ÖtillÖ SwimRun is Officially Coming to the U.S.
Mark your calendars for March 2020 and get ready to head to California. Swedish swimrun series ÖTILLÖ is coming.
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Earlier this month, we broke the story that famous Swedish swimrun series ÖTILLÖ is coming to the U.S. Now it’s official. Here are the important details for aspiring ÖTILLÖ swimrunners:
- ÖTILLÖ (that means island-to-island in Swedish) will take place on Catalina Island, 25 miles off the coast of Los Angeles, on February 29 and March 1 2020. It will be the first ÖTILLÖ race outside of Europe. Catalina Island already hosts many endurance events including triathlon, marathon, and ultramarathon races. It’s primed for this type of event.
- Race registration opens in the beginning of July. Check the race website for updates.
- There will be three race distances on offer: the Experience (7.7 km), the Sprint (15 km), and the World Series (38.3 km).
- All events will start and finish at the port town of Two Harbors, which has a population of just 100 people. The island’s second port town of Avalon, which has a population of 3,000, will play host to all racers and spectators, offering accommodation options.
- There will be all-day, round-trip boat transportation between the two port towns.
- The closest airport to the race is Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). There are plenty of ferry rides between Los Angeles and Catalina Island. You can find a schedule here. If you’re feeling extra fancy and adventurous, you can take a small private plane to Catalina Island’s famous airport. It’s rated as one of the 10 scariest in the U.S., featuring steep drop-offs at both ends of the pot-holey runway, and turbulence.