Paraguay’s Lago Ypacarai is suffering badly. It is quickly dying and is actually producing toxins. It is a sickly green.

And the disaster negatively affects swims like the Ypacaraí Lake King Swim (El Rey del Lago Ypacarai). Normally held in spring, the blue-green algae in killing opportunities to swim in this formally beautiful lake in San Bernardino, Paraguay.

The formerly 9.2 km swim is an out-and-back course and harks back to the colonial era when the first immigrants in the area competed for the title King of the Lake (Rey del Lago).

But the environmental disaster at the lake led to a cancellation of the event this year. An explanation of the why of the disaster is posted below the race video.

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