Information

SwimÖresund entered into cooperation with the World Open Water Swimming Association (WOWSA) in 2021 and established a database for swimming between Denmark and Sweden. The distance is 20 km (10.8 nautical miles).

Swim across the beautiful strait ‘Öresund’, which connects Denmark and Sweden. You start the swim at Bellevue Beach (DK) or Barsebäck (SV).

After completing the distance, SwimÖresund determines whether the crossing has taken place in accordance with the applicable rules and regulations. The official observation report is then submitted to WOWSA for ratification.

The participants will then be included in official list of swimmers who have crossed the Öresund Strait. All participants who complete the crossing receive an official certificate from SwimÖresund and WOWSA.

Strait of Öresund

The Öresund is an iconic international waterway, and has had great strategic importance and influence on Northern European history throughout the ages. The narrow strait connects the world’s largest inland sea, the Baltic Sea, with the Kattegat. More than 45,000 merchant ships sail through Öresund every year. To this must be added the many fishing cutters, recreational sailors, speedboats and other vessels. This makes Öresund extremely busy.

Despite the heavy shipping traffic, Öresund has a particularly healthy and diverse marine life. There are, among other things, bluefin tuna, porpoises, harbor seals and gray seals. Orca pods and single individuals are not seen very often, but have been visiting inland Danish waters at regular intervals.

The currents in the Öresund can be unstable, unpredictable and at times strong. This happens because of the enormous water flow, which either has a northbound direction from the Baltic Sea to the Kattegat or southbound from the Kattegat to the Baltic Sea. The tidal differences are small in the region (less than 20 cm), but the tide has a visible effect on the current strength in the Öresund.

The sea temperature in Öresund can vary between 0 °C (32 °F) in winter and 22 °C (71.6 °F) in summer. Warmest months are July and August, where you can expect an average sea temperature of 18 °C (64.4 °F). Swimmers should not expect a crossing to take place if the water temperature is below 16 °C.

The first crossing – 1927

On 31 July 1927, a Danish girl, Edith Jensen, just 17 years old, did what no one thought was possible. She attracted a lot of attention when she crossed the Öresund on one of the widest stretches. She swam between Barsebäck in Sweden and Bellevue Beach in Denmark (19 km) in 12 hours and 45 minutes. She became the first person to complete the crossing. Since 1927 and until the year 2022, only a few swimmers have crossed one of the widest stretches across the Öresund.