Swimrun

A Swimrun is a multiple-stage competition which involves participants running and swimming over a cross-country race course that involves many transitions between the swim and run stages of the race.

History

In 2002 Anders Malm, the owner of Utö Värdshus (the finish line hotel of ÖtillÖ), his friend Janne Lindberg and some of his staff (the Andersson brothers) had a late night in the bar. They challenged each other – “Last team of two to Sandhamn pays for hotel, dinner and drinks”. Two teams of two started the next morning with the only rule being that they had to pass the three different restaurants on the islands between the start and the finish. The last team at the restaurant had to drink and pay what the team ahead of them had ordered for them. It took them more than 24 hours and they were too tired to party on arrival. They tried again the year after with the same result. They're referred to as Original 4.^[1]

In 2006 Michael Lemmel and Mats Skott were asked if they could make a commercial race out of their crazy challenge. The first couple of years only 11 teams started and only two managed to finish within the time limits. Then something happened and the teams learned that the only way to race is by not stopping, with constant movement.

Unlike the original course set by the creators, Utö became the finish line while Sandhamn became the start. The race became known as ÖtillÖ (Island to island), Today the race is internationally recognized as the Swimrun World Championship^[1] and has been ranked by CNN as one of the toughest races in the World.^[2] It was also later mentioned by one article as one of the toughest 1-day endurance races in the world,^[3] and is currently the standard when it comes to rules and style of racing.

The style of racing picked up the name "Swimrun", given in 2011 by Erika Rosenbaum, one of the ÖtillÖ Swimrun World Championship podium finishers.^[1]

The first swimrun race done in warm water was Aquaticrunner XTriM ITALY and it started in 2014 on August 3. It is an individual swimrun race and not a standard dual-team race such as in ÖtillÖ. The biggest different between Aquaticrunner and the Nordic races are two: the Individual/Solo race (no team) and that swimming tools are not permitted (no fins, snorkel, etc.) with the exception that a pull buoy is allowed. In order to qualify, athletes must hold a title such as finishing 1st overall at another competition (Ironman, 70.3, long swim, marathon, etc.),.^[4] The swimming portion in total is about 4 km, while the running portion is 19 km.^[5] The Other races done outside of Sweden in 2014 was: Rockman Swimrun and XTERRA Swimrun both in Norway, Engandina in Switzerland and Amphibianman in Italy (this was the first outside of Sweden done on May 10, 2014). Aquaticrunner 2014 was also the first Individual/Solo Swimrun done in the world and it was done by Matteo Benedetti.

In 2015, the world's first Ultraswimrun, the Stockholm Archipelago Ultra Challenge (SAUC) took place, and is now considered the toughest available swimrun race in the world, stretching over some 250 km. SAUC is also the official and original world championships of Ultraswimrun racing. In Sweden, and rapidly around the world, swimrun has become a new type of competition that has gathered considerable support from its growing sport and triathlon community and several annual races have been started in the world, but foremost across Sweden. The other world championship is located in Norway held by the XTERRA organisation and was 1st launched in 2014. ^[6]

The international focus has been growing in the last years, and in 2016 (2016-05-10) there are more than 180 known races in the world, in 19 countries and on 4 continents.^[7] In 2016 the swimrun scene has seen the birth of several swimrun leagues, such as the ÖtillÖ world series, The Copenhagen Swimrun Series, the Breca Swimrun Series,^[7] the Trispot City Challenge and the Italia SwimRun Series, however where all but one of the 15 races in and around the Italian peninsula are individual races.^[8]

Most swimrun races are completed in teams of two, but starting from 2016, there are many individual/solo swimrun in the world, starting from Italy (Italian swimrun swries 10 race), in XTERRA Quebec 2017, Love swimrun, ecc...

Swimrun characteristics

What defines a swimrun is that its always carried out outdoors and in water where the goal is to go from a starting point to a finish point through a course with at least 2 swim and run sections. All the equipment that a participant starts with has to be carried all the way to the finish line. Even though swimrun urges participants to use flotation equipment, equipment larger than 100×60 cm is not allowed.^[9]

Because of safety measures a swimrun competition is usually carried out by teams but there are several races where you can race individually.^[7] There are three classes to compete in; either a men`s class, women`s class or a mixed gender class.

Given that swimrun is a cross-country race, there are no standards yet in terms of how far the total run and swim should be, or how many transitions there should be in a swimrun competition, like there is in sports related to swimrun such as aquathlon, biathle or triathlon.

Swimrun Distances

The race levels vary in the world. There are no set race limits or race standards apart from having to compete in twos and as to what is constituted as a swimrun race. Currently the majority of races (2016) are spread among the following levels below (1st table).

The world standard swimrun distances are divided into 6 types, in accordance with the majority of available races including ÖtillÖ.

In Italy foremost, and few other European countries, a different distance scheme is used.

The races

Year	Races	Nations	Finisher	Events
2016	102	17	*	Sweden Borensberg Swimrun, Sjö till Sjö, Utö (ôtillö qualifier), Anglaloppet, Stockholm swimrun, Stockholm Archipelago Ultra Swimrun, Borĺs Swimrun, 50´turen 2 Sjöer, Infinity Swimrun 3h, Horfors Swimrun, Kustjageren, Vansbro, Hřga Kusten (ötillö-qualifier), Ĺrnes Swimrun, Kalmar Swimrun, Ĺstol Aquathlon, 2XU Island Challenge, Tylösand Aquathlon, Amfibiemannen, Wet rock race, Farleden, Farleden inomskärs, LED swimrun, Nordslingan Swimrun, Sjö till Sjö, Ôloppet Swimrun, Skärgĺrdsutmaningen Swimrun, Karlstad Swimrun, Stockholm Archipelago Ultraswimrun Challenge, Karlskrona Swimrun, Marstrand Swimrun, Stora Stöten Swimrun, Idre Swimrun, Anglaloppet Swimrun, Moose2Goose Swimrun, 10 Island Race, Sigge tuna Swimrun, ÖtillÖ® Swimrun World Championship, Arlanda Swimrun, Tjolöholm Swimrun, Koster Swimrun, Lilla Astol Swimrun, Langholmen Swimrun, Sollentuna Swimrun, Snapphanen, GBG Swimrun, Hellas frostbite  Italy Amphibianman® (Aquaticrunner qualifier), Conero Swimrun (Aquaticrunner qualifier), Elba Swimrun (Aquaticrunner qualifier), Idro Swimrun (Aquaticrunner qualifier), Swimrun Venice (Aquaticrunner qualifier), Umbria Swimrun (Aquaticrunner qualifier), Bologna Swimrun (Aquaticrunner qualifier), 2° Anfibia SwimRun, 3° Aquaticrunner® ITALY XTriM Border Lagoon   Switzerland Engadin (ötillö-qualifier)  Norway Swimrun Norway - To the worlds end, Oslofjorden Sprint Swimrun, Rockman  Germany Paddle to the Medal, Rheinsberg, Allgaeu Swimrun, 1000 Lakes Swimrun (ötillö qualifier)  England Breca Buttermere, Isle of Scilly (ötillö-qualifier), Love Swimrun Ilanberis, The Broards Swimrun, Snowdonia Lyn I Lyn  Scotland Loch Lomond Inch by Inch Swimrun, Hell´s Hop, Loch gu loch  Ireland Breca Arranmore  Denmark XTERRA Swimrun Denmark, Urban Swimrun (swimrun cup Denmark), Beach Swimrun (swimrun cup Denmark), Bornholm Swimrun, Lake Swimrun (swimrun cup Denmark), DGI Swimrun Rřdekro  Belgium Amphimann, Amphiman De Schorre  Finland Midnightsun Swimrun, Porkkala Swimrun, Solvalla Swimrun (ötillö-qualifier)  Russia Lake-to-Lake  France Saint quentin Swimrun, Emeraude Swimrun  United States Casco Bay Islands Swimrun,[10] Swimrun North Carolina,[11] Swimrun Virginia,[12] Mission Bay Swimrun  Spain Costa Brava Swimrun  Canada Mushoka´s Epic Swimrun  Armenia Sevan Lake Swimrun  Ireland Breca Árainn Mhóre Swimrun, Galway Bay Swimrun South Africa Torpedo SwimRun Cape Town * Still underway races.
2015	55	12 (counting England and Scotland as different countries, otherwise 11 nations)	6441	Sweden Ö till Ö,[13] 4th Lake Swimrun*,[14] 10 Island Swimrun,[15] Amfibiemannen ,[16] Ångaloppet ,[17] Ångaloppet Sprint, Stockholm Archipelago UltraSwimrun Challenge [18] Arlanda Aquathlon,[19] Årnäs Swimrun,[20] Borås Swimrun ,[21] Borås Swimrun Sprint, Borensberg Swimrun,[22] Farleden,[23] Farleden inomskärs,[24] Hofors Swimrun ,[25] Höga Kusten Swimrun,[26] Idre Swimrun,[27] Karlstad Swimrun,[28] Koster Swimrun,[29] Kustjagaren,[30] Långholmen Swimrun,[31] Loftahammar Endurance Day,[32] Lyckans Swimrun,[33] Marstrand Open Water,[34] Marstrand Open Water Sprint, Nordslingan,[35] Öloppet,[36] Öloppet Sprint, Sigge Tuna Swimrun,[37] Sjö till Sjö Växjö,[38] Sjö till Sjö Sala,[39] Skärgårdsutmaningen,[40] Skärgårdsutmaningen Sprint, Stockholm Swimrun,[41] Snapphanen Swimrun,[42] Solvalla Swimrun*,[43] Stora Stöten Swimrun,[44] Utö Swimrun,[45] Vansbro Swimrun,[46] WetRockRace[47]  Italy 2° Amphibianman® Swimrun[48] 2° Aquaticrunner® XTriM® Swimrun,[49] 1° Tnatura Anfibia Swimrun[50]   Switzerland Engadin Swimrun[51]  Norway Swimrun Norway - To the worlds end, Oslofjorden Sprint Swimrun, Rockman  Germany Paddle to the Meda  England Breca Swimrun[52] Wales Snowdonia Swimrun[53]  Scotland Loch Lomond Swimrun,[54] Loch Gu Loch Swimrun[55]  Denmark XTERRA Swimrun Denmark[56]  Belgium Amphiman,[57] Amphiman Sprint  Finland Porkkala Swimrun[58]  Russia Lake-to-Lake Russia[59]  France Émeraude Swimrun,[60] Swimrun Saint-Quentin,[61] Troll Enez Morbihan [62]
2014	22	4	3574	Sweden Ö till Ö, 10 Island Swimrun, Amfibiemannen, Ångaloppet, Ångaloppet Sprint, Arlanda Aquathlon, Borås Swimrun, Farleden, Farleden inomskärs, Karlstad Swimrun, Kustjagaren Karlskrona, Loftahammar Endurance Day, Öloppet, Öloppet Sprint, Utö Swimrun, Skärgårdsutmaningen, Skärgårdsutmaningen Sprint, Solvalla Swimrun, Stockholm Swimrun  Italy 1° Amphibianman® Swimrun[63] 1° Aquaticrunner® XTriM® Swimrun,[64]   Switzerland Engadin Swimrun  Norway XTERRA Swimrun,[65] Rockman Swimrun[66]
2013	10	1	1948	Sweden Ö till Ö, Arlanda Aquathlon, Amfibiemannen, Ångaloppet, Ångaloppet Sprint, Kustjagaren Karlskrona, Öloppet, Öloppet Sprint, Utö Swimrun, WetRockRace
2012	5	1	900	Sweden Ö till Ö, Amfibiemannen, Ångaloppet, Öloppet, WetRockRace
2011	3	1	196	Sweden Ö till Ö, Ångaloppet, WetRockRace
2010	1	1	16	Sweden Ö till Ö
2009	1	1	16	Sweden Ö till Ö
2008	1	1	6	Sweden Ö till Ö
2007	1	1	4	Sweden Ö till Ö
2006	1	1	4	Sweden Ö till Ö

References