Event Info
Ötillö Final 15K

By Richard Mitchell and Mogsy Ford

Updated September 2024

Full event info Otillo Final 15K. This is where it all started, in the Stockholm archipelago - the first swimrun event ever held!

This event covers the last 15 km of the original Ötillö race, from Ornö to Utö, in the south of the island chain.

This event is usually held at the end of August each year, which is late summer in Sweden. This means the weather can be as warm as 20 degrees C or as low as 5 degrees C if Autumn has decided to come early!


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Event Info Ötillö Final 15K

Ötillö Utö water exit for two swimrunnersÖtillö Utö, courtesy Jean-Marie Gueye and Ötillö

Location

Sweden, in the Stockholm archipelago. This is a chain of islands running from North to South. Stockholm (the capital of Sweden) is actually built on 14 islands, connected by 57 bridges!

Utö is the southernmost island in the archipelago, in the Baltic Sea just East of Stockholm.

How to get there

First, you have to get to Stockholm. The nearest airport is Stockholm Arlanda (ARN). You can then get the Arlanda Express train direct from the airport into the city, in just 18 minutes.

Then you need to get to the Årsta Brygga ferry stop, by train and then a bus. If you are traveling by car, there is plenty of parking available at the ferry stop.

Please note that, on the morning of the race, all participating athletes will be taken to the start on Ornö by a specially chartered ferry from Årsta Brygga. When you get off the ferry, you are in the event area!

Spectators, friends and family can take the regular ferry to Utö, the Waxholmsbolaget ferry to Utö Gruvbryggan.

otillo final 15k action

Where to stay

For the night before the race, Ötillö recommends that you stay in Stockholm, ready to get the Ötillö-chartered ferry from Årsta Brygga to Ornö in the morning. Take a look at the usual booking engines, such as AirBnB, Booking.com or Trivago.

After the race, if you want, Utö Värdshus has various sizes of rooms and an excellent restaurant.

  • There are eight double rooms in The Mill Villa
  •  In the Stone Hotel there are six double rooms, two single rooms, and two mini-suites.
  • Then there are the Hotel Cabins, three red cottages, with two-bed or three-bed options.
  • Utö Hostel is a three-storey building with 73 beds; Six rooms are doubles, one is a triple-bed, nine rooms have 4 beds, and there are five family rooms accommodating 5 to 7 people each.
  • Utsikten House (The View) is a touch of luxury for 2 to 4 people, with its own outdoor hot tub (jacuzzi).
The front view of Uto Vardshus Accommodation, outside StockholmUtö Vårdshus, courtesy Ötillö

Race distances

There is only one race distance - 15km!

Technically, the exact distance is 14.86 km, made up if 7 runs and 6 swims.


Race routes

According to Ötillö, there are two big changes to the Final 15K race;

  • First, the course will go back to its origin: All participants will have to conquer the final 15km of ÖTILLÖ, The Swimrun World Championship. This means that it will be a POINT-TO-POINT race with start on Ornö and finish on Utö. 
  • Second, the Final 15K will be the first INDIVIDUAL START race in ÖTILLÖ history, which implies that a team or solo racer will start every 15 seconds. The technical trail running, beautiful swim section, and stunning views remain the same. 

This is a challenging and intense course that will make you smile all the way to the end. It has a low swim to run ratio of just 7%, so trail running makes up 93% of the course!


Otillo Final 15K route map of the swimrun race from Ornö to UtöThe Final 15K route map

Event Info Ötillö Final 15K

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 of soft 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

There are NO cut-off times in the Final 15K race!


Weather

Held at the end of August, the weather is mild, but Autumn is approaching. The air temperature can be anywhere from 5 Degrees to 20 Degrees. The water temperature is more predictable, at 16 to 18 Degrees.

However there is always a chance of cold or wet weather, so you should bring suitable clothing for every eventuality!


Summary of event info Otillo Final 15K

The Ötillö Final 15K swimrun event is unique, and all the more as the birthplace of this exciting and exhilarating sport!


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