Duo Domination

What a start to summer! June burst onto the scene with two unforgettable swimrun adventures, taking us from the sun-drenched beaches of France to the rugged beauty of the Swedish archipelago. Joined by my incredible partners, Rosie and Paula, these races were truly special.

Valras Swimrun: Sunshine and Sand with Rosie

Date: June 7th | Location: Valras-Plage, France | Partner: Rosie

Photography @cataxel 

Our first June adventure took us to the beautiful Mediterranean coast for the Valras Swimrun. This race, set against the backdrop of sandy beaches and a bustling promenade, offered a unique blend of fast, runnable sections interspersed with sand, refreshing swims and easy trails.

Rosie and I started strong, quickly finding our rhythm along the 1500m beach promenade then doubling back with two long ocean swims with a beach transition in between. That loop took us around 30 minutes and was repeated twice before heading inland with swims in a tributary river and the trails behind the town. This was our first swimrun together but the teamwork was flawless. The atmosphere in Valras was competitive but incredibly friendly and the beach front was full of cheering spectators.

We crossed the finish line feeling satisfied with a solid race and ready for post-race rosé and oysters. A massive thank-you to Rosie for being such an amazing partner and making the event an unforgettable experience. Beyond the race itself, Valras Plage and Envol truly knew how to host a celebration; the post-race party was second to none!

Valras Swimrun Rating

Here's my quick rating of the Valras experience.

★★★★★ = Exceptional, ★☆☆☆☆ = Needs Improvement

We took a direct flight to Bezier which is less than 15 minutes drive from our accommodation at the Sables Des Midi. The event is spectator and family friendly. Personally, I enjoyed the course but if wild nature is your cup of tea then you might not give it 5 stars. The water in the ocean was fantastic but a slight downgrade for the river water quality. That said, it was still a five-star overall experience.

My swimrun season tends to be book-ended with Valras in early June and Hydra (Greece) early November. I promise you these events are unforgettable. More than just races.

From the warm Mediterranean, just a week later, it was a dramatic shift to the cool, pristine waters of the Baltic.

Nynäshamn Swimrun: Nordic Beauty and Grit with Paula

Date: June 15th | Location: Nynäshamn, Sweden | Partner: Paula

Just a week later, it was a complete change of scenery as we headed back to the southern end of the Stockholm archipelago for the Nynäshamn Swimrun. This race is based on the permanent swimrun course at Lövhagen with both a 5km and 10km loop. We did the 10km race which, due to the high number of transitions and technical trail running, feels longer than it is. The sun was out which made the crystal-clear Baltic waters a little more inviting than usual.

It was particularly special to race with Paula. She was one of the active swimrunners when I started back in 2011, and we did a few races together in those early days – apologies again for the chipped tooth during that infamous Reaper Swimrun! It was really nice to be back on the tether together.

Paula and I embraced the Nordic elements, tackling each swim and run with determination. We were hunting the two teams in front but after a scare when I turned an ankle, we decided to take our foot off the gas just a little and enjoyed the remainder of the course. The natural beauty surrounding us in Nynäshamn was truly breathtaking, making every effort worth it.

Finishing the Nynäshamn Swimrun was a fantastic feeling, a true testament to our teamwork and perseverance in a challenging, yet incredibly rewarding environment. Thank you, Paula, for an unforgettable adventure!

Nynäshamn Swimrun Rating

And here’s how Nynäshamn stacked up:

I gave it a high rating for the course scenery; they packed a lot into those ten kilometres albeit at the expense of longer swims but that makes it a great spot to try out swimrun if you are a less confident swimmer or want to work on your transitions. We were told by the organizer that you could drink the sea water at a push so full marks there too. I deducted some points on the overall experience as I felt the finish was a little anticlimactic. The first three in had been applauded as they came over the line. When we came in we actually didn’t know what place we were in (5th overall). I understand the problem with a small field, podiums don’t always make sense. But given the course is permanent there could be a medal-time per class or just a prize lottery at the end for everyone.

The Adventure Continues: A Look Ahead

With two fantastic June races under my belt, I'm feeling strong and incredibly motivated for the challenges ahead this summer, and I'm excited to continue this journey with my amazing partners.

Next up, it's time for The Beast!

On July 5th, Rosie and I will reunite for the legendary Rockman Swimrun in Norway. This race is renowned for its extreme course, challenging participants with immense climbs, technical descents and cold swims, all set against the dramatic backdrop of the Lysefjord. It's going to be a true test of endurance, mental fortitude, and our teamwork, and we're both incredibly excited (and a little nervous!) to take on this epic challenge. Wish us luck!

Looking further ahead, here’s a peek at the rest of my calendar for 2025:

• July 26th: Wales Swimrun (with Niamh)

• August 2nd: Götakanal Swim

• August 9th: Juniskär Swimrun (with Linda)

• August 15-18th: Renegade ultraswim Stockholm

• August 23rd: Grinda Swimrun (with Paula)

• September 1st: Ötillö Swimrun World Champs (with Daniel)

• September 18-22nd: Ultraswim 33.3 Greece

• October 5th: Hässelbyloppet 10 km

• November 1st: Hydra Swimrun (with Anne)

• December 7th: Valencia Marathon

Thank you for following along with my swimrun journey! I'll be sure to share updates on Rockman and the other adventures in future newsletters.

Team Envol - We put the Disco in Discovery!