Founder's Reflections
When we first envisioned UltraSwim 33.3, the crystal-clear waters of Hvar Island in Croatia were our dream starting point. Although Montenegro ultimately hosted our inaugural event, my heart has always been drawn to the 12th-century charm of Stari Grad and Hvar Town. Growing up on the Isle of Wight, I understand the unique allure of islands—their close-knit communities and the compelling challenge of circumnavigation. While we don't swim entirely around Hvar, the 33.3 km journey from Stari Grad, weaving through the pristine Pakleni Islands to Hvar Town, offers a collective goal that embodies the spirit of UltraSwim 33.3.
This year's #7Croatia event was a testament to resilience and adaptability. The formidable bura winds from the north necessitated a revised plan for our second swim. Despite the opportunity to explore the secluded bays of Veli Dolac, the 1 km traverse across the bay's entrance, with 30-knot gusts funneling through, presented a formidable challenge on the first day. Water temperatures rose to an ideal 19-20°C, yet the cold northern winds tested our skins swimmers, who comprised about 40% of participants.
On Day 2, we adhered to the planned course, beginning with a 2.3 km traverse of Stari Grad Bay. However, the seven secret bays that followed differed markedly from 2024. Residual swells from the previous day's winds created choppy and unpredictable conditions at each bay's entrance and exit. Within the bays, calm waters offered brief respite, but the day's swim remained challenging, especially as winds intensified towards the end, testing even our ULTIMATE option participants.
Day 3 brought favorable weather—calm and sunny conditions that provided our marathon (10.9 km) swimmers with an excellent experience. The chosen Plan B course shielded participants from the moderate to strong southern winds that developed by midday. This strategic decision was particularly appreciated by our slower swimmers, who often face the brunt of worsening conditions. A final, untimed celebratory swim through the Pakleni Islands into the heart of Hvar Town, joined by some F3 non-competing partners, was a fitting conclusion to what was arguably the most challenging UltraSwim 33.3 since our inaugural test event in Montenegro in 2022. The magnitude of the challenge was matched by the growing energy and camaraderie among swimmers—never before had we witnessed such spirited singing on the boats on the final day, culminating in a memorable prize-giving ceremony at the Hvar Town Arsenal.
The competition at the front was intense, with the male category decided only on the final day. Equally inspiring were the stories of perseverance and determination from those further back in the pack. Many participants surpassed their personal goals, experiencing transformative moments as they overcame doubts and pushed through mental and physical barriers. The collective energy once again propelled many to their own personal victories.
Our inaugural full ULTIMATE 22.2 and ULTIMATE 33.3 options were resounding successes. Despite challenging conditions in the latter stages, Stephane Guisard set a new 33.3 km non-stop record between Stari Grad and Hvar Town, completing it in 10 hours and 29 minutes. Four out of five ULTIMATE 22.2 participants completed this ultra-marathon challenge, which we plan to repeat at #12Croatia in May 2026. See ULTIMATE dedicated Results section for more info.
A special mention goes to the largest group we've hosted so far in the shorter introductory 4-day formats: 11.1 DISCOVERY and 22.2 BUILD. Their stories of determination and overcoming fears were truly epic, and many have expressed intentions to tackle the full UltraSwim 33.3 next time.
Organizing the Croatia event presented its own set of challenges, particularly with the strong winds on the first two days. Nonetheless, this venue remains one of our flagship locations, offering exceptional hotels, breathtaking swimming scenery, and renowned Croatian hospitality. Entries for 2026 are now open, and we look forward to welcoming both returning and new swimmers to this unforgettable experience.
Winners – Skins Category (No Wetsuit):
Women: Cheyenne Morris (USA) – 9:43:27
Men: Christopher Bryan (IRL) – 7:59:25
Winners – Wetsuit Category:
Women: Raquel Ranito (POR) – 9:57:08
Men: Seguti Nucada Nadim (BRA) – 7:59:16
Special Awards:
Longest Time in Water (33.3 'CLASSIC' Finishers Only), prize from RED: Karen Miller – 19:34:24
Most Improved Swimmer, prize from deboer : Glen Macfarlane (Improved from 116th to 89th place)
A final shout-out to Kamal Nasrollah for completing his fifth UltraSwim 33.3. He'll be the only participant sporting a swim cap adorned with five Finisher droplets at our next event, #8Switzerland in September.
STATISTICS CORNER: 82% of entries completed all stages and went home with the coveted Finisher droplet for #7 - one of them, Kamal, making that his record-breaking 5th droplet, with Ian Tyers clocking his 4th. 50% of the female entries completed the challenge in skins (ie no wetsuit), with just 2 DNF (Did Not Finish), but only 23% of the men! On day 3, the Marathon swim of 10.9km, 15 swimmers opted to compete with the additional constraints of the Marathon Swim Federation (MSF) rules - no watches, no touching any boat, no drafting behind other swimmers, no neoprene is sight…and for the first time the event also hosted 8 swimmers who took on the new ULTIMATE 22.2 and ULTIMATE 33.3 format - non-stop swims, held on day 2. More on that later as it deserves its only section, but we already have swimmers signed up for this ultra-format in 2026 - great preparation for a big channel crossing like the English Channel. At the other end of the experience scale, we had a record 16 swimmers enter in our introduction 11.1 DISCOVERY and 22.2 BUILD formulaes - shorter distances each day - some of them immediately signed up to come back and take on the full 33.3 CLASSIC in 2026.
“In 2019 I could not swim in open water. In 2025 I’m a fifth time finisher in UltraSwim 33.3. In 2021 my wife Nadia (Nasrollah) didn’t know how to swim. In 2023 she finished her first UltraSwim 33.3 event and has been coming back ever since. This is our medicine. It’s either the doctor or swimming. UltraSwim 33.3 brings all my stress out and allows me to hopefully be a better person. Thank you”, said Moroccan Kamal Nasrollah, who completed his fifth UltraSwim 33.3 challenge with the overall time of 11:05:23
Searchable age group results (MSO) HERE
33.3 Winner Skins: Cheyenne Morris (USA) 9hrs 43m 7s - Christopher Bryan (IRL) 7hrs 59m 25s
33.3 Winner Wetsuits: Raquel Ranito (POR) 9hrs 57m 08s - Nadim Seguti (BRA) 7hrs 59m 16s
22.2 Winner: Natalia De Araujo Batista (BRA) 7hrs 49m 45s
11.1 Winner: Sam Pipon (GBR) 6hrs 04m 07s