Breca Swimrun

Updated January 2025

The Breca brand was acquired in 2023, but it was then announced that the new owner would NOT be moving forward with the brand. IS THIS THE FINAL END OF THE BRECA NAME?

The first 'new' Breca event in Liverpool was cancelled.

NOTE: the events at Jersey and Coniston and Gower are now being held by new race organisers!

Jonathan Littlewood

Breca Swimrun was the organiser of a Swimrun series set in the UK, New Zealand and Canada. Each race was unique in its location and the challenges you faced. You had a choice of lake or sea swims, mountains and coastal trail running, sprint and full distances, but each course gave you a true adventure!

After cancelling all events in 2022 and closing down, the Breca brand was acquired by swimrunner Jonathan Littlewood in 2023. Unfortunately, he announced on 1st August 2023 that he would not be proceeding any further, in order to concentrate on his website swimrun.com. This domain was subsequently up for sale in December 2024, the swimrun.com website disappeared in January 2025.

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Garmin Swim 2 GPS Watch

Breca Swimrun Liverpool 2023

CANCELLED

For those new to the sport, in the past, Breca recommended any of their Sprint distances at a lake-based event, as there would be no tides or swell on the swims.

In previous races before 2022, the full distances presented different challenges, depending on the location and the strengths/weaknesses of the athletes.

Breca Gower had a high chance of swells, being a surfing location, and had difficult running terrain.

Breca Jersey featured extremely technical swim entrances and exits and a long running section.

In New Zealand the lake swim at Wanaka was cold and the terrain mountainous, whilst Breca Bay of Islands in North Island had challenging elevation and possible choppy sea water, as well as a 3km swim leg !

swimrunners running through a forest near a river

Breca partnered with 'Trees Not Tees'

Looking down over the islands of Georgian Bay at the Breca Swimrun

Breca Swimrun UK Series

Two swimrun competitiors wearing red and white tops coming out of the sea

There used to be 4 races in the Breca UK Series:

Breca Gower
Breca Coniston
Breca Loch Lomond
Breca Jersey

Breca Swimrun Liverpool

New owner Jonathan Littlewood planned a new style of swimrun events, the Urban X Race Series, starting in Liverpool:

Unfortunately, he has decided NOT to proceed, and the Liverpool event was cancelled.

PREVIOUS EVENTS FROM BRECA

Breca Gower

Set on Wales' Gower peninsula the race went along the coast from Rhossili to Mumbles with trails through an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. You had to be prepared to race against the tide and explore limestone cliffs, woodlands, white sand beaches and hidden bays. A spectacular and challenging Swimrun event on the coastal path with multiple ocean swims.

This Breca event is now being run by Gritty Rascals.

A group of four swimrunners scrambling out of the water, over rocks.

Breca Gower Swimrun

Swimrunners running on a sandy beach between rocky outcrops

ORIGINAL BRECA GOWER SPRINT - Team & Solo

Runs - 17.5 km total

Swims - 2.5 km total

Total Distance: 20 km

ORIGINAL BRECA GOWER FULL - Team Entries Only

Runs - 36.5 km total

Swims - 6.5 km total

Total Distance: 43 km

Breca Coniston

NOTE: Although Breca has officially gone bust, the swimrun event at Coniston is now being run by Gritty Rascals!

The race took place in 4 of the most beautiful lakes in the Lake District - Coniston Water, Windermere, Rydal Water and Grasmere with stunning scenery. You were fell running along tracks and paths in the valleys around the lakes. The cold lake swims had rocky beach entries and exits. Everyone enjoyed the post race party at Tweedies Bar in Grasmere!

A view over a lake with a wooden jetty in the distance, and brown bracken in the foreground

Swimrunners running across a bridge at a Breca Swimrun event.

BRECA CONISTON SPRINT - Team & Solo

Runs - 18 km total

Swims - 3 km total

Total Distance: 21 km

BRECA CONISTON FULL - Team Entries Only

Runs - 38.7 km total

Swims - 6.5 km total

Total Distance: 45 km

Below is the official 2019 video of the Breca Coniston Swimrun:

Breca Loch Lomond

Loch Lomond on a sunny day, with very calm water, blue skies, and woodland on the opposite shore.

Breca Loch Lomond was Breca's first Swimrun in the Scottish highlands - a unique and magical location perfect for the sport of Swimrun. It included long forest trails and frequent swims in the Loch's clear, glacial water.

BRECA LOCH LOMOND SPRINT - Team & Solo

11 Runs - 19 km total

10 Swims - 5 km total

Total Distance: 24 km

BRECA LOCH LOMOND FULL

16 Runs - 35 km total

15 Swims - 9 km total

Total Distance: 44 km

Breca Jersey

NOTE; Although Breca has been acquired by Jonathan Littlewood, the swimrun event on Jersey is now being run by 3D events.

Set on the Channel Island of Jersey this Swimrun event started in a castle, has the third highest tidal range in the world and takes in WW2 fortifications. It was suited to strong swimmers with technical entries and exits and ocean swims with a high likelihood of swell. The Sprint had the highest ratio of swim-to-run in the Breca events.

The race went counter clockwise around the island and teams faced Jersey's 40ft tides! These presented a unique challenge so teamwork was essential in this event.

Three swimrunners in the sea, watching a fourth competitor scrambling out over a rocky outcrop.

Breca Jersey Swimrun

Swimrun racers making their way downhill through boulders, towards the camera.

BRECA JERSEY SPRINT - Team & Solo

Runs - 15.5 km total

Swims - 4.5 km total

Total Distance: 20 km

BRECA JERSEY FULL - Team Entries Only

Runs - 47 km total

Swims - 6 km total

Total Distance: 53 km

A swimrun racer wearing a yellow top and a red swim cap looking down at grey sea water

Two swimrun competitors waering yellow tops and red swim caps congratulate each other while standing waist deep in the sea

Watch the 2019 official race video of the Breca Jersey Swimrun below:

Breca Swimrun New Zealand Series

There were 2 events in the Breca New Zealand Series, one in the mountains of the South Island and the other in the tropical islands of North Island. Both were of course packed with adventure!

Breca Wanaka
Breca Bay of Islands

As we were living in New Zealand in 2022, we planned to do both the Breca events, but they were cancelled.

Breca Wanaka

This was New Zealand's original Swimrun set against the backdrop of the Mt. Aspiring National Park. Expect deep glacial water and pristine trails while you are island-hopping and lake crossing! This was truly a spectacular and challenging event.

BRECA WANAKA SPRINT - Team & Solo

6 Runs - 14 km total

5 Swims - 3.5 km total

Total Distance: 18 km

BRECA WANAKA FULL - Team Entries Only

11 Runs - 37 km total

10 Swims - 7.5 km total

Total Distance: 44.5 km

Two swimrunners walking out of Lake Wanaka in New Zealand, with mountains in the background.

See the 2018 Breca Wanaka Swimrun official race film:

Breca Bay of Islands

This event took you island hopping across the Bay's white sandy beaches, turquoise waters and rocky coasts with a grand finish at Otehei Bay island resort. This was a stunning Swimrun in an area of great beauty, wildlife and history.