What’s the story of One Water Race? How do you come up on the idea of One Water Race, what is the motivation and the purpose? Meet our founder, Thomas Ogander.
I’m from Stockholm and I have spent all my summers in the Stockholm Archipelago. I was also stationed in the Stockholm Archipelago as a combat diver in Special Forces, so I know the archipelago for many different perspectives. It is one of the most amazing places on earth
I also love to push the limits. After having done 5 Ötillö Swimrun World Championships in a row I was seeking for a new adventure and the ultimate challenge. The absolute north Arholma to the absolute south Landsort is a term in the Stockholm Archipelago. So that’s where I started to plan the distance, actually in 2014.
I have a background in sports, television and media and have worked with some of the world’s largest sports rights such as Formula 1 and the Olympic Games. I know the effects and possibilities of sports drama, and One Water Race is the ultimate drama.
I would say my drive is based upon three levels:
- To create the ultimate endurance race
- To create the ultimate media production
- To create a platform for the greater purpose
What is the ultimate endurance race to you?
A race where you only have your own body to rely on, partly how you get around but also your knowledge and experience in knowing nature and finding the right way forward. And that only you and your teammates can influence how well you manage to train your body and to develop your knowledge and experience.
Why is media production important in One Water Race?
We live in a content and media driven world and the greater purpose of One Water Race needs to reach out. We also want to highlight the incredible endurance racers around the world, they are the heroes and they deserve all the attention they can get. We want to tell their story and lift the world of endurance sports to a greater audience.
Can you tell more about the platform and One Water Race’s greater purpose?
One Water is an independent platform that is the catalyst and drives the climate issue of water and the sea for the benefit of all stakeholders. We create the contexts required to pay attention to what we need to change, for our surroundings and our emergency water situation.
One Water is a platform adapted to the outside world today and forms a base to gather research, business and organizations, to jointly achieve change, locally and globally.
We work with Sweden and the Stockholm archipelago as a starting point where we in physical and digital environments spread knowledge, share experiences and drive concrete development to reduce the threat to our water and marine environment.
We have just initiated the project on A Fossil-Free Archipelago until 2026 where our vision is for the Stockholm archipelago to be fossil-free and a model for progressive environmental development for the marine environment and a source of inspiration for the outside world and future generations.
And in all we do we want to be a benchmark and inspiration.
