MČR Dálkové Plavání — Račice 5km+20km

The approach to Račice follows the flat, agricultural plains of the Ústecký region until the road dips toward the Elbe River. Emerging from the car, the scale of the Labe aréna becomes immediately apparent: a vast, artificial rowing canal integrated into the natural meander of the river. This distinct bend in the waterway forms the primary theatre for the Czech National Championship, separating the competitive lanes from the wider, untamed flow of the Elbe that defines the regional geography.

Navigating the Bohemian landscape

Swimming the 20km distance, athletes transition from the controlled conditions of the canal into the broader river context, where the water’s character shifts. The course traces the edge of the Bohemian Central Uplands, an area carved by the river into the deep, winding gorge of the Porta Bohemica. From a low sighting point in the water, the valley walls rise sharply, creating a corridor that has served as a primary trade and transit route for centuries. Further along the route, the current carries the memory of the confluence at Litoměřice, where the Elbe meets the Ohře. The proximity to these historic junctions, including the nearby Small Fortress in Terezín where Gavrilo Princip was held, provides a heavy historical backdrop to the physical exertion of the race.

Race day logistics

Organized by the TJ Bohemians Praha, the event utilizes this canal infrastructure to host distances ranging from 1km to 20km. The setting is dominated by the sight of Račice Castle, which sits on the hill overlooking the valley and remains a navigation point for those swimming the longest loops. While the Pístovická riviéra serves as a smaller, localized pond for recreational swimming in the broader valley, the Labe aréna provides the specific, measured depth required for a national-level championship. Participants must be prepared for the transition between the calm, monitored waters of the rowing lane and the environmental flow of the river, which remains the defining challenge for those tackling the 20km endurance distance scheduled for late August.