A 2021 ÖTILLÖ Swimrun Utö Gallery
With COVID-19 restrictions eased in Sweden the ÖTILLÖ organization made some adaptions and pulled off a successful race weekend with teams from 24 countries. 123 teams started the World Series event, but the various divisions had to start separately because of COVID-19 regulations. The race distance was also shortened to comply with these regulations, and thus athletes tackled a 26.5 km long course with 17 swim and 18 run sections.
On the previous day 215 other athletes got to compete in the shorter Sprint and Experience events, bringing the event total to over 450 according to the ÖTILLÖ press release.
Perfectly in line 2 male teams cruising through one of the 17 swims, of which non was longer than 500 meters, but with so many transitions in short successions experienced teams had an advantage.
Here the YO Running Club with Marcus Hallbäck and Daniel Adams-Ray lead a whole bunch of male teams. Typically we would see mixed teams, and female teams in the mix here, but not on that day as all divisions started separately. Coincidentally the YO Running Club team finished 7th overall – about 45 seconds behind the winning mixed team of Peter Oom and Ulrika Eriksson.
It was a reasonably warm day and while the race was going on other folks got to experience the outdoors too.
2018 World Champion Fredrik Axegård and team mate Lars Ekman battled hard but in the end finished 3rd.
The race spread out pretty fast and thus most teams were racing on their own.
According to ÖTILLÖ most of the running segments were actually on single track trails and offered challenges for all athletes.
The swims are very stunning and as you can see, others enjoyed the water too, but without wetsuits.
Former triathlete Adriel Young with team mate Max Andersson stormed to the win in 2:45:15, over 4 minutes up on the second placed team of Pontus Lindberg and George Bjälkemo – the 2019 ÖTILLÖ World Champions.
Pontus Lindberg and George Bjälkemo seen in action here fighting hard for position.
Into the woods we go, again and again.
There were quite a few onlookers on course, happy to have racing action return.
Fredrik Hägglund and Mårten Westlund are experienced veterans of the Swimrun sport and have traveled the world to experience it.
Jesper Mars and Mats Andersson in action in Utö, and Mats Andersson is one of the original crew that came up with the Swimrun idea.
Some of the swim exits and entrances are quite tricky and require quite some skill and grippy shoes to get out.
The female teams started 4 hours after the male teams, with the mixed teams 30 minutes behind them.
With no one else in sight each team had to battle nature alone.
Through the woods towards the next swim.
The mixed division race early on with eventual winners Peter Oom and Ulrika Eriksson still in the mix.
The female division champions Desirée Andersson and Anna Hellström of Team Envol.
Images 1- 18 © Pierre Mangez / ÖTILLÖ
image 19 © Mattias Hallgren / ÖTILLÖ
