RACE DIRECTORS REPORT & OFFICIAL VIDEO – ÖTILLÖ SWIMRUN ENGADIN 2022
Nine years of ÖTILLÖ Swimrun Engadin.
This year with better weather than ever. Near perfect conditions.
For the first time since some of the first years we went back to having all the races on one day. This meant that we had to re- think the whole World Series race course to be able to manage it at the same time as the Sprint & Experience races.
To put everything in question is fantastic. To never settle for good enough. The new World Series course is superb. Much better balanced between running and swimming. With the consequence of very few Cut Off teams and very few DNF due to being too cold. The feedback from the racers has confirmed our feeling. The race course is superb.
Race day
Almost 150 racers started the World Series at 0930. High speed and an immediate gap on the first swim for the mighty Max & Hugo. It would be interesting to know if the following 6 teams got dropped or if they got tangled up in themselves?
The big snake of racers flowed down the valley for two more fast swims which quickly showed which teams would be where in the chasing packs. At the bottom of lake Champfer the course turned up the valley and up into the hills with some big trail runs and a lot of vertical. As the first team passed Sils the Sprint & Experience races started back in Silvaplana. Again some 150 racers took off with big smiles. A whole slew of young local racers together with many newcomers and many fast machines. A beautiful mix of people.
The Sprint & Experience courses followed the World Series for the first three swims and then splitting on the following runs.
In the World Series Hugo & Max kept their lead from the start and built it throughout the day. Winning with almost thirty minutes to spare! A very impressive race and their third consecutive win. Proving that they can do cold, big swims and hills by judging the races of Utö, Isles of Scilly and now Engadin.
Two big battles followed. In the mens category two French teams raced neck to neck throughout the whole race. Not being able to shake the other. At the end only six seconds separated them after 5 hours of hard racing. Could you imagine battling non-stop for 5 hours?
The following battle was also interesting. In mixed Sabina & Alexis had the lead for almost 50% of the race with Florian & Eugenie sitting on their tails waiting for the moment to make their move. In the same group Desirée & Amanda fought hard to stay on their feet for the first 50% pf the race. Then the shift came. Florian & Eugenie went for it. Pulling Desirée & Amanda with them and dropping Alexis & Sabina.
In the end
So, in the end Florian & Eugenie took the mixed win. Fourth overall. Desiree & Amanda took a comfortable win in the womens category and taking fifth overall. Sabina & Alexis followed up with another second place and sixth overall.
The outlook for the World Championship looks very interesting. Will anyone be able to threaten Hugo & Max? The mixed category seems like a true hornets nest and what will Desirée do?
In the meantime most of the Sprint & Experience racers finished with big smiles and spreading massive amounts of positive energy.
It became the perfect afternoon that we had hoped for. With racers hanging out at the finish line and enjoying each others company. Eating burgers and drinking a beer or two.
Next year we hope we can have more racers. The courses and the valley deserves a massive swimrun gathering.
Now focus shifts to Gothenburg and the races we will host on the islands in the southern archipelago on August 6th. Let’s make it a big swimrun party.
Podiums, results and qualified teams here
Images here