Event Info
Ötillö Åland

By Richard Mitchell and Mogsy Ford

Updated January 2025

Full event info Otillo Aland. This is an autonomous and neutral region of Finland, made up of an archipelago called the Åland Islands - perfect swimrun country! The official language, however, is Swedish.

Otillo will hold this event for the very first time in August, 2025, although swimrun races have been held in Åland in previous years by a different organiser.



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Event Info Ötillö Åland

Location

The autonomous region of the Åland  Islands in Finland. This is an archipelago of islands off the south-west coast of Finland.

How to get there

The nearest airport is Mariehamn (MHQ), in the south of the largest island, Fasta Åland. You can get flights from Helsinki, Turku and Stockholm. From Mariehamn, you can hire a car and drive on Highway 1 to Eckerö in the west.

You can also travel by boat either from Finland or from Sweden. According to the Aland tourist website: "the shortest ferry connection from Sweden is the one from Grisslehamn with Eckerö Linjen. The ferry take two hours.

From Stockholm to Mariehamn and Långnäs you travel with Viking Line or Tallink Silja, the boat trip that mostly goes through the archipelago take about 5,5 hours. Finnlines has a connection between Kapellskär and Långnäs all year round.

From Finland, you can travel on ferries from Turku and Naantali daily, both in the morning and evening.

Both Viking Line and Tallink Silja offer cruise-traffic between Helsinki, Mariehamn and Stockholm, with the exception of scheduled destination-cruises.

If you are travelling from Estonia you would opt for Tallink Silja from Tallinn."


Where to stay

The race organisers recommend staying at the Käringsund resort. This is in a village on the west side of Åland in Eckerö. There is a special Ötillö Race Packet deal, which includes accommodation in a cabin with bed linen, breakfast, and a swimrun dinner on the evening before the big race!

You can check the details at the Käringsund resort website.


Race distances

There are 3 race distances, the Experience, the Sprint, and the World Series. There is also a Kids event of just 800 metres.

  • Experience is a short intro event, with a total distance of 6.4 km. Of that, 1 km is swimming, and 5.4 km is running. Total elevation is just 50 metres.
  • Sprint is a medium-distance event, with a total distance of 15.5 km. Of that, 3 km is swimming, and 12.4 km is running. Elevation gain is 122 metres.
  • The World Series event is the big one - covering 45.7 km, made up of 9.9 km swimming and 35.8 km of running. Total elevation is 356 metres.

Race routes

Experience and Sprint distance events have the same start and finish, at Käringsund. There are changing rooms, toilets and showers at the Käringsund resort. There is a bag drop area, although it is not guarded. The courses are circular.

The World Series event is one-way, starting at Havsvidden. There is also a bag drop, and your bag will be transported to the Finish area at Käringsund.


Otillo swimrun Aland start and finish area mapAland start and finish area
Otillo swimrun Aland Experience distance mapThe Experience route map
Otillo swimrun Sprint distance route mapSprint distance route map
Otillo swimrun World Series distance route mapWorld Series distance route map

Event Info Ötillö Åland

Energy stations

There are several energy stations around each course; be aware that there are no paper cups, you have to bring your own collapsible cup or soft silicone water bottle.

Energy products are provided by Umara; U Sport energy drinks, U Bar energy bars (gluten-free), and U Gels in assorted flavours.


Cut-off times

The cut-off times have not yet been announced.


Weather

Held at the beginning of August, it is the height of summer in Sweden.  The air temperature is around 20 degrees Celsius, and the water temperature is between 16 degrees and 19 degrees celcius, which is nice!

However, wetsuits are compulsory at this event!

There are a few jellyfish around in the area; the white ones are harmless, but the red ones have a mild sting, nothing bad, and nothing like jellyfish in the Mediterranean.

Remember that you will be in Sweden, and weather can change quickly - bring clothing suitable for wet and windy conditions.


Summary of event info Otillo Aland

The Ötillö Åland swimrun event is a bit different to most Ötillö races as it is relatively flat, without any scrambling or rock-climbing! This means most people will be pushing hard and fast for a good time.

Overall, a stunning location for an amazing swimrun event!

Check the dates for 2025 at our Calendar Europe 2025 page!

If you think our event info Otillo Aland needs an amendment, please let us know via the Contact Us link. Thank you!


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