Three Finnish women complete 70-kilometer swim across Bothnian Bay to Holmsund, Sweden
Three Finnish women, Johanna Karan, Mervi Hillukkala, and Ira Uusoksa, successfully completed a 70-kilometer swimming journey across the Bothnian Bay. They reached Holmsund, Sweden, around 5:30 PM on Wednesday, finishing two and a half hours ahead of the anticipated 24-hour timeline. Their adventure began Tuesday evening from Iskmo in Mustasaari, where they alternated between swimming and resting: each swam for one hour, followed by a two-hour recovery period. A support vessel accompanied them, along with two kayakers.
During the swim, one participant experienced cold shock but recovered after resting. Later in the day, everyone continued their swimming as planned. “It feels unreal, but amazing! I feel incredibly well right now,” said Hillukkala shortly after reaching the finish line.
The swimmers faced various weather conditions, including thunderstorms and rain, but the precipitation did not deter their efforts. “For open water swimmers, rain doesn’t impact us; it’s part of the experience. However, lightning can pose a threat,” noted Ralf Sund, who organized the event.
Sund reported tired yet happy participants on the return journey to Vaasa. “No one has probably slept more than an hour in the past 24 hours. Laughter and conversation continue, along with food, but it’s clear that everyone will soon need to sleep,” he shared.
Although the group had not celebrated with champagne on this occasion, Sund promised a special treat for the women: “They will have the chance to sleep at a cabin in the outer archipelago, and I promised to make breakfast and pancakes for them.”