What a start to the ÖTILLÖ swimrun season at Hvar

This post is also available in: Croatian

The 2019 ÖTILLÖ swimrun season kicked off with a very tough race. It ended up being a hard fought battle for the 3rd edition ÖTILLÖ Swimrun World Series event on the island of Hvar, Croatia.

The Mediterranean setting had all the ingredients to make for a spectacular yet very tough swimrun race. The original  40,4 kilometres long course had to be changed as the currents made it to a true test, alternating technical trail running with long, challenging stretches of open-water swimming.

The Winners Jonas Ekman Fischer and Lars Ekman (SWE), Sailfish Team Bröderna Bäver, managed to pull away from the leading pack and cross the finish line as the first team after 4:51:51, almost 7 minutes ahead of Julien Pousson and Nicolas Remires (FRA), Team Envol.

The very strong Martin Flinta (SWE) & Helena Karaskova Erbenova (CZE) Team Thule Crew/Wolffwear Head SR team finished as first mixed team and 6th overall with the time of 5:01:50! The first women’s team Fanny Danckwardt & Desirée Andersson (SWE) Team Envol Fanny/Desirée completed an impressive race and finished after 5:24:12 and 10th Overall.

Hvar representatives at ÖTILLÖ Sprint Hvar and ÖTILLÖ Experience Hvar race

The day before the main race was organized shorter races: ÖTILLÖ Sprint Hvar and ÖTILLÖ Experience Hvar, offering the same experience as the longer and more demanding main race, just in a smaller format. These races had 150 competitors registered in 20 countries, and Hvar also had two representatives.

A representative of the Tourist Board of Hvar, Georges Buj and Marzia Marti, the marketing representative of the Sunčani Hvar hotels, a longtime partner of the event. Both of them have successfully finished the race.

“There were a lot of good teams in the front today, especially in the swim sections. Before the long run we just felt let`s go for it and we managed to gain a couple of minutes on the rest of the field in the uphill. We are very happy with the win and the good start into the season.”, said Jonas Ekam Fischer after finishing as overall winner with Lars Ekman (SWE), Sailfish Team Bröderna Bäver.

The island of Hvar, part of the Croatian Dalmatian islands, is considered one of the 10 most beautiful islands in the world. With its rich cultural and historic heritage, ancient olive trees and vineyards, crystal clear waters, limestone rock and varied terrain, surrounded by the fabulous Pakleni islands, Hvar is the perfect destination for a ÖTILLÖ swimrun race. There is no doubt that Hvar lives up to ÖTILLÖ’s claim of having unique races in unique places!

The original 40,4 km race course of ÖTILLÖ Swimrun Hvar had to be changed due to strong currents in the channel between Hvar and the Pakleni Islands. The crystal blue sea was at around 15 degrees and the longest swim crossing of 2 950 metres was shortened to about 2 700 metres. Still a true test for all competitors. The rainy weather made the conditions different for all the racers depending on where you were in the pack, it became a big challenge. A big part of the trail running was on technical trails, with a few tough climbs spicing up the challenge.

Several teams had to struggle to make it in time for the two cut offs. Some had to abandon after the long swim. The top teams pushed each other hard, chasing each other in a tight group all the way to the last swims before the finish line. The level of competition is mind blowing!

At all ÖTILLÖ swimrun World Series events teams race in pairs. Working wisely with your partner is decisive. Using each other’s strengths will push boundaries. The team experience is incomparable and can only be fully understood by those who have practiced it, and is part of why swimrun is growing so fast in popularity.

142 teams of two from 23 different nations travelled to Hvar to compete in the ÖTILLÖ Swimrun Hvar, a qualifier to the ÖTILLÖ Swimrun World Championship in the Swedish archipelago. The day prior to the race two shorter more accessible race were organised, the ÖTILLÖ Sprint Hvar and the ÖTILLÖ Experience Hvar, offering the same flavours as the longer more challenging race but in a smaller format.These races had close to 150 racers registered from a total of 20 nations.

Eight top teams at ÖTILLÖ Swimrun Hvar qualify to the ÖTILLÖ Swimrun World Championship 2019, on 2 September 2019 in the Stockholm Archipelago; top 3 men, top 3 mixed, top 2 women.

Top 3 results ÖTILLÖ Swimrun Hvar, 7 April 2019

Men
1. Jonas Ekman Fischer & Lars Ekman (SWE) Sailfish Team Bröderna Bäver
2. Julien Pousson & Nicolas Remires (FRA) Team Envol
3. Franck Martin & Guillaume Heneman (FRA) HEAD – GRAVELINES TRI

Mixed
1. Martin Flinta (SWE) & Helena Karaskova Erbenova (CZE), Thule Crew/Wolffwear Head SR
2. Sampo Hyppölä & Saara Grönholm (FIN), Kuopio Swimrun Team
3. Andre Hook & Dörte Zimmermann (GER), Team Envol_Head powered by Campz

Women
1. Fanny Danckwardt & Desirée Andersson (SWE), Team Envol Fanny/Desirée – winner
2. Anna Hellström & Susie Moonan (SWE), Team Envol Susie Anna
3. Helen Wikmar & Isabella Hedberg (SWE), Team ARKsouls

FAST FACTS ÖTILLÖ SWIMRUN HVAR 2019

·         Hvar, Croatia

·         Total race distance: 40,4 km

·         Trail running: 31,6 km

·         Swimming: 8,8 km

·         Swim sections: 9

·         Longest swim: 2 950 m

·         Longest run: 13 600 m

·         Teams of two; for safety reasons and for the unique experience

·         142 registered teams

·         20 nations

ABOUT SWIMRUN AND ÖTILLÖ

Swimrun is one of the fastest growing endurance sport where you in teams of two alternate trail running and open water swimming along a marked course. You run in your wetsuit and swim in your shoes! It is a unique sport and experience as you often race with a partner and the race courses are in wild nature. The ÖTILLÖ Swimrun World Championship (ÖTILLÖ meaning island to island in Swedish) is the original swimrun race, renowned as one of the toughest one-day races in the world (CNN 2012).ÖTILLÖ SWIMRUN WORLD SERIES 2019

There are six qualifying races to ÖTILLÖ. At each World Series event a Sprint and Experience race is organised the same weekend.

·         ÖTILLÖ Swimrun Hvar, Croatia, April 7, 2019

·         ÖTILLÖ Swimrun Utö, Sweden, May 19, 2019

·         ÖTILLÖ Swimrun Isles of Scilly, UK, June 9, 2019

·         ÖTILLÖ Swimrun Engadin, Switzerland, July 7, 2019

·         ÖTILLÖ Swimrun 1000 Lakes, Germany, September 22, 2019 (Qualifier for ÖTILLÖ 2020)

·         ÖTILLÖ Swimrun Cannes, France, October 20, 2019 (Qualifier for ÖTILLÖ 2020)

ÖTILLÖ THE SWIMRUN WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

·         14th edition on September 2nd, 2019

·         75 km over and between 26 islands in the Stockholm Archipelago

·         Renowned as one of the toughest one-day races in the world

Photographer: Pierre Mangez,

This post is also available in: Croatian