Memoriál MUDr. Jaroslava Fichtla — Plzeň

Sunlight filters through the surface of the Bolevecký rybník as you push through the mid-section of your set, catching a brief, distorted glimpse of the distant, needle-like silhouette of the St. Bartholomew Cathedral Tower. Rising over 100 meters, this stone sentinel has overlooked the valley since the city became the accidental capital of the Holy Roman Empire during the 1599 plague. You are swimming the Memoriál MUDr. Jaroslava Fichtla, an annual event hosted by the PK Slávia VŠ Plzeň that utilizes these calm, freshwater reaches to host distances ranging from a tactical 200-meter sprint to a grueling 10,000-meter endurance test.

Historical waters and local depth

Navigating these depths, it is difficult to reconcile the current serenity with the area's volatile history. Only a few kilometers from the shoreline, the forests of Bolevec still bear the scars of the 1917 munitions explosion, a blast so immense it rattled the medieval core of the city. Beneath your stroke, the water remains remarkably soft, the same quality that allowed Josef Groll to perfect the world's first pilsner beer in 1842. This liquid resource is central to the city's infrastructure, mirroring the complex network of wooden pipes and lead reservoirs that once sustained the urban center during the 16th-century water crisis. Centuries earlier, the surrounding valleys were theater for the Siege of Plzeň, where Protestant forces secured the city as a strategic base at the onset of the Thirty Years' War.

Whether you are aiming for the 5,000-meter challenge or the 3,000-meter distance, the course demands constant attention to the long-distance sightlines provided by the gothic architecture above the treeline. The organization utilizes the Jacht klub facilities as a base, providing the necessary logistics for swimmers to navigate these historical depths on July 25, 2026. Entry fees for such events typically cover the costs of safety kayaks and naval traffic management on the lake, ensuring that the water remains clear for the duration of the event. While you drift past the markers, the echoes of the city’s past—from imperial retreats to industrial catastrophes—remain fixed in the landscape surrounding the basin.