Ötillö, organizers of the up-and coming sport of swimrun, launches its first American race, Swimrun Catalina, on the Island on Feb. 29. Ötillö means “island to island” in Swedish.
For all of you endurance and adventure junkies out there, this is the new frontier.
“We are expecting a little over 300 racers for the World Series Race on Sunday with both the Women’s and Men’s World Champions racing,” wrote Michael Lemmel, race director and founder of Swimrun, in a Jan. 8 email to the Islander.
“For the two shorter races on Saturday we are also expecting close to 300 persons,” Lemmel wrote.
“This is a great start for us and with many traveling with friends and family we expect close to 1,000 persons coming to Catalina for the race,” Lemmel wrote.
For the two shorter races on Saturday we are also expecting close to 300 persons.
The goal for the number of race participants was 400, according Jim Luttjohann, president and CEO of the Catalina Island Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau. He was not aware of the current number of registered racers.
Racers in all three distances—Experience (8 Km), Sprint (15 Km) and World Series (38 km), which start and finish at the Two Harbors resort—will get a glimpse of spectacular coastal chaparral and crystal-clear waters home to plant and wildlife species found nowhere else on earth.
Saturday, Feb. 29, is the day for the Experience and Sprint distances. These races you can either do in a team of two or solo. They are fun and accessible to everyone where the Sprint is a bit more challenging.
On Sunday, March 1, it is time for the World Series race, a qualifier to the World Championship and a major undertaking for endurance junkies.
The average Island air temperature between January and April is around 16°C, and the water is 12 – 14°C.
Read more about the races: www.otilloswimrun.com/races/catalina
“This race will be very special. It is a dream come true to finally be able to establish an Ötillö race in America. It is the right timing to be able to support the growth of Swimrun in the U.S.,” said Michael Lemmel, race director of Ötillö, and co-founder of Swimrun.
Who participates?
In the Experience and Sprint distances, organizers see people from all walks of life, from elite to beginners. People who want to be part of this exciting and adventurous sport and community.
In the World Series distance, you need to be able to manage the distance, with your team mate. You are used to running and swimming over long periods of time and you are ready to be challenged.
In the World Series you will find endurance sports afficianados, World champions and those looking for a new adventure!
Background
Fifteen years ago, on the island of Sandhamn in the Stockholm Archipelago (Sweden), nine teams of two-each took the start of the first Ötillö race.
They were to run and swim over and between 24 islands; a total of 65 km of trail-running and 10 km of open water-swimming. Two teams finished.
It was the start of the sport of Swimrun. Since then it has grown with leaps and bounds with more than 700 races world-wide, it has become a more than $50-million industry and it is an established sport in Europe.
In North America the sport is beginning to grow with several race organizations leading the way.
About Swimrun and Ötillö
Swimrun is a new endurance sport growing all over the world where you alternate trail running and open water swimming along a marked course.
Ötillö started in 2006. It is the origin of the sport.
Ötillö, The Swimrun World Championship is the original swimrun race, renowned as one of the toughest one-day races in the world.
