Ötillö Orcas Island Race Report 2026

Welcome to episode 335 of the Löw Tide Böyz - A Swimrun Podcast!

We just got back from Ötillö Orcas Island and this is our first swimrun race report of 2026. Five years after our first time racing on the island, we returned to a redesigned course, a stacked field, and a weekend that delivered from the moment we stepped off the ferry. This is episode 335 and it is a big one.

The weekend kicked off with a FIKA shakeout co-hosted with Wild Swimrun and the newly launched Wild Onez podcast. The turnout was great, the energy was high, and ARK Sports set up shop and had one of their best sales days on record. Our buddy Tommy joined us as crew and camera and kept the whole operation running smoothly. By the time race morning arrived, we were ready.

On the course, we cover everything: the technical singletrack, the cold open water swims, how we managed gear and nutrition over six and a half hours, and the moments where the partnership that makes swimrun what it is really showed up. This was our 25th swimrun together as a team, and the race reminded us exactly why we keep coming back.

We also talk about why we think Ötillö Orcas Island is pound for pound the toughest swimrun in the United States, what the race confirmed about where our fitness is heading into the ÖTILLÖ World Championship, and what is next on the calendar including Bellingham Swimrun at the end of June and our sixth Ötillö Casco Bay for the 10th anniversary race.

This episode is sponsored by FORM Swim. We have been using FORM goggles for years and they keep getting better. Head to formswim.com to check out their full lineup including the new Smart Swim 2 LT at a great price point.

Enjoy!

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That's it for this week's show. If you are enjoying the **Löw Tide Böyz**, be sure to subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast player and leave us a five-star rating and review since that's the best way for people to discover the show and the sport of Swimrun. You can find us on **Apple Podcasts**, **Spotify**, and on **YouTube**. Check out our **website** for Swimrun resources including gear guides, tips, how-to videos and so much more. Also make sure to check out our meme page **@thelowtideboyz** on Instagram. If you have any suggestions for the show or questions for us, send us a dm or an email at **lowtideboyz@gmail.com**. Finally, you can support our efforts on **Patreon**...if you feel so inclined.

Thanks for listening and see you out there!

Chip and Chris