Ötillö Orcas Island Race Report 2026 | Episode 335

We just got back from Ötillö Orcas Island and we have a lot to say. This is our full race report from one of the most beautiful and demanding swimrun courses in the United States, five years after we last raced it. The course changed, the memories were fuzzy in the best way, and the weekend turned out to be an all-timer.

Before the race even started, vibes were high. We co-hosted a FIKA meetup with Wild Swimrun and the Wild Onez podcast, ARK Sports showed up and had one of their best sales days ever, and Helen Wikmar, CEO of ARK Sports, flew out to race. Our buddy Tommy joined as crew, camera person, and general hype man, and the whole thing felt like a proper swimrun festival on an island you never want to leave.

On the course itself, we cover it all: the technical trails, the cold swims, the gear decisions that worked and the ones we questioned in real time, the moments where we leaned on each other, and what it feels like to cross a finish line after six and a half hours in the Pacific Northwest woods. This was our 25th swimrun together, and it showed.

We also share why we think Ötillö Orcas Island is pound for pound the toughest swimrun in the US, what it confirmed about our ÖTILLÖ World Championship prep, and what is coming up next including Bellingham Swimrun and Ötillö Casco Bay.

This episode is brought to you by FORM Swim. Whether you are training in the pool or open water, FORM goggles give you real-time feedback, swim straight technology, and coaching plans that actually work. Head to formswim.com to learn more.

00:00 Intro
01:00 FORM Swim sponsor read
03:00 Getting to Orcas Island, travel day, and the late ferry
05:00 FIKA shakeout with Wild Swimrun and Wild Onez podcast
07:00 ARK Sports, Helen Wikmar, and the gear tent situation
09:00 Race morning, course overview, and conditions
13:00 Swim 1 and the early race feel
18:00 Trail running on technical Pacific Northwest terrain
23:00 Mid-race gear check and nutrition
28:00 The back half of the course and leaning on each other
33:00 Final swims and the push to the finish
37:00 Finish line and immediate reactions
39:00 Why this might be the toughest swimrun in the US
41:00 How's the body, how's the mind
43:00 What this race means for ÖTILLÖ World Championship prep
45:00 Bellingham Swimrun and Ötillö Casco Bay previews

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