ÖtillÖ Catalina 2.0 - A Complete Swimrun Race Guide
This race guide has been 16 months in the making. I stepped off the boat in Avalon to race ÖtillÖ Catalina for the first time at the end of February 2020. We all know what happened just a few short weeks following. A life on lockdown. I had every intention of posting my race report and travel guide in a timely manner but…life had other plans for us now didn’t it? I am elated to finally be able to share my story of racing ÖtillÖ’s first swimrun on American soil. In this guide you will find all the information you need to know about registration, ferries, hotels, restaurants, the race course, special events, and more. And thanks to my chat with Michael Lemmel (ÖtillÖ’s race director and co-founder), I have also included the UPDATED race course for March 2022 - NOTE: ÖtillÖ Catalina has been postponed for March 2022. When the new race date is available, it will be updated here. Not to take full credit but you can thank me and my big dramatic race ending for at least some of these course changes :). Here we go!
TABLE OF CONTENTS
History
Gear
Registration
Travel
Hotels & Food
Special Events
Race Course
Pro TIPS
History
So you got tired of triathlon and decided to do a swimrun, eh? Just kidding. But also…this is a common story I hear from a lot of budding American swimrunners. Most, in fact, have very little understanding of the sport’s origins and that one fateful night when 4 kooky Swedes made a bet that changed OUR lives. I was fortunate to learn this story firsthand from ÖtillÖ race director Michael Lemmel as I sat across from him in the iconic restaurant Utö Värdshus where it all began. ÖtillÖ’s website might recount the story better than I can, so I have linked the full origin story here. I encourage you to read it as sort of an “initiation” into the authentic swimrun lifestyle. You can do that or do what I did: fly to Stockholm and jump into the 49F waters of the Swedish archipelago with (you guessed it) a couple of kooky Swedes. Either works.
Gear
One of the most common questions I get is about the gear you need to finish a swimrun. Short answer: it depends on YOU. You will see some of the fastest swimrunners in Sweden using the “full kit”: paddles, official swimrun wetsuit, goggles, a tether, a pull buoy, “official” swimrun shoes, swim cap, and long compression knee high socks (possibly with shin flotation). I also watched with my bare eyes Andy Hewitt (race director of ÖtillÖ Catalina and founder of California Swimrun) jump into the first swim of Ödyssey Orcas Island Swimrun Long Course with a sleeveless wetsuit (it was a frigid rainstorm all day). No pull buoy. Did he even have a swim cap?? He and his partner won the mixed (female/male) first place that year. So you tell me if the gear makes or breaks the athlete. Disclaimer: most races REQUIRE a wetsuit and other items such as a whistle and basic first aid kit. Make sure to read your race’s requirements thoroughly.
Andy Hewitt and his swimrun partner at another Ödyssey Swimrun race. Same gear set up.
Andy Hewitt exiting one of the swims at the ÖtillÖ World Championships in Sweden. Looks warm and toasty…
GEAR I USED:
Catalina water temperature in late February/early March is COLD. The majority of the swims were high 50’s F / low 60’s. In addition to this, race day weather was 30MPH winds and scattered rain showers. I used my short sleeved Orca RS1 swimrun wetsuit, Orca swimrun armsleeves, knee high compression socks with Orca shin guard floats underneath, Orca swimrun paddles, swim cap, goggles, swimrun belt with tether, carabiner clipped to race belt for my goggles when running, one of the original “ass torpedo” swimrun buoys made by a Swedish friend for me in Stockholm (it is pink and literally made from children’s floating toys), Altra Lone Peak trail shoes, and my secret weapon: a wool t shirt under my swimrun wetsuit. I learned this trick from seasoned Scandinavian swimrunners for swimming in cold water (they also recommend wool underwear too!) As the 2021 race will be happening in November, you can expect the water temperature to be a couple degrees warmer. And if there is no rain storm…you can probably skip the wool underwear.
ÖtillÖ Catalina Specific Gear Requirements
This is copy-and-pasted straight off of the race website. Also linked here.
3.1 GENERAL
3.1.1 All athletes need to bring all their equipment from start to finish.
3.1.2 Before start and at the finish line we will randomly select teams and athletes for a check of the mandatory equipment. If the athletes are missing any of the equipment required, they will get a 15-minute time penalty per item.
3.2 MANDATORY EQUIPMENT PER TEAM
3.2.1 1 First aid pressure bandage, packed waterproof
3.2.2 2 wetsuits (legs and torso in one piece), 1 per person, suitable for the current water temperature. If the water temperature is above 19 degrees Celsius you can choose to not race in a wetsuit
3.2.3 2 Whistles, 1 per person, easily accessible so you are able to use it during the swims
3.2.4 2 Foldable cups/soft flasks or similar (not your swim cap) to drink from at the energy stations.
3.3 MANDATORY EQUIPMENT PER PERSON COMPETING IN SOLO
3.3.1 1 First aid pressure bandage, packed waterproof
3.3.2 1 wetsuit (legs and torso in one piece), suitable for the current water temperatures. If the water temperature is above 19 degrees Celsius you can choose to not race in a wetsuit
3.3.3 1 Whistle, easily accessible so you are able to use it during the swims
3.3.4 1 Foldable cup/soft flask or similar (not your swim cap) to drink from at the energy stations.
3.4 MANDATORY EQUIPMENT PER PERSON THAT THE ORGANIZATION WILL SUPPLY
3.4.1 A race bib that must be worn visible all the time during the race
3.4.2 A timing chip (lost or not returned timing chip will be charged 100 Euros or equivalent)
3.4.3 A swim cap that must be worn on the head during all the swims.
3.5 EQUIPMENT RESTRICTIONS
3.5.1 The maximum total size of a pull buoy/ pull buoys that you can have in an ÖTILLÖ race is 32 cm x 30 cm x 15 cm.
3.5.2 No wetsuits or pull buoys can be modified with paint or color that washes off in the water. This will result in immediate disqualification.
3.5.3 Swim fins are NOT allowed if the fin is longer than 15 cm. Measurement is from the toe to the end of the fin.
REGISTRATION
This year in 2021, the registration process is super simple for all ÖtillÖ branded races. Visit their website at https://www.otilloswimrun.com/ and select your desired race from the dropdown tab called ‘Races.’ The next page will give you three options to select from before you can begin the registration process. In the ÖtillÖ swimrun world, race lengths are differentiated by EXPERIENCE, SPRINT, or WORLD SERIES . The two shortest distances (Experience and Sprint respectively) were added to give new swimrun athletes an opportunity to test out this kooky sport without committing to the (sometimes) daunting length of the World Series races. This year at ÖtillÖ Engadin in Switzerland marked the first year race officials allowed solo athletes to compete at the World Series length. So when considering your distance for registration, you are technically not limited by not having a partner secured (although I highly recommend emailing the RDs to get approval). Another thing to note: the World Series race is often held on a separate day from the Experience and Sprint races. This is the case for Catalina 2021. The Experience/Sprint races will be on SATURDAY NOVEMBER 20th and the World Series race will be on SUNDAY NOVEMBER 21st.
ÖTILLÖ CATALINA EXPERIENCE DISTANCE
Total race distance: 7 800 m (4.85 miles)
Trail-running: 6 200 m (3.85 miles)
Run sections: 4
Swimming: 1 600 m (1 mile)
Swim sections: 3
Longest swim: 800 m
Longest run: 2 300 m
Total elevation: 122 m (400 feet)
ÖTILLÖ CATALINA SPRINT DISTANCE
Total race distance: 14 900 m (9.26 miles)
Trail-running: 11 800 m (7.33 miles)
Run sections: 5
Swimming: 3 100 m (1.92 miles)
Swim sections: 4
Longest swim: 1 400 m
Longest run: 4 800 m
Total elevation: 236 m (774 feet)
ÖTILLÖ CATALINA World series DISTANCE
Total race distance: 38 400 m (23.9 miles)
Trail-running: 31 200 m (19.4 miles)
Run sections: 8
Swimming: 7 200 m (4.47 miles)
Swim sections: 7
Longest swim: 1 600 m
Longest run: 9 500 m
Total elevation: 1 400 m (4593 feet)
Once you click the “register” button, you will be re-directed to the RaceID page where you can enter your info, your partner’s info, and submit payment. As with most races, the earlier you register, the steeper the discount you will receive. Don’t forget to add in your team’s name! Hopefully it is fun and exciting. The “serious” swimrun teams often go by their coaching program’s name or their sponsors. My partner and I are team “Taller Than You.” Because we are. Lastly, if you are competing in the World Series distance and want to accrue points towards unlocking a spot at the World Championship race in September in Sweden, you need to make sure you have registered your team OFFICIALLY on the Swimrun Ranking website. Linked here.
TRAVEL
So you wanna build a snowm…..I mean, so you want to get to Catalina Island? Cool. Allow me to present the Catalina Express. There are really only three places you can leave from to get to Catalina Island by boat. I opted to leave from Long Beach, CA but there are other ferries that leave out of San Pedro, CA and Dana Point (near San Diego). Use this link to browse around for timetables and schedules in detail. If you would like to replicate my experience exactly, make sure to select LONG BEACH to AVALON in the drop down menus. Tickets are $38 one way. As of now, the ferry has four different times available for each direction (Long Beach to Avalon and Avalon to Long Beach). PLAN YOUR FERRY TIME WISELY. If you are signing up for the World Series race on Sunday, you will not be done racing before the afternoon AND you will need to take into account that you need to catch a group ferry (ÖtillÖ pays for and arranges this one) from Two Harbors back to Avalon. I highly recommend planning to return back to the mainland on Monday.
In Summary: you are responsible for booking and paying for your tickets from mainland socal to catalina island (avalon). ÖtillÖ will arrange and pay for your ferry from avalon to two harbors where the race starts/finishes.
HOTELS & FOOD
Catalina is a carless island! For this reason, most things such as hotels, shops, and eateries are all within walking distance (or golf cart distance if you are lucky enough to snag a ride with a local). When planning where you will stay before race day, you should consider two different areas of the island. The majority of ferries take you to Avalon Bay. This is where you will find hotels and potential properties that are being AirBnb’ed out for the weekend. It is important, again, for me to mention that Avalon Bay is NOT where the race will be held. The start and finish of ÖtillÖ Catalina swimrun (all distances) is in Two Harbors.
Two Harbors is located approximately 12 miles away from Avalon and if you are not riding a race-chartered ferry, you will have to arrange private transport from one place to the other. Lodging is a little more limited in Two Harbors, but check out Banning House Lodge for a cozy bed and breakfast, or go completely off-grid and book a camp site!
Staying in Avalon
The majority of racers will be staying in Avalon. I highly recommend booking a room with The Avalon Hotel. You will be centrally located and a ten minute stroll from the ferry docks. I have included a more robust review of The Avalon Hotel below. Catalina’s tourism department Love Catalina is an amazing resource to check out ALL restaurants, hotels, excursions, and things to do on the island. It might sound corny, but I did indeed fall in love with Avalon. The bustle near the harbor and main shops is akin to any seaside touristy town, but the real magic happens when you move a little outside these areas. The homes in the area are often up very steep paved hills that surround the shops and stretch back into the island center. I highly recommend going for a walk towards the famous landmark the Catalina Casino. In 2019, the race organized a swimrun training session the day before the race that ran to the casino and began the first swim just down the sea steps adjacent. Check out all the photos below and wipe your drool away!!
The Avalon Hotel
Where to eat
Because the race partnership with Avalon Hotel does such a great job of making sure swimrunners have breakfasts covered by The Avalon Grill (just down the street from the hotel), the only real exploring I did for food was for lunch & dinner. I know I am recommending a Catalina Island favorite here as it was recommended to me by three Catalina Island residents. Check out NDMK Fish House for some truly delicious fish & chips or seafood faire. This was my (second) dinner after the race (I will cover later in the article what to expect for post-race food), and it was excellent. One of my favorite things about this restaurant is that you can select the TYPE of fish you want for some of the entrees, including fish & chips! Current menu linked here.
