As the popularity of the ÖTILLÖ Swimrun World Championship has exceeded our expectations, we’ve had to implement a few steps, including the ÖTILLÖ Swimrun Ranking System and, new this year, the Swimrun ID, to give everyone a shot at a spot while trying to ensure we have the right mix of teams at the start line.
How to qualify for ÖTILLÖ
Direct qualification: This goes to the top teams in each category at ÖTILLÖ Swimrun World Series races. To be awarded direct qualification, each team member must not have already earned a spot.
Merits: These teams are ONLY based on ranking points, either as a team or with their individual “indicator points”, used if the two members have not raced together before. These points can be collected in all ÖTILLÖ Swimrun World Series races and also from the ÖTILLÖ Merit races. We’ve selected ÖTILLÖ Merit races in various countries around the world to be the torchbearers of swimrun, representing our quality standards.
Director’s choice: Teams submit an application and we decide who has a special reason to be at the start line.
Random team selection: Only teams that have a Swimrun ID will be allowed to buy 1 random selection ticket, which is drawn at a public raffle at the end of January. These tickets are available from mid-November and must be purchased from our website,
Swimrun ID
The Swimrun ID is part of the ÖTILLÖ Swimrun Ranking System, which you need to enter our races. The Swimrun ID allows us to know our racers and how to take care of individuals should anything happen. Once you have your personal ID, you then create a unique team ID for you and your teammate, but if you change partners you’ll need a new team ID.
The ÖTILLÖ Swimrun Ranking System
Since 2016, we’ve been using the ÖTILLÖ Swimrun Ranking System (OSRS) to be able to grow the sport in the right direction. Your top 6 results will count towards your ranking.
In 2017, you can collect points in all ÖTILLÖ organised races – 6 destinations, the ÖTILLÖ Swimrun World Championship and the close to twenty ÖTILLÖ Merit races – all of which can be found at otilloswimrun.com/races. It’s worth pointing out that these races are included under the ÖTILLÖ Swimrun insurance.
The OSRS is built using inverse property and completely gender-neutral. It’s designed to be as fair as possible, based on teams not individuals, with points distributed based on the following criteria:
- You’ll get points for your 6 best results of the calendar year in the ÖTILLÖ-affiliated races.
- If you change partners, you are a new team.
- 40% of the points are based on your overall result in the race, no matter which class you are in.
- 60% of the points are based on your time in relationship to the average time of all finishing teams. This means that teams crossing the finish line close together get very similar “time points” and vice versa.
- Races are weighted differently with base points multiplied by a coefficient: ÖTILLÖ Swimrun World Championship x 1.5; ÖTILLÖ Swimrun World Series Races x 1.1; and ÖTILLÖ merit races x 1.0.
- All teams that finish a race get ranking points.
- Each individual racer has a personal indicator – but this is not an individual ranking as it’s only based on how well you choose your teammates.
Accordingly, at our last ÖTILLÖ Swimrun of this season on November 12th (location yet to be revealed), we will have winners not only of the race itself, but also of the 2017 ÖTILLÖ Swimrun Ranking System. The ÖTILLÖ Ranking winners will be awarded €2,500 per category.
ÖTILLÖ Swimrun Sprint ranking
From 2017, there’ll be special ranking, based on the same criteria as above, for all the ÖTILLÖ Swimrun Sprint races (Hvar, Utö, Isles of Scilly, Engadin, Final 15, 1000 Lakes and the November 12 event). The goal here is mostly for fun but more and more teams may chose to specialise in the Sprint races.
We are confident that this system will continue to bring a balanced mix of teams to the ÖTILLÖ Swimrun Wo
Article first published in Swimrun Life Magazine Issue # 2 (Apr/May 2017)
