Are you ready to take on three European river marathons?
The Marathon River Swim Series has been established by three of the most famous open water marathons in Europe – the Flow des Gabarriers (France), the UltraEbre (Spain) and the Thames Marathon (UK)
The Thames Marathon has announced that it has joined up with two river swims – Le Flow des Gabarriers in the Charente river in the Cognac region of France and the UltraEbre along the Ebro river through Catalonia in Spain to create the new Marathon River Swim Series.
Swimmers are invited to participate in each of the events, to be crowned Marathon River Man or Woman. In order to qualify they must swim the three marathons within a 5-year time span. All swimmers who have completed one of these swims in 2022 or 2023, or are planning to swim in 2024 are currently eligible.
The three swims operate as independent events, but with a shared passion of delivering a safe and unforgettable river swim experience to all participants, against the stunning backdrop of some of the world’s most picturesque rivers. The Marathon River Swim Series aims to unite open water enthusiasts and athletes from around the world in a celebration of endurance, determination, and natural beauty.
Three European rivers
Le Flow des Gabarriers (pictured below) offers a choice of two marathon distances, 16km or 33km, in the Charente river in the Cognac region of France.
The UltraEbre was established in 2012 and offers a 30km swim along the Ebro river through Catalonia.
The Thames Marathon at 13km is the shortest of the events but is also the largest, regularly attracting up to 1000 swimmers.
The first swim of the Series in 2024 is Le Flow des Gabarriers on 1 June, with the UltraEbre in July and the Thames Marathon in August.
“We are thrilled to launch the Marathon River Swim Series,” said Grégory Lécrevisse, organiser of Le Flow des Gabarriers. “This series is part of our commitment to promote the joy of open water swimming and to foster a sense of community among swimmers worldwide. The individual swims have their own individual challenges and rewards, and we can’t wait to introduce new swimmers to each unique environment.”
The series is waiting to crown its first Marathon River Man or River Woman . There are currently three swimmers who have completed two of the three swims required. Each swimmer to complete one of the events will receive a woven Marathon River Swim Series badge to commemorate the swim. When three badges have been collected, the swimmers will receive a unique gift from the event organisers.
Registrations for all three events is currently open. For more information and to stay updated on the latest news and announcements, visit marathonriverswimseries.com
Abigail Whyte
Abi writes swimming news stories and features for the Outdoor Swimmer website and manages the social media channels. She loves to swim, run, hike and SUP close to her home in Herefordshire. While she’s a keen wild swimmer, Abi is new to the world of open water events and recently completed her first open water mile. She has previously written for The Guardian, BBC Countryfile Magazine, BBC History Magazine and Ernest Journal.
