Summer Open Water — Viedma · Patagones

The Río Negro dominates the race experience with its sheer scale as the largest river in the Argentine Patagonia, moving over 1,000 cubic meters of water per second. Swimmers must account for a complex tidal regime near the Viedma-Patagones banks, where the river's flow interacts with the nearby Atlantic, demanding a strategic approach to lane selection to manage the rhythmic pulse of the currents. The water temperature for the 5K and 10K championship distances is generally comfortable during the January event, while the shorter 1K and 2K nocturnal races present a significantly sharper, cold-water challenge that requires specific preparation and thermal management. As you navigate the course, the landscape tells a story of centuries of defense and transformation. You will swim past the site of the original settlement, where the historical fort tower remains as a silent sentinel on the northern bank—a position occupied after the devastating flood of 1779 forced the relocation of the colony. The river was also the stage for the 1827 Battle of Carmen de Patagones, where local militias repelled the Imperial Brazilian Navy in the very waters you cross today. Further downstream, the river eventually meets the sea at the El Cóndor beach resort, a region known locally as 'La Boca' that defines the transition from the river basin to the open Atlantic. The race carries the weight of a region shaped by resilience, from the early colonial uprisings of 1812 to its status as a bustling hub of the modern Patagonian valley. With distances ranging from the 10K endurance test to the atmospheric nocturnal 2K, the event offers a mix of professional competition and high-stakes navigation. Each participant receives a kit including a long poncho, branded caps, and the essential finisher medal, marking their journey through a waterway that has seen both military conflict and the quiet endurance of history.