1
Team 1 – AUSTRALIA
Rob Preston
Australia , Gippsland, Victoria
Merits
- 2024 One Water Race – 2nd Place
- 2024 Australian Orienteering Championships – 2nd Place Long Distance
- 2023 One Water Race 1st Place 2022 – One Water Race, 2nd place 2021 – XPD
- 10§9 Adventure Race 1st Place (AR World Series qualifier) – Eco Challenge Fiji
- 2017 Adventure Racing World Championships, 3rd place
- 2016 World 24hr Rogaining Champion, 3rd place
- Mixed category with wife Kathryn 2016 – Adventure Racing World Championships, 2nd place
- 30 Expedition length Adventure Races over the last 15 years
– Why do you want to participate in One Water Race?
It turns out my love of Swedish Fika is greater than my fear of Dangzinger Gatt.
– Have you taken a similar challenge before?
Yes, OWR 2022, 2023, 2024 and 30 expedition races around the world over the last 15 years.
– What are your strengths?
My strength is to help keep the team moving in the right direction with a lifetime of experience navigating in Orienteering and Adventure Races. I find the longer the race goes, the better I’m able to excel.
– What are your weaknesses?
Swimming speed is my weakness, but I have worked to improve this for the last 3 years.
– What would be your biggest challenges in this race?
Swimming Danzinger Gatt in 2024 was the most challenging 4hrs of my life. For the first two hours I was wondering when I might drown and if my body would float with all the neoprene and ARK keels attached to me. Reliving that event will always fill me with fear so I don’t know if I can be confident of returning in 2025.
– Have you been to the Stockholm archipelago and what do you know/think about the terrain?
Yes, I raced OWR the last three years so I know one path from Arholma Nord to Landsort very well. I also lived in Stockholm for a few months competing in orienteering and know the typical forest terrain very well.
– What are you most looking forward to, if you would participate in One Water Race?
I’m looking forward to meeting my friends again, both staff and others in the swimrun community. Stockholm and the Archipelago is an amazing place to visit in August and I can’t wait to return.
