Memoriál MUDr. Jaroslava Fichtla — Plzeň

The horizon above the Bolevecký rybník is dominated by the slender, dark silhouette of the St. Bartholomew Cathedral tower. From the water, the 102.6-meter spire acts as a constant navigation point, anchoring the view against the rolling hills of the Plzeň region. As you push through the final stretch of the course, it is difficult to overlook that this city was once the temporary capital of the Holy Roman Empire, acting as a refuge for Emperor Rudolf II during the 1599 plague. This event, the Memoriál MUDr. Jaroslava Fichtla, takes place in an area defined by its complex history and its resilience.

Historical echoes in the landscape

Swimming through these waters, you are traversing a landscape shaped by both architectural ingenuity and industrial tragedy. Not far from these banks, the 1917 Bolevec catastrophe left an indelible mark on the region; the explosion at the nearby munitions factory sent shockwaves that damaged the city core several kilometers away. Centuries before that, the city’s expansion relied on sophisticated medieval water infrastructure, featuring mechanical pumps and leaden reservoirs designed to quench the thirst of a growing urban center. This hydrological heritage is distinct from the soft water sources later utilized by the famous local breweries, yet both reflect the profound connection between the people of Plzeň and their aquatic surroundings.

Race details and setting

The event offers distances ranging from 200 to 10,000 meters, catering to a wide spectrum of swimmers. Organized by PK Slávia VŠ Plzeň z. s. and held annually in late July, the race is a fixture for those who appreciate a venue steeped in the atmosphere of the Thirty Years' War, a period when the city saw heavy maneuvering under commanders like Ernst von Mansfeld. Entry fees are set at a low threshold, starting from 50 CZK for shorter entries and reaching up to 300 CZK for longer distances, reflecting the local scale of the organization. The competition remains a direct interaction with the water in a setting that once served as the strategic winter quarters for Albrecht von Wallenstein.