Ultra do Ita 2026

Descending the Serra do Mar toward the coast, the air grows thick and humid, signaling your arrival in Bertioga. The road winds through dense Atlantic rainforest, a dramatic contrast to the open expanse of the Atlantic Ocean that suddenly greets you at the end of the descent. For participants in the Ultra do Ita, this journey is more than a mere commute; it is an entry into a landscape where the weight of history hangs as heavily as the salt in the air. As you stand on the shore, you are looking across the very waters that once dictated the fate of colonial expansion in Brazil.

Historical currents and shadows

Swimming here means tracing the perimeter of the Forte de São João, the oldest surviving Portuguese fortification in the country. Constructed in 1547 to monitor the Bertioga Canal, these walls have witnessed centuries of conflict, from the indigenous raids led by the Tamoio confederation to the harrowing ordeal of Hans Staden. Staden, a German mercenary, was captured by the Tupinambá right here in 1552. His subsequent memoir, detailing the threat of ritual cannibalism and his eventual escape through French intervention, remains one of the most significant ethnographic accounts of the 16th-century Brazilian coast. More recently, the water holds a darker, modern notoriety; in 1979, the Nazi war criminal Josef Mengele suffered a stroke while swimming in these same currents and drowned. The contrast between the pristine natural beauty of the Restinga de Bertioga and the historical gravity of these events shapes the atmosphere of the race.

Navigating the canal

Organized by the Associação 14 Bis, the event requires careful preparation regarding the local hydromechanics. The Bertioga Canal acts as a massive tidal artery, and the timing of your swim is dictated by these shifting volumes of water. The organizers mandate adherence to strict safety protocols, as the tidal flow can reach significant speeds, turning a straightforward distance into a strategic test of endurance against the current. This is not a venue for casual splashing; it is a technical environment where the interaction between the tide and the narrow geography of the canal demands constant awareness. While the 2026 edition on March 14 continues the local tradition of endurance swimming, those seeking a different pacing often look toward the Circuito TH5, which takes place just a week later in the same municipality. Whether you are navigating the channel or pushing through the open sea, the memory of the 18th-century whale oil industry—once the region's primary economic engine—remains etched in the infrastructure along the harbor, serving as a silent spectator to every stroke.