Circuito TH5 Travessia 2026 — Etapa 4 (Bertioga)

In 1552, the German mercenary Hans Staden stood as a captive of the Tupinambá people at the site of the present-day Forte de São João in Bertioga. His survival of this ordeal and subsequent written account became one of the most significant early European records of the Brazilian coast, detailing a world dominated by the Tamoio Confederation and their maritime raids. Today, the waters that once witnessed these colonial struggles serve as the backdrop for the fourth stage of the TH5 circuit, where swimmers trace a path through history at the Praia do Indiá.

The weight of the water

Swimmers at this event navigate a coastline marked by profound and often somber legacies. It was in these very waters that, in 1979, the Nazi war criminal Josef Mengele met his end while swimming, an event that remains a dark point of local record. As you maintain your stroke, you are moving through a channel that has been protected by the Portuguese since 1547, when the initial fortifications were built to guard against indigenous incursions and serve as a strategic base for expeditions heading toward Rio de Janeiro. While the nearby Restinga de Bertioga State Park preserves the pristine mangroves and Atlantic rainforest that define the northern horizon, the race itself takes place on a more developed stretch of the coast where the whale oil industry once fueled the street lighting of major Brazilian cities.

Race details

Scheduled for July 19, 2026, the event allows for the use of wetsuits, a practical adjustment for the mid-winter temperatures of the South Atlantic. The organizer, TH5 Eventos, manages this stage with a focus on safety and local navigation, often coordinating with the specific requirements of the Bertioga Canal. For those looking to manage their calendar, the circuit includes other regional challenges like the second stage in March or the longer distances found elsewhere in the state. Whether you are competing for a podium or focusing on your personal pace, the swim offers a rare connection to a landscape defined by its defensive history and its survival through centuries of change.