Domenico Acerenza, Angela Martinez Guillen Rally for European OW World Cup Wins in Piombino

European Aquatics Open Water World Cup

• May 18, 2024
• Leg 1: Piombino, Italy
• Results

Men’s 10K

1. Domenico Acerenza (ITA) – 1:46:54.16
2. Sacha Velly (FRA) – 1:46:54.67
3. Marc-Antoine Olivier (FRA) – 1:46:54.86
4. Vincenzo Caso (ITA) – 1:47:07.15
5. Andrea Filadelli (ITA) – 1:47:11.49

Women’s 10K

1. Angela Martinez Guillen (ESP) – 1:56:37.81
2. Ginevra Taddeucci (ITA) – 1:56:39.46
3. Caroline Jouisse (FRA) – 1:56:40.33
4. Ana Marcela Cunha (BRA) – 1:56:42.36
5. Lisa Pou (MON) – 1:56:42.50

After nearly two hours of racing at the European Aquatics Open Water World Cup stop in Piombino, Italy, Domenico Acerenza rallied past the French duo of Sacha Velly and Marc-Antoine Olivier over the last 100 meters to beat them by less than a second.

Acerenza, a 29-year-old Italian, reached the finish line in a winning time of 1:46:54.16, with Velly (1:46:54.67) and Olivier (1:46:54.86) right on his tail.

Acerenza has been on a tear to start 2024 with just a couple months remaining until the Paris Olympics this summer. He punched his ticket to the River Seine with a 7th-place finish at the World Championships in February before winning the first World Aquatics Open Water Swimming World Cups stop in March.

“This is the Olympic year — this is good training for the race,” Acerenza said. “I try to push every day so it is okay.”

Velly, the runner-up finisher at 19 years old, led going into the final lap but couldn’t hold onto a body-length advantage over Acerenza.

On the women’s side, 20-year-old Spaniard Angela Martinez Guillen also came from behind to capture the 10km title ahead of Italy’s Ginevra Taddeucci (1:56:39.46) and France’s Caroline Jouisse (1:56:40.33).

“The final part of the race was crazy,” said Martinez Guillen, who placed 13th at the World Championships in February to qualify for the Paris Olympics. “There was a lot of people.”

Reigning Olympic champion Ana Marcela Cunha of Brazil missed the podium by just a couple seconds with a 4th-place showing in 1:56:42.36. Lisa Pou, who switched sporting nationalities from France to Monaco last year, placed 5th in 1:56:42.50.

2023 world champion Leonie Beck of Germany couldn’t quick crack the top 10 with an 11th-place effort in 1:56:52.11.

The European Aquatics Open Water World Cup continues next month with one final tune-up before the Paris Olympics. The second stop of the tour is scheduled for June 29 in Barcelona, Spain.

What a way to kick off the #SwimmingOWC season 🤩#EuropeanAquatics | #Swimming pic.twitter.com/NMRcKu9p34

— European Aquatics (@EuroAquatics) May 19, 2024