International Swimrun Elite gather at ÖTILLÖ Åland

Over the past weekend, over 400 athletes from 28 nations took part in three race formats: World Series and Sprint on Saturday, and Experience plus the Kids race on Sunday. 26 Elite athletes competed in the longest format, the World Series race. where athletes had to cover 46.5 kilometers in total, comprising of 36.5km of mostly very technical running and 10km of swimming spread across 22 swim sections. The course started in Havsvidden on the northern coast of Åland and lead the racers in south-western direction all the way to the Käringsund Resort near Eckerö. After only its second edition, the course is considered one of the toughest and most beautiful swimrun courses in the world. The weather conditions could not have been better with water temperatures between 16 and 18 degrees and a partly cloudy sky, no wind and up to 25 degrees air temperature.

Men’s Teams: Alexis Charrier & Tom Ralite battle for the win with Arnaud & Pierre de Lustrac

In the men’s category, two Elite teams very quickly separated themselves from the rest of the field: last year’s ÖTILLÖ Åland winner and former World Champion Alexis Charrier together with fellow French Elite athlete Tom Ralite. They were closely followed by another former World Champion: Arnaud de Lustrac from France who raced together with his brother Pierre. Alexis Charrier and Tom Ralite kept gaining small leads on the technical running sections which Arnaud and Pierre de Lustrac managed to close in the swim sections. A long running section of 8km in the final segment of the course brought the decision: Alexis Charrier and Tom Ralite increased their running pace significantly and Arnaud and Pierre de Lustrac could not counter the challenge. In the end Charrier and Ralite won with an overall time of 5:56:13, ahead of Arnaud and Pierre de Lustrac and another French team, Emeryc Gennesson and Rémi Menut, making it an all French podium in the men’s category.

Listen to the post race interview with Alexis Charrier and Tom Ralite here and with Arnaud and Pierre de Lustrac here.

Women’s Teams: Ulrika Eriksson & Lydie Waucquier win their premiere

In the women’s category, former World Champion Ulrika Eriksson with her French teammate Lydie Waucquier established an early lead, but they were chased relentlessly by the Swedish Norwegian duo of Klara Kjellgren and Terese Østeraas, who always had them in sight. The very strong French team of Mélisande Muller and Johanne Laizeau was in third position and the very strong Swedish swimmers Lorraine Axegård and Josefine Jangvert in fourth. Over the 46.5 km long race, the leading teams were always in sight of each other, which meant that neither team could slow their pace at any point in time without risking to lose their position. Waucquier, who was beaten on the last kilometers in this year’s ÖTILLÖ Engadin, was particularly anxious about losing the top spot towards the end of the race, where they could see Kjellgren and Østeraas approaching from behind. And so she pushed her partner Ulrika Eriksson to make an enormous effort all the way down to the finish line to secure first place, her first ever win in a World Series race in the women’s category. Kjellgren and Østeraas, who have been exceptionally strong all this season, finished in second place and Muller & Laizeau successfully defended third place to complete the podium.

Mixed Teams: Kristin Larsson and Adriel Young deliver

In the mixed category, Kristin Larsson from Sweden had teamed up with Adriel Young from Australia. With a combined nine World Championship titles they were the clear favorites heading into the race, and they fulfilled the expectations: they lead the field from the start and nothing but increased their lead towards the finish line. Their performance was so strong they would have taken third place overall across all categories. 

Behind them an intense battle developed for second place between the German team of Ben Thiesmeyer and Katharina Heining and the very experienced Swedish duo of Fredrik Axegård and Susie Moonan. Axegård and Moonan let Thiesmeyer and Heining take the lead on multiple swims, conserving energy which they used to attack on the last long run towards the finish line, taking second place and leaving third to Ben Thiesmeyer and Katharina Heining, who were very pleased with this results as it was their first ever race together. They will also start as a team in the upcoming ÖTILLÖ World Championships on September 7th in the Stockholm Archipelago.

Listen to the post race interviews with Kristin Larsson & Adriel Young here and to the one with Ben Thiesmeyer and Katharina Heining here.

Listen to the post race interview with Ulrika Eriksson and Lydie Waucquier here.

Solo Men: Super strong Sampo Hyppölä

In the mens solo category, Finnish top Swimrunnner Sampo Hyppölä, who had only arrived with the overnight ferry from Finland, dominated the field from the start and won the race in a very impressive overall time of 6:14:38, 15 minutes ahead of Kenian Daniel Adams-Ray.

Solo Women: Ylva Sjölund in a class of her own

In the women’s solo category, Ylva Sjölund from Finland lead the race from start to finish and won with a lead of over 50 minutes over Adeline Jerome from France and Lena Glaser from Sweden.

WORLD SERIES Åland PODIUMS

You can find the full results of the World Series, as well as those of the 540 athletes competing in the shorter-distance ÖTILLÖ Sprint and ÖTILLÖ Experience races, below.

MEN

1. Alexis Charrier (FRA) & Tom Ralite (FRA) – 05:56:13 

2. Arnaud de Lustrac (FRA) & Pierre de Lustrac (FRA) – 06:12:22 

3. Emeryc Gennesson (FRA) & Rémi Menut (FRA) – 06:29:38

WOMEN

1. Lydie Waucquier (FRA) & Ulrika Eriksson (SWE) – 06:55:07 

2. Klara Kjellgren (SWE) & Terese Østeraas (NOR) – 07:08:38 

3. Johanne Laizeau (FRA) & Mélisande Muller (FRA) – 07:22:02

MIXED

1. Kristin Larsson (SWE) & Adriel Young (AUS) – 06:17:40 

2. Susie Moonan (SWE) & Fredrik Axegård (SWE) – 06:30:41 

3. Katharina Heining (GER) & Ben Thiesmeyer (GER) – 06:37:35 

SOLO WOMEN

1. Ylva Sjölund (FIN) – 07:26:20 

2. Adeline Jerome (FRA) – 08:13:32 

3. Lena Glaser (SWE) – 08:24:48

SOLO MEN

1. Sampo Hyppölä (FIN) – 06:14:38 

2. Daniel Adams-Ray (SWE/KEN) – 06:29:44 

3. Armand Iurea (FRA) – 07:22:45

Another 290 athletes raced in the shorter distance ÖTILLÖ Sprint and ÖTILLÖ Experience races, completing a beautiful day of Swimrun in Åland.

Find the official race results here.

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