My TrygFonden Christianborg Rundt swim in Copenhagen

Denmark lover Steve Marshall shares his experience of taking part in the TrygFonden Christianborg Rundt – a swim around the Danish Parliament in the centre of Copenhagen

I enjoy open water swimming and have completed a few long-distance events, including the Dart 10k three times (I even have a gold swimming cap to prove it). I am also a fan of all things Danish and their hygge lifestyle, a cosy, simplified, and stylish way of life. So when I heard about the annual TrygFonden Christianborg Rundt swim in Copenhagen, I jumped at the chance to take part. 

Fans of the TV show Borgen will know that Christiansborg Castle is home to Denmark’s parliament and is located on an island in the centre of Copenhagen. Once a year, the harbour and canal around Christiansborg are closed to all water traffic to allow for a unique swimming event.  The distance around the castle is 2k, and swimmers can choose from between 1 and 10k, with most swimmers opting for one 2k loop.

Taking the leap

I decided to go for the longest distance, which is scarily advertised on the website as: ‘for the skilled open water swimmer, who loves the extreme’. The entrance fee was approx. £95, but everything is expensive in Denmark and it does include a hoodie. A helpful webinar about two months before the event answered any questions and relieved any anxieties.  The host of the webinar explained that this is a leisurely event and that as the course bottlenecks in places, it is not fast-paced.  

I was able to pick up my cap and timing chip on the day before, which made the morning of the swim much less stressful. The swim starts and finishes at the same location and the bag drop was well organised. There were 180 people doing the 10k, many from the UK judging by the number of British accents I heard as we queued up to enter the water. We were all given a GPS tracker which went into our tow float. The run-up to the start was really relaxed, with enough announcements to keep you informed without being overwhelming.

Safe waters

The water around the UK’s Houses of Parliament does not look that appealing, but the water around Christiansborg is clear, clean and silky. As most of the swim takes place in a canal, you are never far from dry land, which means that you can communicate easily with any spectators (thanks Mike for all your support on the day). TrygFonden Christianbord Rundt is actually considered to be the safest long-distance course, as there are safety ladders at 10 metre intervals all the way round. There were also plenty of friendly and encouraging Viking-looking lifeguards on surfboards along the route. 

Before starting, we were given a small plastic box to put in any snacks or energy drinks we would want to consume during the swim. This box was then transported to a feeding station halfway round the course. As you approached the feeding station, you simply shouted out your swim number and your box of goodies was then lowered to you in a bucket. This system worked like clockwork and the volunteers at feeding station could not have been more helpful or supportive. 

Surreal swim

At the pre-swim webinar, we had been warned that those swimmers who had not completed the first 4 laps in under 4 hours would have to leave the water and be awarded a time for doing an 8k swim. I just managed to get under the four hours and begin the fifth lap, unaware that I was the last swimmer to do so. I carried on for about 500 metres before realising that I couldn’t see any other swimmers either in front or behind me. It was slightly surreal being the only person swimming along a canal in the centre of Copenhagen. I was soon joined by a Viking on a surfboard, who explained that as I was the last person to be allowed to complete the fifth lap, she would be escorting me to the finish line. So with Mike and other spectators cheering me on from the banks and the Viking following me on her board, I was the last person to complete the TrygFonden Christianborg Rundt 10 Kilometre Swim in 2025.  I’m quite proud of this achievement.

I now realise that without the help of a strong current (as with the Dart 10k), 10 kilometres is indeed an ‘extreme’ swim. Despite being absolutely exhausted afterwards, I thoroughly enjoyed myself and am considering entering again next year. This event is so well-organised, with a relaxed, friendly atmosphere in a stunning location. And the water is lovely too. The Danes have of course succeeded in bringing hygge to the long-distance swimming experience and I cannot recommend this swim enough.

Find out more about TrygFonden Christianborg Rundt at copenhagenswim.com