Chris Wright's One Water Race Recap

Welcome to episode 352 of the Löw Tide Böyz - A Swimrun Podcast!

The 2026 One Water Race is done, and we have been wanting to talk about it since the live stream ended. We obsess over this race, have zero interest in racing it, and love watching it unfold. Joining us is Chris Wright of Team USA France, who raced the inaugural edition in 2022 and finished this year on his third start, touching the Landsort lighthouse at 2:30 in the morning with the whole One Water crew still cheering.

Chris takes us through the year behind it. He explains how he decided to go back, why swimming with paddles filled his training, and how his team kept the same plan but executed it better. We talk about the 30-second debrief with the boat captain at each island, staying about four and a half hours behind the leaders to beat the eight-hour cutoff, and the 8.5K Danziger Gat swim, three hours in three to four foot waves with a single feed at the 90 minute mark.

We also get into the stuff you wonder about from your couch. Chris shares what 70 hours awake sounds like, how three wetsuits help and hurt, why swimming-induced pulmonary edema worries every team, and how a fueling plan of ramen, chips and about 100 fun size Snickers kept the engine running. He describes the 4 PM start, the A/B checkpoint decisions, the community Thomas builds on Råholma, and the burger and beer waiting at the finish.

Before the interview, we run through race week in the States: Swimrun Cape Cod, ÖTILLÖ Colorado in Fort Collins with the Concho Boys back on the sprint course, and ÖTILLÖ Austin in early November. After the interview, Chris tells us what is next, from Orcas and Bellingham to a little unfinished business at ÖTILLÖ.

Enjoy!

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