SwimRun combines swimming, scrambling and running with at least two transitions between swimming and running. This means that athletes run in their wetsuits and swim with their shoes on to save time. The sport, which has its roots in Sweden, started in South Africa a few years ago, where it is gaining momentum as more local exercise lovers embrace it.
It’s easy to see why. SwimRun races happen along iconic routes. The adventure, the experience, and natural beauty are what appeals to athletes of all ages. In this relatively new sporting code athletes race against time, or compete against other competitors in their age group, depending on the type of event they in which they participate. This opens up the experience to non-professional fitness enthusiasts of all ages – from 12 to 89-years (route dependent).
The latest event, managed by Torpedo SwimRun and sponsored by OUTsurance, was hosted on the pathways and in the canals of the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront’s Battery Park precinct. It was an action-packed event with fastpaced SwimRun racing. From the first qualifying laps, at 6:40am, to the open women’s final, at 10:30am, there was seldom a moment without athletes on the course. The 1 000m long circuit was made up of four runs and three swims, with just over 30% of the course consisting of swim legs. South African siblings Alexandra and Nick Quénet won their age group and overall titles.
“What made their wins all the more impressive was that they beat world-renowned triathletes Rachel Klamer and Richard Murray into second [place]. The success of the Quénet siblings showcases that the skills required to be competitive in SwimRun events are slightly different to those of triathlons and with the support of OUTsurance the sport will hopefully be able to grow to the point where talented athletes can specialise in SwimRun,” Richard McMartin of Torpedo SwimRun says.
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