Monaco’s Laurène Cucchi, an English teacher at Charles-III College, has made waves at the Otillo Swimrun World Championship in Sweden.

Competing with her partner, Olivia Feydel, Laurène finished as the best French team and fifth overall in the women’s category. The pair took on the grueling 71 km course, which combines running and open water swimming across 24 islands of the Stockholm archipelago, completing it in an impressive time of 11 hours, 36 minutes, and 3 seconds.

Taking part in her first world championship in the discipline, Laurène braved some of the worst weather conditions the event has seen since 2017. “It rained during the first three hours of the race, making it incredibly slippery, and the water temperature was between 12 and 14 degrees,” she shared with Monaco Matin. Despite the challenging elements and numerous competitors dropping out, Laurène and Olivia pushed through, earning themselves a spot on the organisation’s “teams to watch” list before the race even began.

The pair maintained a steady pace throughout the competition and made an incredible push in the final stretch. “We were in sixth place almost until the end, but managed to accelerate five kilometers before the finish line,” Laurène recalls. The duo surged ahead to overtake an American team that was 15 minutes ahead, securing their place among the top five.

Swimrun is more than just a sport for Laurène—it’s a passion and a way to connect with nature and push her own boundaries. “Swimrun is an outlet that allows you to live the adventure in the literal sense of the word,” she says.

The two athletes are set to participate in the Cannes Swimrun on Saturday, October 12. Supercharged from their Swedish success, they hope to qualify once again for the 2025 World Championship, carrying with them the skills and spirit that have brought them this far.

Featured image: DR