'MOODY MONTENEGRO' DELIVERS A CHALLENGING BUT REWARDING 33.3

Before we turn your attention to our next event, #7Croatia, just 8 months away and filling up fast, lets take a quick look back at #5Montenegro...

That was a tough one! And we're not talking just about the swimming! From an organisational point of view Moody Montenegro as we'll now name it, was about as challenging as it can get for the UltraSwim 33.3 team to be able to deliver on our promise - challenging but achievable swims in a race format with not less than 33.3km over a 4 day long weekend, a world class safety envelope, luxury hotel experience and premium support in an exotic location, with great camaraderie and new friends made from around the world! ✅

What impressed us most though, was the adaptability and resilience of everyone - swimmers and event staff - quite a few doubted on the Thursday before the event if we'd manage to nail our holy grail of 33.3km - that iconic English Channel distance at the heart of our UltraSwim 33.3 concept. "Nothing great is easy" as Captain Webb said in 1875 having become the first person ever to swim between England France.

With lots of logistical juggling, backup plans A-Z, some difficult time-pressured decision making and an amazing group of event staff and volunteers, it seems, according to the 5* reviews, that we pulled it off in style. We've got some great feedback once again and also super useful constructive comments on what we can improve - we can always do better. But #5Montenegro was the first time we'd had a full complement of swimmers (200) - so combine that with thunderstorms, rain and huge weather uncertainty, we were certainly put to the test.

*Images by ©Mark Lloyd / UltraSwim 33.3*

We maybe don't always recognise enough the incredible performances at the front, as of course we love to celebrate those right through the ranking all the way to the back. There were courageous swims right through the fleet of swimmers that day - but also a very impressive race by ultimate skins category winner Michael Dieckmann from Germany, on his third UltraSwim 33.3. After being held in a pod of strong swimmers for the first two days, managed to break away and smash his way through the difficult and disorganised waves, to win with a very decisive 6 minute lead that set him up for the event victory.

Many swimmers that day were very nervous about what for a good number of them would be their first marathon 10km+ swim, especially with the weather uncertainty, out on the exposed Adriatic Coast and after already two hard days in the water. On the boat transfer to the start line, you could see many with these questions in their heads "am I ready?", "What if I'm slow?", "What if I don't make the cut off time?". But there were only 15 DNF (Did Not Finish) that day, and even those that didn't make it, were more often than not proud, and rightly so, of what they'd achieved

““The Marathon swim day on the Sunday, threw some quite confused seas at the swimmers in the second half just as they were tiring. I was so impressed by the resilience of the 33.3’ers to just bash on through it - often in their new found little tribes - supporting each other right to the completion of their goal! We started with lightning disappearing over the horizon and rain clouds above - but we finished with smiles and an enormous sense of achievement for not just the swimmers from 24 countries, but also our organising team! Only 15 non-finishers on what was one of the tougher 10km legs we’ve done in the 5 editions since 2022””

— Mark Turner, Founder & CEO of UltraSwim 33.3

AM I READY FOR 33.3KM?

Ready to Dive In?

If you're craving an adventure that goes beyond the ordinary, join us next year for UltraSwim 33.3 in #7Croatia or one of our other events. Experience the thrill of swimming through crystal-clear waters, past epic landscapes, with a tribe of like-minded adventurers who will inspire and support you every stroke of the way. Whether you're an experienced open-water swimmer or someone looking to push beyond your limits, this is more than just a swim—it's an unforgettable journey that will leave you with memories, friendships, and a deeper connection to yourself and the ocean.

Are you ready to take the plunge? Secure your spot for next year, and be part of something truly extraordinary.