What does it really take for a team to stay strong – when everything is on the line?
This August, One Water Race returns with the extreme challenge: a 250 km non-stop endurance race through the Stockholm archipelago. Teams from around the world will swim, run, and navigate day and night for around 60 hours. It’s not just a physical trial – it’s the ultimate test of mental strength, communication, and team dynamics. That’s why we’re proud to welcome one of Sweden’s top team performance experts, Annika R Malmberg, as a special commentator in this year’s live broadcast – the world’s longest continuous sports livestream.
Great teams don’t happen by chance – they are created by choice.
– Annika R Malmberg
When the pressure is real – the real team shows up
Annika is a celebrated author and speaker with over 30 years of experience developing high-performing teams in business, healthcare, and public organizations. In her new book, “How to Build Strong Teams”, she shares powerful, actionable tools for building trust, giving feedback, and creating psychological safety in any team.
But One Water Race is not theory. It’s live. It’s raw. It’s team dynamics under pressure.
– “What fascinates me most is that no one can complete this race alone. It’s the team that determines success. That makes it a perfect lab for understanding what makes human collaboration work – or fall apart,” says Annika.
Throughout the 3-day live broadcast, she’ll be analyzing team behavior in real-time: how teams communicate, resolve conflict, share leadership, and hold each other up when exhaustion hits.
Two team tips to start with
Whether you’re building a start-up, leading a sports team, or managing a department, high-stakes team insights aren’t just for extreme races. Here are two quick tips from Annika’s book to strengthen any team:
1. Invest in time together
Strong teams aren’t built in meetings – they’re built in trust. That starts with informal moments: shared breakfasts, walks, or casual talks that allow team members to connect beyond tasks.
2. Measure your current state
Conduct a simple team assessment where everyone rates how they experience the collaboration. Comparing results opens up honest conversations and reveals hidden strengths and pain points – the first step to real growth.
Experience the world’s toughest team race – live
Want to see what happens when team performance is pushed to its absolute limit? Join us for the live broadcast of One Water Race, August 19–21. Follow world-class teams as they navigate land, sea, and their own limits. And with Annika R Malmberg as commentator, you’ll get unique behind-the-scenes insights into how these elite teams operate under pressure – and what lessons we can all take back to our own work, sport, and lives.
Because strong teams don’t just survive the challenge.
They’re built for it.
Download Annika’s free team assessment template here
Explore Annika’s new book: “How to Build Strong Teams” here
