Oleve was a proud sponsor of the 13th XTERRA Greece O.W.S. Challenge, held on 9–11 October 2026 at Athines by the Sea, on A' Beach in Voula. Every athlete who collected a race pack found a 100 ml bottle of Oleve Extra Virgin Olive Oil inside.
On Sunday's podium, the race winners received a bottle of Oleve RMD, our high-polyphenol olive oil. Here's how the weekend went.
Three days of open water in Voula
The O.W.S. Challenge is organised by the Municipality of Vari-Voula-Vouliagmeni and XTERRA Greece, together with Athines by the Sea. Friday was for check-in and a look at the course. Saturday belonged to the youngest athletes, with the Kids Cross Aquathlon (a 100–200 m swim followed by a 400–800 m run) and kids' run, bike and relay activities.
On Sunday, the adults took to the Saronic Gulf over five distances:
- 10K, the longest and toughest swim of the day
- 5K
- 2.5K
- 1K, also open to swimmers under 18
- 200 m Super Sprint, a short, flat-out finale
From first-time open water swimmers to seasoned marathon swimmers, everyone shared the same start line on the beach.
A taste of Lesvos in every race pack
Our advice to every athlete: use it on your recovery meal. Pour it over pasta, a Greek salad or warm bread with tomato. Swimmers burn a lot of energy in the sea, and good fats belong on the plate afterwards.
Oleve RMD for the winners
In ancient Athens, winners were rewarded with amphorae of olive oil from the sacred olive trees. We liked the idea of keeping that tradition alive, 2,500 years later and close to where it began.
At Sunday's awards ceremony, clinical dietitian and nutritionist Aliona Stratulat presented each race winner with a bottle of Oleve RMD, our high-polyphenol extra virgin olive oil. RMD is the most intense oil we make. Its natural polyphenols give it a bold bitterness and the peppery finish that catches the back of your throat.
Watch the moment on Instagram:
It felt like the right prize for athletes who had just swum through open sea: something with real character, made with care, from a single estate on Lesvos.
Why olive oil belongs at the start line
Open water swimming and olive oil share the same roots: the Greek sea and the Greek table. Supporting athletes who train in that same sea is a natural fit for us.
A big thank you to the volunteers and safety crews who looked after every swimmer. And congratulations to every athlete who crossed the finish line, from the Kids Cross Aquathlon to the 10K.
Photos: XTERRA Greece O.W.S. Challenge and the Municipality of Vari-Voula-Vouliagmeni; the women's podium, Fototrexoume.
