Dear fellow swimmers
Tales from UltraSwim 33.3 in Montenegro
I’ve just come back from an incredible week in Montenegro at UltraSwim 33.3, and I’m
still buzzing from the experience.
Every time I do one of these events I’m blown away by the determination and skills of my fellow swimmers.
At the front, Anna Sofia Kalandadze from Georgia powered away to a commanding lead. Swimmers from their 20s to 60s featured in
the top 10. Neither age nor gender is a barrier to swimming fast in open water.
And resilience was everywhere. Sofie Etheridge, a wheelchair user who write us, completed all the swims and never once looked troubled by the temperature or the conditions (although I haven’t yet asked her what she was thinking when we had to battle through strong winds and vicious chop).
Then there is a beautiful picture of Melanie Barratt, a blind swimmer, leading a large gaggle of drafters. Melanie, a former Paralympian, finished 8th in the women’s non-wetsuit category.
Swimming with courage and determination
You have to admire too the courage and determination of those swimmers near the back. Some were in the water almost twice as long as Anna Sofia. On some swims, the conditions got more challenging as the day progressed – the slower swimmers had harder swims. They also had the threat of not making the cut-off times, and less time to eat and recover between swims.
Luckily the vibe at UltraSwim is supportive and inclusive. It’s a tough swim for everyone but there’s a lot of mutual encouragement and camaraderie to get you through. If you’re looking for something big to do next year, then put this on your list.
We’re proud to be a media partner for UltraSwim 33.3, and this year I also ran a “Prep Camp” before the
Montenegro event.
👉 To read more about my swim – and some ideas for tackling swims that you’re not sure if you can finish – see: Should you start a swim you might not finish
👉 And if you’re thinking about doing some open water challenges next year, check out our self-paced video course – Swim Further and Faster in Open Water
