Vive La France! Swimrunners Aline Tavernier and Julia Moustakir Share Their Swimrun Amour 

French based team, Julia Moustakir and Aline Tavernier and are a fun, competitive and much liked female team who achieved a World Championship podium in 2022. Both discovered swimrun in the last three years, an injury meant Aline took up swimming again which led her to swimrun and Julia did her first swimrun with her husband. They are both wonderful ambassadors for the sport and we hope you enjoy this quick-fire interview. 

What are the things that you most enjoy about swimrun?

J: The discovery of magnificent landscapes at each race as well as sharing with Aline my buddy! The whole swimrun ‘experience’ is superb with the wonderful courses, other teams, volunteers and organizers.

A: Sharing the races with Julia of course!  We laugh and we exchange a lot of conversation during the races while discovering beautiful places. I really enjoy the relationships with other athletes that we have made thanks to this sport.

What do you think about when you are racing over a long distance?

J: It really depends. When everything is fine I chat with my buddy and we laugh, when it’s hard I grit my teeth, I wonder why I’m here and I tell myself that I (we) haven’t done everything this hard for nothing but above all I enjoy the landscape. 

A: Ooh! Lots of things. We talk a lot among ourselves and with the teams we meet. On the long swimming portions, I actually sing in the water.

Do you have any pre-race rituals?

J: I always write the distances of the different parts of the race on my pads and the essential pre-race pee of course. 

A: We both like to run and chat for a few km the day before the race to relax into the race weekend. 

What advice would you give to someone new to the sport?

J: Start with small distances (because it’s accessible to all) and then go up. Find a partner you trust and have fun. Adapt your equipment according to the chosen race and above all  enjoy yourself! 

A: The important thing in a pair is to talk to each other, to communicate, it is essential for the smooth running of the race! And try to anticipate transitions so as not to waste too much time on these important parts of the race. In swimrun, there are lots of transitions! 

Favourite piece of kit?

We both love to put on the Head-Zoggs suit, it’s really very well made and we have the impression of putting on armour to go into battle! Which is a great feeling, to know that your equipment will look after you. 

With swimming and running and swimming again, how do you both switch-off?

We both place a lot of value on our families. Between work and swimrun, there isn’t so much time left so we try to spend quality time with our families. 

Your worst moments in swimrun?

J: I hate being cold. Chilled from having difficulty moving forward and which also causes endless falls. Also when I start having pain in the joints on long runs, the head wants but the body can no longer move as fast as I would like, it’s very frustrating.

A: The worst will remain the frozen water of ÖTILLÖ Uto last year, I think I have never been so cold in my life!

And your best moments in swimrun? 

J: There are so many! I love the magnificent landscapes, the viluneteer are always caring and sharing the adventure with my partner Aline who is caring and good fun.

A:  The best moment will remain our podium at the ÖTILLÖ World Championship which was so unexpected. It was such a great reward for the hard work we put in all season!