ULTRA MARATHON SWIM · 37 KM
Sheltered · 37 km
Meros → Abraãozinho. Solo or a relay of 2, 3 or 4 swimmers.
Sheltered is the first ultra marathon in the catalogue: 37 km from Meros to Abraãozinho along the sheltered side of Ilha Grande, facing the mainland.
The distance is in the range of the world's great channel swims. Solo swimmers may have up to four pace-swimmer entries; relay teams of two to four swimmers change every hour.
On the ultra marathon routes, the swim may go through the night. Safety lights for night visibility are part of the standard equipment.
The route in numbers
- Distance
- 37 km
- Start
- Meros
- Finish
- Abraãozinho
- Formats
- Solo or a relay of 2, 3 or 4 swimmers
- Pace swimmer (solo)
- Up to 4 one-hour swims
- Relay leg
- 60 min per swimmer, fixed order
- Equipment
- Standard, no wetsuit
Who has swum this route
Figures from the BISA swim log. The fastest time in a selection is a reference, not a ratified record.
- completed swims
- 19
- solo
- 16
- relay
- 3
- since
- 2021
- Fastest solo time logged
- 9 h 46 min 47 s · Samir Barel · Aug 16, 2021
- Fastest relay time logged
- 10 h 58 min 41 s · Priscila Marshall e Luciana Akissue · Jan 16, 2024
Carla Fontes · Sep 29, 2026 · From Daniel Righetti’s archive 
Sérgio Carvalho Luiz · Apr 08, 2026 · From Daniel Righetti’s archive 
Bruno César Maciel Braga · Feb 04, 2026 · From Daniel Righetti’s archive
Most recent completed swims
| Date | Swimmer or team | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 13, 2026 | Marcello CevalesSolo | 11 h 12 min 42 s |
| Sep 29, 2026 | Carla FontesSolo | 15 h 51 min 29 s |
| Apr 08, 2026 | Sérgio Carvalho LuizSolo | 15 h 25 min 02 s |
| Feb 04, 2026 | Bruno César Maciel BragaSolo | 13 h 40 min 20 s |
| Sep 22, 2024 | José Leopoldo PuglieseSolo | 10 h 58 min 06 s |
Other routes
- 12 kmFuga da IlhaAbraão → Praia do Engenho (Portogalo)Solo only
- 16 kmChallengeFreguesia de Santana → PousoSolo or two-person relay
- 22 kmBay CrossingPraia dos Meros → Pouso de CajaíbaSolo or a relay of 2, 3 or 4 swimmers
- 25 kmThe PassageLopes Mendes → Praia do Cazuza (Portogalo)Solo or a relay of 2, 3 or 4 swimmers
- 48 kmUnshelteredAroeira → LongaSolo or a relay of 2, 3 or 4 swimmersultra
- 76 kmCompletePalmas → PalmasSolo or a relay of 2, 3 or 4 swimmersultra
Go deeper
- Marathon swimming in BrazilOpen water marathon and ultra marathon swims on Ilha Grande, Brazil: seven routes from 12 to 76 km, solo or relay, under MSF-aligned rules with escort boat and official observer.
- Rules and ratificationBISA rules for marathon swims on Ilha Grande, aligned with the Marathon Swimmers Federation: standard equipment with no wetsuits, official observer, relays, pace swimmers, sea conditions and ratification.
- English Channel and Oceans SevenCompare BISA's Ilha Grande routes with the English Channel and the Oceans Seven: distances, no-wetsuit rules, escort boat and observer. Long swims in Brazil during the northern off-season.
- Marathon swim preparationWhat BISA requires for a marathon swim on Ilha Grande: medical and training certificates, feeding from the boat, pace swimmers, crew on board and swimming through the night.
BISA · ILHA GRANDE
Want to swim Sheltered?
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