Where do we start? Maybe with the simple truth: One Water Race is unlike anything we’ve ever done.
From the first time we came together as a team in 2024, there was a connection.
Training camps, long sessions, and a 36-hour practice adventure helped get us to a point where we felt confident that, as a team, we had the physical ability to take this on.
We turned up in Stockholm feeling ready to test ourselves.
Day One – Hard Lessons
The race began with a simple mistake.
A missed turn, a checkpoint we should have found in minutes but didn’t.
We burned through time, through fluids, through calm heads. Navigation was always going to be the hardest part for us — and it showed. We had underestimated – quite spectacularly – how challenging the islands are to navigate through.
That first day was tough. Mistakes stacked up. We overheated, under-fuelled while moving and then spent too long refuelling while stationary. But even when things weren’t going to plan, someone always kept the mood up. Gaz never stopped being positive. Mike always said the right thing at the right time. Rhian was rock-solid in every run. Chris played his part, leading the swims at a solid pace, and in a straight line.
And together we kept moving.
The Night Shift
Then came the first night. This is where the race changed for us. Under the moon and stars, the archipelago felt endless — but something clicked. Navigation suddenly made sense.
Our swims felt strong. Stronger than they had during the day. The water felt warm and welcoming. We stopped wasting time in transitions. Most importantly, we laughed again.
That night will stick with us forever. After a brutal first day, we were still moving well, still smiling, still proud to be out there. We realised that even if we weren’t racing for position anymore, we were racing for something more important: the experience itself.
Day Two – Finding Our Stride
With sunrise came fresh energy. We ran better than we had on day one. We swam with rhythm, even enjoying the push of the waves. We knew the 8-hour cut-off was coming, but it didn’t matter. The goal became simple: keep going until we were told to stop.
By the time we reached what would be our final checkpoint, the sun was shining, the water was calm, and we were still feeling strong. We touched the checkpoint knowing we had more to give, but also knowing our race was over. Pride and disappointment in equal measure.
Reflections
We prepared well physically. What let us down was navigation, transitions, and the small details that added up over the 30 hours we were racing.
But that doesn’t take away from what we achieved.
We stayed positive when things went wrong. We kept each other moving when the race was slipping away. We laughed more than we thought possible in the middle of the night, in the middle of nowhere, cold and tired, but still loving the moment.
We’re proud to have been part of this race. Proud to have shared it with such an incredible group of athletes, volunteers, and organisers. And proud that when it got tough — really tough — we kept going.
Would we love another chance to test our limits properly? Absolutely.
We feel like we never got to show what we could really do. But even so, the memories we’ve taken from this race will last a lifetime.
