Event Info
Ötillö Gothenburg

Updated September 2024

Full event info Otillo Gothenburg. This takes place on the beautiful West coast of Sweden. Gothenburg is Sweden's second-largest city, and like Stockholm, sits on an archipelago of islands.

In 2024 Ötillö held the 4th edition of this race just off the mainland of Gothenburg, in an easily-accessible location well-served by local ferries.

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Garmin Swim 2 GPS Watch

Otillo Gothenburg Action shot of swimrunner taking off his goggles

Gothenburg swim exit!

Event Info Ötillö Gothenburg

Location

Gothenburg in Sweden, the home of swimrun! Just off the mainland is a chain of granite islands. The race area is at Styrsö Bratten, and the races start and finish right next to the ferry terminal.

Gothenburg is a lively city where just about everything is within walking distance. There are many great restaurants, and calm parks for relaxing.

How to get there

The nearest airport is Göteborg-Landvetter, and you can get a train directly into the centre of the city.You can also reach Gothenburg by train or car from within Sweden.

Ferries to the Styrsö Bratten race area depart from Saltholmen, and Stenpiren in the city centre. There is limited parking at Saltholmen, so you will be better using the excellent bus service or taking a taxi to the Saltholmen terminal.

There are also Ötillö-chartered ferries from Stenpiren in the city centre; tickets must be purchased on board.
• Saturday, August 3rd: Stenpiren 07:30 to Styrsö Bratten 08:30
• Saturday, August 3rd: Stenpiren 09:00 to Styrsö Bratten 10:00

Use the Västtrafik To Go app to check the ferry schedules. For regular ferries, you can buy tickets through the app, at a ticket machine on the boat dock, or by using your debit/card on most boats.

Otillo Gothenburg Action shot of a swimrunner running into the sea.

Image courtesy Martin Wikestad

Where to stay

There is only limited accommodation on the islands, and the Ötillö website recommends finding somewhere to stay on the mainland, in Gothenburg city, close to the Stenpiren ferry terminal.

Otherwise, check out AirBnB, Booking.com and Trivago.

Race distances

There are 3 race distances, the Experience, the Sprint, and the World Series.

Experience is a short intro event, with a total distance of 8.5 km. Of that, 1.45 km is swimming, and 7 km is running. Total elevation is just 36 metres.
Sprint is a medium-distance event, with a total distance of 21.745 km. Of that, 4 km is swimming, and 17.7 km is running. Elevation gain is 46 metres.
The World Series event is the big one - covering 39 km, made up of 7.27 km swimming and 31.775 km of running. Total elevation is 40 metres.

Race routes

All distances have the same Start, next to the ferry terminal. There are toilets at the start and at the school at Time 1. There are also changing rooms and showers in the school at T1.

There is a bag drop area inside the gymn at the school, although it is not guarded.

There is very little vertical gain (elevation) on any of the races, so it's a fast pace all the way!

Experience event route map

Sprint event route map

World Series route map

Event Info Ötillö Gothenburg

Otillo Gothenburg Action shot of a swimmer in an orange hat and red top, in the sea

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

The cut-off stations are;

Experience - NO cut-offs
Sprint - TWO cut-offs, at Time 3 (14:00H) and Time 4 (16:30H)
World Series - TWO cut-offs, at Time 6 (15:00H) and Time 7 (16:30H).

Weather

Held at the beginning of August, it is the height of summer in Gothenburg. 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 Gothenburg

The Ötillö Gothenburg 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!

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