This Saturday – 'Swim Vilnius': Don't miss the chance to register!

Vilnius is set to host the main event of the "Swim Vilnius" open water swimming series this Saturday at Balsys Lake. This event, which has become the city's largest swimming competition, offers participants a chance to compete in various distances, from a challenging 10-kilometer marathon to shorter options like 5km, 3km, and 1.5km. For those new to the sport or seeking a less intense experience, there are also 200m, 400m, and 800m distances, including a free, untimed 100m swim.

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When some years we organize up to 5-6 events. This year - 3, in different water bodies of Vilnius city. Not only in lakes, we have also organized in the river. And the final, crowning main event is always at Green Lakes, on Balsys Lake, where we put all the emphasis, a lot of sound and lights.

The idea for "Swim Vilnius" originated when organizer M. Marcinkevičius studied in Australia. Inspired by the renowned "Cole Classic" open water swim near Sydney, he observed the diverse age range of participants and the positive emotions generated. Upon returning to Lithuania, he recognized a gap in large-scale open water events and decided to create one. Despite facing challenges, including launching during the COVID-19 pandemic with its associated restrictions, the event has successfully grown, now attracting between 700 and 800 participants each year.

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We bring back a lot of good emotions. The plane flight was long, and I was thinking, why don't we have this here.

Marcinkevičius noted that while they could potentially accommodate more swimmers, the size of Balsys Lake imposes practical limits for ensuring a safe and well-organized competition. The event aims to be inclusive, welcoming both professional swimmers and enthusiastic amateurs. Each year, a motivational quote is featured on the medals, with this year's inscription being "Wild swimming means no lines, no lanes and no limit."

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Now we gather 700–800 participants every year, despite the summer not being perfect. And we couldn't really accept more than 1000, because the size of the lake is limited so that we can fit everything in time and organize it safely and with quality. So we are not far from that limit.

The organizer distinguishes between open water swimmers, often including triathletes, and pool swimmers, suggesting that only a small fraction of pool swimmers venture into open water. "Swim Vilnius" provides a platform for those who embrace the unique challenges and freedom of swimming in natural bodies of water.

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There were also participant number limits, and checks, and masks, and distances. I saw people in hazmat suits at Vilnius airport when I flew back after my studies, but I just decided it's better to start with less and with challenges than to start sometime later, or it would probably mean not starting at all.