Staffan Björklund, ÖTILLÖ Race Director

Welcome to episode 181 of the Löw Tide Böyz - A Swimrun Podcast!We’ve got a great show for everyone this week. Joining us just a few days after ÖTILLÖ Utö is the new ÖTILLÖ race director, Staffan Björklund. We had a wide ranging conversation about his stout adventure racing and Swimrun roots, his love for the sport and what the future holds as he begins to write the next chapter in the storied history of ÖTILLÖ.But first…Training UpdateÖdyssey Swimrun Casco Bay is just a few weeks away and stoke levels are very high for our first race of the year. We had a big week of training with some long swims, long runs, and Monday Swimruns. Only another week or so of giving it the gas before we start tapering. ShoutoutThis week we are shouting out our three new LTBz Patrons on Patreon. Thank you Liza, Mike and Tom. We really appreciate your support of our brand of super niche content!Wisdom Nugget of the WeekWe suffer more often in imagination than in reality. — SenecaFeats of EnduranceThis week we are giving a blanket award to everyone that Swimran over the weekend. There were events all over Europe, including ÖTILLÖ Utö, Swimrun Côte de Vermille, Sjöloppet Swimrun, Love Swimrun Llanberis, Tal-Y-Llyn Swimrun, and the Långholmen Swimrun.Bonus award for Pete Jervis for racing the “Wales Double:” Swimrun Llanberis on Saturday and Tal-Y-Llyn Swimrun on Sunday. Strong work!Make sure to sign up for our LTBz Strava Club and join Swimrunners from around the world as they train for stuff.Show BusinessIf you’re racing Ödyssey Swimrun Casco Bay in a few weeks–or just love hearing the sound of our voices–make sure to check out our bonus course preview episode that is out now! Spoiler alert: we got confirmation that the 2023 courses will be the same as 2022 so we will be re-sharing a leg by leg breakdown by the one and only John Stevens.Staffan Björklund, ÖTILLÖ Race DirectorIt was really great to chat with Staffan just a few days after Utö, his first official event as the new race director for ÖTILLÖ. In this conversation we talked about Michael and Mats’s legacy and their impact on him, his vast Swimrun experience and love for the sport, ÖTILLÖ’s plans for the future, and so much more. We appreciated his candor and it’s safe to say that he’s super stoked on Swimrun just like the rest of us. 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 Podcast, 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 [email protected]. Finally, you can support our efforts on Patreon…if you feel so inclined.Thanks for listening and see you out there!-  Chip and Chris