stockholm and devised a special challenge that they wanted to tackle the next day.
The race was to be to Sandhamn, one of the countless other islands off the Swedish capital. The last team of two at the finish line would not only have to pay for the hotel, dinner and drinks, but also eat what the others had ordered for the losers. However, the big final party was cancelled. After the pioneers had battled their way through the archipelago for over 24 hours on land and at sea, no one was in a party mood.
Source: Jakob Edholm / ÖTILLÖ
Today there is a "World Swimrun Federation" and the race on the legendary course is the ultimate, the world championship. It is considered one of the toughest endurance races in the world and Swimrun has long been known beyond the borders of Sweden. The combination of trail running and open water swimming is booming.
Island hopping with a difference
Unlike in most endurance disciplines, the Swimrun World Championship sees teams of two competing together in the water and on land as they make their way to the finish line. There are no transition zones like in a triathlon, the equipment is carried from start to finish. This means swimming in shoes and running in a special wetsuit, plus paddles and a pullbuoy are permitted. Changing clothes would also be pointless with a total of 50 changes between water and land.
Source: Pierre Mangez / ÖTILLÖ
The challenge for the men's, women's and mixed teams at the 14th Swimrun World Championship, which took place on 2 September, was epic: 65 kilometres of trail running across 24 islands and 10 kilometres of open water swimming in the 10 to 15 degree Baltic Sea is certainly a unique natural experience, but also pretty crazy. And the Swedes are in a class of their own in this sport.
Sweden, Sweden, Sweden, Switzerland
In the men's race, Pontus Lindberg and George Bjälkemo crossed the finish line after 7:47:48 hours. In the mixed competition, Charlotte Eriksson and Simon Börjeson took the lead with 8:38:10 hours and Fanny Danckwardt and Desirée Andersson triumphed in the women's competition after 9:05:29 hours. All Swedes or what? Almost.
A Swiss woman also made it onto the podium: Diane Sadik finished in third place with her Norwegian mixed partner Knut Baadshaug, after the duo had even led for a long time. If you want to break the Scandinavian dominance, you can find the appropriate equipment here. But you can also just sit back and enjoy the spectacular images. [[image:28573839 "This is what winners look like: Pontus Lindberg and George Bjälkemo at the finish line." "ÖTILLÖ"]] [[image:28574353 "Picture:Jakob Edholm / ÖTILLÖ"]]
Simple writer and dad of two who likes to be on the move, wading through everyday family life. Juggling several balls, I'll occasionally drop one. It could be a ball, or a remark. Or both.