2022 URBAN SWIMRUN Canceled

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFLYeGXgV6wYes, we here in the Okanagan were the first in BC to host a "swimrun"--an introductory event in September 2017.   And no, this was not an Aquathon. Rather, swimrun is the newest and fastest growing endurance sport since triathlon was introduced in the late 1970s. While it seems simpler, with just swimming and running legs, it has new challenges for the endurance athlete, especially with the many transitions from running to swimming and back to running. And there are a couple of catches: you swim in your runners, and you run in your wetsuit. Oh, and you enter as pairs, whether men’s, women’s, or mixed.  Swimrun is a team sport--so it's no longer just about you!

In recent years the big swimrun events in Europe are all about off-road and open water adventure racing, with as many as 25 transitions between water and land, a decidedly primal way of enjoying big country. Part of the attraction seems to be the lack of need for high tech, expensive equipment and a return to raw abilities—you let the environment dictate your day with unpredictable and often rocky, steep trail runs, unsettled weather, and usually cold, active open water. Those who improvise and support each other as a team, and adapt best, prevail. To get a flavor of the essence of swimrun, check out the race summary either of the 2017, 2018, 2019, or 2021 Ötillö World Championships--humbling, indeed.

Here in Kelowna, we have created an "urban" version to introduce this new sport--with flat runs and shoreline swims, perhaps we should call it swimrun "lite"--more on that here.  So check out the sprint course here and the full course here.