About 1,000 athletes swim, then climb 123 floors in summer heat for Lotte Aquathlon — in pictures

Despite the scorching summer morning heat, about 1,000 athletes plunged into Seokchon Lake before racing up 2,917 steps at Lotte World Tower in a fierce battle to win the 2026 Lotte Aquathlon in Songpa District, southern Seoul, on Sunday.

Now in its fifth year, the Lotte Aquathlon is a unique multisport event that replaces the cycling leg of a traditional triathlon with an open-water swim and vertical marathon.

For safety reasons, only athletes registered with the Korea Triathlon Federation could participate.

Participants first swam 1.5 kilometers (0.93 miles) across the east section of Seokchon Lake before taking on the “Sky Run” for which they climbed a total of 2,917 steps from the first floor to the 123rd floor of Lotte World Tower.

Kim Wan-hyuk claimed first place after crossing the finish line with a time of 42 minutes and 59 seconds.

“The Lotte Aquathlon has now firmly established itself as a unique sporting event that symbolizes the harmony between the urban environment and nature,” said Chang Chae-hun, the CEO of Lotte Property & Development, in his welcome speech during the event’s opening ceremony.

“This year’s [aquathlon] is especially meaningful because it reflects the achievements of Seokchon Lake’s water quality improvement project carried out jointly by Lotte and the Songpa District Office.”

Lotte and the Songpa District Office have been working to improve the water quality of Seokchon Lake since 2021. As of June 1, underwater visibility had improved up to 2.4 meters (7.9 feet), and the lake received the highest rating available in most categories under Korea’s water quality standards.

BY KIM JONG-HO [[email protected]]