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Team 7 – USA
Kayla Kobelin
United States of America (the) , Bend, OR
Merits
- 2024 One Water Race, DNF after 32 hours and 132 km
- 2024 ÖtillÖ World Championships 5th Mixed
- 2024 ÖtillÖ Whistler, 1st solo female
- 2023 solo female swimrun world champion – Italy
- 2023 ÖtillÖ World Championships
- 2022 Skyline Traverse 50k 3rd place female
- 2020 Ran a 100k on my treadmill cause I got bored in 8.3 hours
- 2018- 2022 Professional triathlete with multiple top 10 finishes
- 2019 Odyssey swimrun Orcas Island – 3rd place female team
- 2019 Most winning female on CBS show “Million Dollar Mile”
- 2017 Toughest mudder LA (12 hour race) 4th place female
- 2017 World’s toughest mudder (24 hour race) 5th place female
– Why do you want to participate in One Water Race?
Having just a taste last year of One Water Race, the organization, the people running the show and the course itself: It has made me hungry for the entire course every single day. It is a life changing experience to get to be out there and although our time was cut short last year, our team’s chemistry and fitness is the recipe for success. We want to show the rest of the USA that we can touch that lighthouse!
– Have you taken a similar challenge before?
After attempting One Water Race last year, I know there is nothing like this race on the planet. Having that knowledge and first hand experience can give us a leg up like no other. I also have completed multiple swimruns, 24 hour running races and want nothing more than to be back on that beautiful “course” of the archipelago.
– What are your strengths?
I love long workouts. For me the longer the better so the fitness aspect I am totally set on. I also tend to be a pretty happy person and can go with the flow. Does someone need me to sing them a song? Or just to shut up and not talk? I can do it all.
– What are your weaknesses?
Besides being deathly allergic to nuts and peanuts, I would say navigation. I don’t have a lot of experience with that. I am used to marked courses. If you see me thumbing the map with the boys running behind me, we might be in trouble!
– What would be your biggest challenges in this race?
I previously told you that it was sleep deprivation but going off of last year’s challenges it might be obtaining the right gear for ALL the elements! Making sure ALL the proper gear is working, having all the correct types of wetsuits I can swim AND run in. Although I can not deny sleep deprivation is everyones #1 enemy out there.
– Have you been to the Stockholm archipelago and what do you know/think about the terrain?
I have spent long periods of time out in the archipelago the last few years. Fun Fact: I love the archipelago so much that my fiance and I plan on getting married out there (hopefully after the race)! We had our first kiss out there so it is very special to me.
– What are you most looking forward to, if you would participate in One Water Race?
Being with a team that I have been with in the past in all of these experiences. WE ARE HUNGRY! We know we have what it takes to be 100% fully committed to being out there as a team. I am most excited about making memories that will last a lifetime, while being out in nature with some of my closest friends.
