In Press releases

NOVEMBER 20TH, 2019

PRE-RACE PRESS RELEASE

THE RACE WEEKEND

This first edition of the ÖTILLÖ Swimrun World Series finals on Malta is sold out! A fantastic turn out of 210 teams from more than 20 nations are coming to participate in the last race of the year.

We expect to have more than 600 persons from more than 20 nations participating in the weekend of races. Our seventh World Series weekend of the year.

Throughout history this beautiful island has set the stage for many cultures. The ÖTILLÖ Swimrun World Series will end the season and host the 2019 finals on Malta on November 23rd and 24th, 2019.

For this last race weekend of the year we see many of the best teams in the world signed up together with Swimrun enthusiasts from near and far. This is the most prestigeous swimrun race in Malta.

We are very excited to show all the teams the beauty and the rugged coast of Malta at the same time as we conclude our 14th year of Swimrun races. It will be a high- speed sightseeing trip. For some it is for the adventure, for some it is for the experience, for some it is to race hard and for some it is to qualify to ÖTILLÖ, The Swimrun World Championship 2020.

Read more about the races here: https://www.otilloswimrun.com/races/malta

See the startlists here

Read the whole story about ÖTILLÖ and swimrun here: https://otilloswimrun.com/about-swimrun/

RACE FORMATS

On Saturday, November 23rd we will host several shorter races to make the sport accessible to more people and to let newcomers experience the beauty of swimrun.

The EXPERIENCE distance is 6,9 km with 3 swim sections totalling 1050 metres. This race distance you can either do in teams of two or solo.

The SPRINT eludes to the distance and not to the speed. It is a total of 14,9 km with 5 swim sections totalling 2750 metres. This race distance you can either do in teams of two or solo.

We have close to 230 persons signed up for these beautiful tastes of ÖTILLÖ Swimrun.

On Sunday, November 24th, we have the WORLD SERIES event which acts as a Qualifier to the World Championship and where teams can collect ranking points. It is the last race of the year and also the finals of the 2019 World Series. The race is a total of 39,6 km with 13 swim sections totalling 8 700 metres. This race you can only do in a team of two and it is the most prestigeous event in Malta. It is SOLD OUT at 210 teams.

SUNDAYS WORLD SERIES RACE

The 210 teams of two start their Sunday morning by running hard out of the old town of Valletta inside the rampart walls to the first swim where they swim across the harbour entrance to Sliema. From Sliema the teams follow the coast towards the North West, along the rocks, on trails and across bays until they come out on to the rough coast of Malta. The course goes to the west end, then turns south to push hard to the finishline at Golden Sands. The fast pace sightseeing will take its toll.

In total, they will cover almost 31 km on foot and 8,7 km swimming making a course distance just less than 40 km with 13 swims in total.

This years race will have the warmest water temperatures to date – around 21 degrees C.

The fastest teams are expected to complete the course in around 4 1/2 hours.

Will the current World Champions – Pontus Lindberg & George Bjälkemo, Team ATG (SWE) or former World Champions and this years World Series Winners Fredrik Axegård & Alex Flores, Team ARK Swimrun (SWE) win or will someone else push these powerhouse teams off the throne? As seen in previous races this year the top 5 teams are battling until the very last kilometres.

In the mixed category it will be a hornets nest with a handful of very strong teams chasing each other hard. In the womens category we have several of the strongest women in the world, this race will be hard to predict until the bitter end, maybe some new faces?

One thing is for sure, some of swimrun’s top teams will be chasing each other around Malta.

It will be great to see athletes from all over the world on the start line, some are veterans of swimrun and some are totally new to the sport, but eager to find out why so many people are so hooked to the unique experience of racing in swimrun.

As in all races, it is only when the dust has settled that we know the outcome of the race.

Start list: https://otilloswimrun.com/races/malta/start-lists/

THE ÖTILLÖ SWIMRUN WORLD SERIES

ÖTILLÖ Swimrun Malta is part of the ÖTILLÖ Swimrun World Series and a qualifier to ÖTILLÖ, the Swimrun World Championship in the Swedish archipelago.

The ÖTILLÖ Swimrun World Series is in its fourth season with a minimum of seven qualifier races for the ÖTILLÖ Swimrun World Championship.

ÖTILLÖ Swimrun World Series 2019 (Confirmed races)
Seven qualifying races to ÖTILLÖ:

ÖTILLÖ Swimrun Hvar, Croatia, 7 April -19
ÖTILLÖ Swimrun Utö, Sweden, 19 May -19
ÖTILLÖ Swimrun Isles of Scilly, UK, 19 June -19
ÖTILLÖ Swimrun Engadin, Switzerland, 7 July -19
ÖTILLÖ Swimrun 1000 Lakes, Germany, 22  Sept -19 (qualifier to ÖTILLÖ 2020)
ÖTILLÖ Swimrun Cannes, France, 20 October – 19 (qualifier to ÖTILLÖ 2020)
ÖTILLÖ Malta, 24 November -19 (qualifier to ÖTILLÖ 2020) NEW RACE!

At each World Series event an EXPERIENCE & SPRINT race is organised the day before.

ÖTILLÖ, THE SWIMRUN WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2020

15th edition on August 31st, 2020

160 teams from all over the world.

75 km over and between 24 islands in the Stockholm Archipelago.
Renowned as one of the toughest one-day races in the world (CNN 2012)

https://otilloswimrun.com/races/otillo/

PHOTOS AND VIDEO FREE TO USE FOR MEDIA

Images and video from ÖTILLÖ, The Swimrun World Championship 2019:https://www.dropbox.com/sh/vgkae60lc9l7wcf/AAC8Xue1YpXfjEzdlxKiL42La?dl=0
(please credit photographer / ÖTILLÖ event as marked in the photo)

Pre- race video ÖTILLÖ Malta 2019: https://www.dropbox.com/s/2fk9bnfikw8ufxb/%C3%96TILL%C3%96%20Malta%20Prerace%201.mp4?dl=0

After the event at 5 pm on November 24th, 2019 you will find images here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/wr7lknralfgbrqc/AACdMyRLtBAWorZ_XDxbk312a?dl=0

(please credit photographer / ÖTILLÖ)

On December 2nd you will find the Official Video here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/pud01wye3zmwcyb/AAB7uq_XrWJBCjvztc0_Rh1sa?dl=0

NEWS CUTS FOR TV

After the event on November 24th at 5 pm CET you will find news cuts and a shot list here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/d8l2nl2bhzhitho/AAD3ZZGvKPGIomevGpt3OH4Za?dl=0

ABOUT SWIMRUN AND ÖTILLÖ

Swimrun is one of the fastest growing endurance sports in the world where you alternate trail running and open water swimming on a marked course.

ÖTILLÖ started in 2006, it is the leading brand and the origin of the sport.

ÖTILLÖ, The Swimrun World Championship (ÖTILLÖ meaning island to island in Swedish) is the original swimrun race, renowned as one of the toughest one-day races in the world.

https://otilloswimrun.com

MEDIA CONTACTS

ÖTILLÖ Swimrun World Series
Lauritz Putze, media.requests@otilloswimrun.com, +49 157 768 05 234

ÖTILLÖ,The Swimrun World Championship
Josefine Ås, pr@otilloswimrun.com, +33 6 79 04 23 46

INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS

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DESTINATION PARTNER

Visit Malta 

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