After a long, grueling competition, the Swedish Armed Forces Adventure Team emerged victorious at Tuesday’s conclusion of the 2023 Adventure Racing World Championship.
The team of four athletes crossed the finish line at South Africa’s Cape St. Francis Resort about 9:30 a.m. Tuesday. It marked the end of an exhausting journey through the Kouga region of the country. The athletes covered a staggering 522 miles in just 118 hours, 33 minutes, and 26 seconds.
The Swedish team, consisting of John Karlsson, Malin Hjalmarsson, Oskar Svärd, and Per Vestling, also had plenty of competition. They faced off against 106 teams representing 30 nations — but the Swedes also had experience.
Their victory marked the second World Championship title for each member. Vestling previously secured the title in 2011 with the Thule Adventure Team in Tasmania, and the remaining three members triumphed in the 2021 edition of the race in Spain.
“This is what we worked together for all year and it feels so good now,” Svärd said. “It’s the best feeling.”
Trekking, Cycling, and Kayaking
Crossing the Finish Line
