Vidösternsimmet 21 km

Vidösternsimmet 21 km

The 21 km is the race Vidösternsimmet started with in 2011. The line runs about 21,500 metres down the lake in five legs: Osudden to Funtabo (about 3,700 m), on to Tånnö (3,900 m), to E4:ans Camping (5,500 m), to Ekens Camping (3,400 m) and the last 5,000 metres to Sundet. Twenty-two large yellow buoys stand roughly a kilometre apart, and swimmers are expected to pass close to them. Transport from central Värnamo reaches the start early in the morning.

Feed stations are at Funtabo, Tånnö, E4:ans, Ekens and on a raft at Gyllene Rasten, about 19 km in. Follow boats patrol roughly one per kilometre. Tånnö, E4:ans and Ekens have cutoff times, and a swimmer who misses one is taken out of the race. Wetsuits are mandatory, except in the Non-Wetsuit class for experienced swimmers, and the age limit is 18.

A day in open water is a long wait for anyone on land. The organiser’s spectator places, from Osudden through Funtabo, Tånnö badplats, E4:ans Camping and Ekens Camping to the finish at Sundet, are only useful if you know when your swimmer will pass. With the swimmer’s Livebib link, family see the position on the course line, the distance covered and a finish estimate that updates with the pace. When the signal from the water drops, the position is carried forward along the course and marked as estimated, never shown as measured.