Moesha Johnson and Florian Wellbrock claimed wins in the women’s and men’s 10K events at the last stop on the Open Water Swimming World Cup in Neom, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile, Ana Marcela Cunha and Marc-Antoine Olivier were confirmed as the winners of the overall Open Water World Cup.
Germany’s Leah Boy had a slim chance at catching Cunha in the overall rankings in Neom. Boy came into the final stop of the tour trailing Cunha by 402 points, meaning her only chance at the overall victory would’ve been to win the race with Cunha finishing no better than eighth.
Boy jumped on the race from the first lap, starting the opening lap fast with her teammate Jeannette Spiwoks.
Lia Pou and Ginevra Taddeucci traded the lead through the first laps of the race, but the race got a shakeup on the fourth lap as the field splintered into three groups. Johnson, the reigning Olympic silver medallist, to caught on the wrong side of the split, slipping from 3rd at the halfway mark to 22nd at the end of the fourth lap.
“Lap four was not fun, I came through probably last,” Johnson told World Aquatics. “On the back straight I picked a straight line and all of a sudden, the pack was gone and I was like, ‘ah well, here we go.’”
Her chosen line propelled her into an almost 18-second lead with one lap to go, with Taddeucci and Cunha trailing. Johnson extended her lead on the final lap, winning the race by 31.3 seconds.”
“The course looked quite smooth, but there are waves and a bit of a swell which knocked us about a little bit in that last straight when I was on my own and I was struggling to get my arms over, but I was happy with the outcome, obviously,” Johnson said.
Behind Johnson, Boy took second place, while Taddeucci won bronze. Cunha finished seventh, tallying enough points to secure her overall series victory.
The final stop of the Open Water Swimming World Cup was Wellbrock’s return to open water swimming since his eighth-place finish at the 2024 Olympics. He was well-positioned throughout the entire race, leading out the front of the field in the opening stages.
Olivier was well-placed as well, and though he was unable to match the impressive closing speed of World junior champion Sacha Velly, he was able to hold off charges from Dario Verani and Marcello Guidi and clinch the overall series win by touching in third.
Wellbrock won by four seconds ahead of Velly, with Olivier rounding out the podium.
“I love to compete at the front of the pack and use my speed from the pool and with the flat water, although it was a bit choppy at the end, it worked so good and I think it’s the perfect tactic for today,” Wellbrock told World Aquatics. “It was so important to race here especially after my disappointing Olympics and for sure I’m really excited to race in short course in December.”
Overall Series Rankings
Women
Overall Rank | Country | Name | Total Points | Event 1 EGY |
Event 2 ITA |
Event 3 POR |
Event 4 HKG |
Event 5 KSA |
Overall Prize Money
|
1 | BRA | Ana Marcela CUNHA |
2750 | 500 | 800 | 700 | 350 | 400 | 59600 |
2 | GER | Lea BOY |
2648 | 450 | 98 | 800 | 600 | 700 | 45200 |
3 | ITA | Ginevra TADDEUCCI |
2200 | 550 | 350 | – | 700 | 600 | 32850 |
4 | HUN | Bettina FABIAN |
2150 | 700 | 450 | 500 | – | 500 | 27200 |
5 | BRA | Viviane JUNGBLUT |
2080 | 350 | 700 | 600 | 250 | 180 | 21150 |
6 | AUS | Moesha JOHNSON |
1950 | – | – | 350 | 800 | 800 | 7650 |
6 | FRA | Caroline Laure JOUISSE |
1950 | 400 | 500 | 550 | 300 | 200 | 16150 |
8 | GER | Jeannette SPIWOKS |
1550 | – | 150 | 300 | 550 | 550 | 11400 |
9 | GER | Leonie BECK |
1500 | 800 | 600 | 0 | 100 | – | 11000 |
10 | MON | Lisa POU |
1290 | 190 | – | 250 | 400 | 450 | 5650 |
11 | FRA | Ines DELACROIX |
1130 | 140 | 200 | 500 | 170 | 120 | 3000 |
12 | ESP | Angela MARTINEZ GUILLEN |
790 | 600 | – | – | – | 190 | 2500 |
13 | BRA | Cibelle JUNGBLUT |
702 | – | – | 400 | 200 | 102 | 950 |
14 | ITA | Veronica SANTONI |
660 | 150 | 170 | 180 | – | 160 | 0 |
15 | POR | Mafalda ROSA |
650 | – | 160 | 190 | – | 300 | 0 |
16 | NED | Sharon VAN ROUWENDAAL |
550 | – | 550 | – | – | – | 1700 |
17 | JPN | Airi EBINA |
530 | – | 400 | – | – | 130 | 950 |
18 | USA | Katie GRIMES |
500 | – | – | – | 500 | – | 1500 |
19 | ESP | Candela SANCHEZ LORA |
470 | 300 | – | – | – | 170 | 0 |
20 | AUS | Jacqueline DAVISON-MCGOVERN |
450 | – | – | – | 450 | – | 1200 |
20 | GER | Celine RIEDER |
450 | – | – | 200 | – | 250 | 0 |
20 | POR | Angelica ANDRE |
450 | – | 300 | – | – | 150 | 0 |
23 | MEX | Martha SANDOVAL |
358 | 250 | 108 | – | – | – | 0 |
24 | JPN | Ichika KAJIMOTO |
350 | – | – | – | – | 350 | 650 |
25 | BRA | Lizian SOBRAL |
342 | – | – | 140 | 104 | 98 | 0 |
26 | AUS | Bianca CRISP |
310 | – | 180 | – | 130 | – | 0 |
26 | ITA | Barbara POZZOBON |
310 | 180 | 130 | – | – | 0 | 0 |
28 | HUN | Anna OLASZ |
300 | 200 | 100 | – | – | – | 0 |
29 | POR | Mariana MENDES |
278 | – | – | 170 | – | 108 | 0 |
30 | ITA | Silvia CICCARELLA |
270 | – | 120 | 150 | – | – | 0 |
31 | ESP | Paula OTERO FERNANDEZ |
264 | 160 | – | – | – | 104 | 0 |
32 | USA | Mariah DENIGAN |
250 | – | 250 | – | – | – | 0 |
33 | CZE | Julie PLESKOTOVA |
210 | – | 104 | – | – | 106 | 0 |
34 | AUS | Chelsea GUBECKA |
190 | – | – | – | 190 | – | 0 |
34 | GBR | Leah Phoebe CRISP |
190 | – | 190 | – | – | – | 0 |
36 | AUS | Tayla MARTIN |
180 | – | – | – | 180 | – | 0 |
37 | GER | Fabienne WENSKE |
170 | 170 | – | – | – | – | 0 |
38 | TPE | Yu-Wen TENG |
160 | – | – | 160 | – | – | 0 |
38 | USA | Claire WEINSTEIN |
160 | – | – | – | 160 | – | 0 |
40 | USA | Brooke TRAVIS |
150 | – | – | – | 150 | – | 0 |
41 | CHN | Lilin LIU |
140 | – | – | – | 140 | – | 0 |
41 | CHN | Xin XIN |
140 | – | 140 | – | – | – | 0 |
41 | ITA | Giulia GABBRIELLESCHI |
140 | – | – | 0 | – | 140 | 0 |
44 | EGY | Lamees ELSOKKARY |
130 | 130 | – | – | – | – | 0 |
45 | EGY | Arwa FAISAL MALEK |
120 | 120 | – | – | – | – | 0 |
45 | HKG | Tsz Yin NIP |
120 | – | – | – | 120 | – | 0 |
47 | CHN | Shutong WU |
110 | – | – | – | 110 | – | 0 |
47 | ESP | Maria DE VALDES |
110 | – | – | – | – | 110 | 0 |
47 | HUN | Mira SZIMCSAK |
110 | – | 110 | – | – | – | 0 |
47 | KAZ | Mariya FEDOTOVA |
110 | 110 | – | – | – | – | 0 |
51 | HKG | Pac Tung Nikita LAM |
108 | – | – | – | 108 | – | 0 |
51 | KAZ | Darya PUSHKO |
108 | 108 | – | – | – | – | 0 |
53 | EGY | Shahd SAMEH |
106 | 106 | – | – | – | – | 0 |
53 | PER | Maria BRAMONT-ARIAS |
106 | – | 106 | – | – | – | 0 |
53 | SGP | Li-Shan Chantal LIEW |
106 | – | – | – | 106 | – | 0 |
56 | EGY | Zeina AHMED MEDHAT |
104 | 104 | – | – | – | – | 0 |
57 | BRA | Isabella SCOPEL TRAMONTANA |
102 | – | – | – | 102 | – | 0 |
57 | EGY | Nabila HASSAN |
102 | 102 | – | – | – | – | 0 |
57 | ITA | Sofie CALLO VON PLATEN |
102 | – | 102 | – | – | – | 0 |
60 | BEL | Camille HENVEAUX |
100 | – | 0 | – | – | 100 | 0 |
60 | KAZ | Ayazhan AINABEKOVA |
100 | 100 | – | – | – | – | 0 |
62 | EGY | Kenzy HAZEM MONEEB |
98 | 98 | – | – | – | – | 0 |
62 | HKG | Cheuk Ue Natalie LAM |
98 | – | – | – | 98 | – | 0 |
64 | EGY | Hoda GAMAL SALAMA |
96 | 96 | – | – | – | – | 0 |
64 | HKG | Wing Yan TO |
96 | – | – | – | 96 | – | 0 |
64 | ITA | Iris MENCHINI |
96 | – | 96 | – | – | – | 0 |
64 | MAR | Malak MEQDAR |
96 | – | – | – | – | 96 | 0 |
68 | HKG | Lok Mei CHAN |
94 | – | – | – | 94 | – | 0 |
68 | ITA | Emma MICHELETTI |
94 | – | 94 | – | – | – | 0 |
68 | KAZ | Aruna SLAMGAZY |
94 | 94 | – | – | – | – | 0 |
71 | HKG | So Yu HO |
92 | – | – | – | 92 | – | 0 |
71 | ITA | Renata VIGANO’ |
92 | – | 92 | – | – | – | 0 |
71 | KAZ | Saida YELEMES |
92 | 92 | – | – | – | – | 0 |
74 | ITA | Elena TORTORA |
90 | – | 90 | 0 | – | – | 0 |
74 | TPE | Yi-Ling WANG |
90 | – | – | – | 90 | – | 0 |
76 | ITA | Letizia GIOFFREDI |
88 | – | 88 | – | – | – | 0 |
76 | TPE | Yu-Xuan LIN |
88 | – | – | – | 88 | – | 0 |
78 | CHN | Yihan MAO |
86 | – | 86 | – | – | – | 0 |
78 | TPE | Yung-Ling TSAI |
86 | – | – | – | 86 | – | 0 |
80 | ITA | Federica SIRCHIA |
84 | – | 84 | – | – | – | 0 |
80 | TPE | Zhi-Hui LU |
84 | – | – | – | 84 | – | 0 |
82 | ITA | Sara PETROLLI |
82 | – | 82 | – | – | – | 0 |
83 | ITA | Sara PEDROCCO |
80 | – | 80 | – | – | – | 0 |
84 | ITA | Sara PEDEMONTE |
78 | – | 78 | – | – | – | 0 |
85 | ITA | Silvia DE SANTIS |
76 | – | 76 | – | – | – | 0 |
86 | ITA | Maria Vittoria SUISOLA |
74 | – | 74 | – | – | – | 0 |
87 | ITA | Gaia PICCIONE |
72 | – | 72 | – | – | – | 0 |
88 | ITA | Silvia MARCON |
70 | – | 70 | – | – | – | 0 |
89 | EST | Evalotta Victoria AABRAMS |
68 | – | 68 | – | – | – | 0 |
90 | BUL | Theodora Sveta SABEV |
66 | – | 66 | – | – | – | 0 |
Men
Overall Rank | Country | Name | Total Points | Event 1 EGY |
Event 2 ITA |
Event 3 POR |
Event 4 HKG |
Event 5 KSA |
Overall Prize Money
|
1 | FRA | Marc-Antoine OLIVIER |
3100 | 550 | 800 | 550 | 600 | 600 | 61900 |
2 | ITA | Dario VERANI |
2850 | 600 | 350 | 600 | 800 | 500 | 45650 |
3 | ITA | Marcello GUIDI |
2558 | 400 | 108 | 800 | 700 | 550 | 34150 |
4 | ITA | Andrea FILADELLI |
2350 | 300 | 500 | 700 | 500 | 350 | 26650 |
5 | HUN | Kristof RASOVSZKY |
1638 | 180 | 600 | 450 | 108 | 300 | 18700 |
6 | ITA | Pasquale SANZULLO |
1370 | 350 | 120 | 350 | 300 | 250 | 13300 |
7 | CZE | Martin STRAKA |
1060 | 190 | 100 | 400 | 200 | 170 | 8950 |
8 | HUN | David BETLEHEM |
1050 | 500 | 550 | – | – | – | 3200 |
9 | ITA | Ivan GIOVANNONI |
848 | 150 | 94 | 500 | – | 104 | 6500 |
10 | GER | Florian WELLBROCK |
800 | – | – | – | – | 800 | 3500 |
10 | ITA | Domenico ACERENZA |
800 | 800 | – | – | – | – | 3500 |
12 | BRA | Matheus MELECCHI |
784 | 140 | 106 | 250 | 98 | 190 | 3500 |
12 | ITA | Gregorio PALTRINIERI |
784 | 700 | 84 | – | – | – | 3000 |
14 | FRA | Jules WALLART |
750 | 450 | – | 300 | – | – | 1200 |
15 | ITA | Fabio DALU |
736 | 200 | 86 | – | – | 450 | 1200 |
16 | ITA | Mario SANZULLO |
734 | 160 | 190 | 120 | 104 | 160 | 1500 |
17 | FRA | Logan FONTAINE |
700 | – | 700 | – | – | – | 3000 |
17 | FRA | Sacha VELLY |
700 | – | – | – | – | 700 | 3000 |
19 | AUS | Kyle LEE |
550 | – | – | – | 550 | – | 1700 |
19 | FRA | Jean-Baptiste CLUSMAN |
550 | – | – | 150 | – | 400 | 950 |
21 | AUS | Thomas Edward RAYMOND |
518 | – | 68 | – | 450 | – | 1200 |
22 | BRA | Bernardo GAVIOLI |
470 | – | – | 190 | 100 | 180 | 0 |
23 | AUS | Nicholas SLOMAN |
460 | – | 300 | – | 160 | – | 0 |
24 | ISR | Matan RODITI |
450 | – | 450 | – | – | – | 1200 |
25 | BRA | Leonardo BRANDT DE MACEDO |
430 | – | – | 140 | 180 | 110 | 0 |
26 | MEX | Paulo STREHLKE DELGADO |
420 | – | 170 | – | 250 | – | 0 |
27 | BEL | Logan VANHUYS |
400 | – | – | 200 | – | 200 | 0 |
27 | GBR | Hector PARDOE |
400 | – | 400 | – | – | – | 950 |
27 | USA | Dylan GRAVLEY |
400 | – | – | – | 400 | – | 950 |
30 | SUI | Paul NIEDERBERGER |
350 | – | – | – | 350 | – | 650 |
31 | BRA | Luiz Felipe LOUREIRO |
340 | – | – | 170 | 170 | – | 0 |
32 | POR | Diogo CARDOSO |
320 | – | 0 | 180 | – | 140 | 0 |
33 | SUI | Christian SCHREIBER |
310 | – | 200 | – | 110 | – | 0 |
34 | CZE | Denis BOROVKA |
290 | 86 | – | 108 | – | 96 | 0 |
35 | CZE | Matej KOZUBEK |
284 | – | 0 | 100 | 86 | 98 | 0 |
36 | POR | Ricardo SANTOS |
256 | – | – | 106 | – | 150 | 0 |
37 | ESP | Carlos GARACH BENITO |
250 | 250 | – | – | – | – | 0 |
37 | GBR | Tobias Patrick ROBINSON |
250 | – | 250 | – | – | – | 0 |
39 | AUS | Bailey ARMSTRONG |
236 | – | 96 | – | 140 | – | 0 |
40 | GER | Niklas FRACH |
234 | 104 | 130 | 0 | – | – | 0 |
41 | FRA | Axel REYMOND |
228 | 98 | – | – | – | 130 | 0 |
42 | GER | Jonas KUSCHE |
210 | 120 | 90 | – | – | – | 0 |
42 | POR | Tiago CAMPOS |
210 | – | – | 110 | – | 100 | 0 |
44 | AUS | Rob BONSALL |
190 | – | – | – | 190 | – | 0 |
45 | ITA | Matteo FURLAN |
180 | – | 180 | – | – | – | 0 |
46 | POL | Piotr WOZNIAK |
170 | 170 | – | – | – | – | 0 |
47 | FRA | Emile MESMACQUE |
160 | – | – | 160 | – | – | 0 |
47 | ITA | Pasquale GIORDANO |
160 | – | 160 | – | – | – | 0 |
49 | HUN | Peter GALICZ |
154 | 94 | 60 | – | – | – | 0 |
50 | BRA | Lucas MACHADO |
150 | – | 0 | 0 | 150 | – | 0 |
50 | ITA | Giuseppe ILARIO |
150 | – | 150 | – | – | – | 0 |
50 | ITA | Marco INGLIMA |
150 | 92 | 58 | – | – | – | 0 |
53 | ITA | Alessio OCCHIPINTI |
140 | – | 140 | – | – | – | 0 |
54 | BRA | Henrique FIGUEIRINHA |
130 | – | – | 130 | – | – | 0 |
54 | ESP | Guillem PUJOL |
130 | 130 | – | – | – | – | 0 |
54 | USA | Luke ELLIS |
130 | – | – | – | 130 | – | 0 |
57 | CHN | Tianchen LAN |
120 | – | – | – | 120 | – | 0 |
57 | JPN | Kaito TSUJIMORI |
120 | – | – | – | – | 120 | 0 |
59 | ESP | Alejandro PUEBLA MARTINEZ |
110 | 110 | – | – | – | – | 0 |
59 | ITA | Vincenzo CASO |
110 | – | 110 | – | – | – | 0 |
61 | AUT | Jan HERCOG |
108 | 108 | – | – | – | – | 0 |
61 | ESP | Mateo GARCIA CASTRO |
108 | – | – | – | – | 108 | 0 |
63 | AUT | Luca KARL |
106 | 106 | – | – | – | – | 0 |
63 | GER | Oliver KLEMET |
106 | – | – | – | 106 | – | 0 |
63 | NED | Marcel SCHOUTEN |
106 | – | 0 | 0 | 0 | 106 | 0 |
66 | ECU | David FARINANGO |
104 | – | 104 | – | – | – | 0 |
66 | TPE | Cheng-Chi CHO |
104 | – | – | 104 | – | – | 0 |
68 | CHN | Junbohang ZHAO |
102 | – | – | – | 102 | – | 0 |
68 | GER | Arne SCHUBERT |
102 | – | – | – | – | 102 | 0 |
68 | POL | Bartosz KAPALA |
102 | 102 | – | – | – | – | 0 |
68 | POR | Francisco AMARAL |
102 | – | – | 102 | – | – | 0 |
68 | SWE | Victor JOHANSSON |
102 | – | 102 | – | – | – | 0 |
73 | KAZ | Lev CHEREPANOV |
100 | 100 | – | – | – | – | 0 |
74 | IND | Anurag SINGH |
98 | – | – | 98 | – | – | 0 |
74 | JPN | Taishin MINAMIDE |
98 | – | 98 | – | – | – | 0 |
76 | GRE | Ioannis SKARIS |
96 | 96 | – | – | – | – | 0 |
76 | TPE | Jun-Yan TSAO |
96 | – | – | – | 96 | – | 0 |
76 | UKR | Igor CHERVYNSKIY |
96 | – | – | 96 | – | – | 0 |
79 | JPN | Riku TAKAKI |
94 | – | – | – | – | 94 | 0 |
79 | POR | Tom S SARREIRA |
94 | – | – | 94 | – | – | 0 |
79 | USA | Gabe MANTEUFEL |
94 | – | – | – | 94 | – | 0 |
82 | HKG | William Yan THORLEY |
92 | – | – | – | 92 | – | 0 |
82 | MON | Esteban FAURE |
92 | – | – | – | – | 92 | 0 |
82 | POR | Bruno LOUREIRO |
92 | – | – | 92 | – | – | 0 |
82 | VEN | Ronaldo Eduardo ZAMBRANO SANCHEZ |
92 | – | 92 | 0 | – | – | 0 |
86 | ESP | Alberto MARTINEZ |
90 | 90 | – | – | – | – | 0 |
86 | HKG | Chin Ting Keith SIN |
90 | – | – | – | 90 | – | 0 |
86 | NAM | Nico ESSLINGER |
90 | – | – | – | – | 90 | 0 |
89 | EGY | Karim MAGED |
88 | 88 | – | – | – | – | 0 |
89 | KOR | Jaehun PARK |
88 | – | – | – | 88 | – | 0 |
89 | KSA | Mohammed Hani S AL ZAKI |
88 | – | – | – | – | 88 | 0 |
89 | NOR | Henrik CHRISTIANSEN |
88 | – | 88 | – | – | – | 0 |
93 | SUD | Adam AHMED YACOUB AHMED |
86 | 0 | – | – | – | 86 | 0 |
94 | EGY | Mazen MOSATFA SHOKRY |
84 | 84 | – | – | – | – | 0 |
94 | HKG | Tsun Hin CHAN |
84 | – | – | – | 84 | – | 0 |
94 | SUD | Omer MOANI |
84 | – | – | – | – | 84 | 0 |
97 | EGY | Mahmoud HASSAN MOHAMED |
82 | 82 | – | – | – | – | 0 |
97 | HKG | Lok Hei TSANG |
82 | – | – | – | 82 | – | 0 |
97 | USA | Ivan PUSKOVITCH |
82 | – | 82 | – | – | – | 0 |
100 | GRE | Spyridon ANDREADIS |
80 | 80 | – | – | – | – | 0 |
100 | ITA | Niccolo RICCIARDI |
80 | – | 80 | – | – | – | 0 |
100 | KOR | Junho SUNG |
80 | – | – | – | 80 | – | 0 |
103 | ITA | Federico TAMBORRINO |
78 | – | 78 | – | – | – | 0 |
103 | KAZ | Galymzhan BALABEK |
78 | 78 | – | – | – | – | 0 |
103 | TPE | Tsu-Huan HSIAO |
78 | – | – | – | 78 | – | 0 |
106 | CHN | Jinhou ZHANG |
76 | – | 76 | – | – | – | 0 |
106 | EGY | Sherif REDA METWALLY |
76 | 76 | – | – | – | – | 0 |
106 | HKG | Jacob Yat Nam KWONG |
76 | – | – | – | 76 | – | 0 |
109 | EGY | Mohamed TAREK RASHAD |
74 | 74 | – | – | – | – | 0 |
109 | HKG | Shing Hin YU |
74 | – | – | – | 74 | – | 0 |
109 | ITA | Lorenzo CINQUEPALMI |
74 | – | 74 | – | – | – | 0 |
112 | EGY | Yousseif IHAB MOSTAFA |
72 | 72 | – | – | – | – | 0 |
112 | HKG | Chak Fung Jaiden LEE |
72 | – | – | – | 72 | – | 0 |
112 | ITA | Tommaso Sebastiano GALLESIO |
72 | – | 72 | – | – | – | 0 |
115 | EGY | Yahia HAZEM HUSSEIN |
70 | 70 | – | – | – | – | 0 |
115 | ITA | Vincenzo DEL VECCHIO |
70 | – | 70 | – | – | – | 0 |
115 | TPE | Zhi-Rui LIU |
70 | – | – | – | 70 | – | 0 |
118 | HKG | Ho Yin KWAN |
68 | – | – | – | 68 | – | 0 |
119 | ITA | Simone CAPOSTAGNO |
66 | – | 66 | – | – | – | 0 |
119 | TPE | Shu-Cheng LI |
66 | – | – | – | 66 | – | 0 |
121 | HKG | Wai Lok LAM |
64 | – | – | – | 64 | – | 0 |
121 | ITA | Giovanni LAURICELLA |
64 | – | 64 | – | – | – | 0 |
123 | CHN | Peixin LIU |
62 | – | 62 | – | – | – | 0 |
123 | HKG | Chun Yin Jason LI |
62 | – | – | – | 62 | – | 0 |
125 | TPE | You-Wei HE |
60 | – | – | – | 60 | – | 0 |
126 | TPE | Ching-Hsun LU |
58 | – | – | – | 58 | – | 0 |
127 | ITA | Andrea D’AGOSTINO |
56 | – | 56 | – | – | – | 0 |
127 | TPE | Cheng-Yuan YU |
56 | – | – | – | 56 | – | 0 |
129 | ITA | Mattia ANGIOLETTI |
54 | – | 54 | – | – | – | 0 |
129 | TPE | Yen-Pin HUNG |
54 | – | – | – | 54 | – | 0 |
The U.S. will never be truly competitive in Open Water until USA Swimming legitimately commits to the discipline with true OW swimmers, coaches, races, staff, training camps, etc. Their focus on pool swimmers doubling up in both disciplines with the priority being the pool and a whatever attitude for open water does nobody any good and the open water races and swimmers always suffer as result. Pool only training is not adequate preparation for open water – they need to be in an open water environment to properly prepare as well. The only USA Open Water race (Nationals) is jammed with foreign swimmers which is ridiculous as this is the only event where U.S. open water swimmers can make teams… Read more »
USA will never be consistently competitive in OW until they find a way to regularly attend these world cup events. No race experience at international level = no Olympic medals.
Australia in the same boat.
Mo
She trains in Magdeburg, Germany
True. There were some other Aussies there this year too though.
Joel, I meant regarding the international experience, only 1 supported World Cup swim for the Aussies this year (I get there was Olympics and World Champs to deal with also). Moesha is in a different boat with the German camp and it is really starting to show with her results, international experience is everything with this Openwater gig, they must learn to stay calm under elite level pressure and find their belief of belonging, and this can only come from continued international level racing.
Fair enough
I’ve always thought they should incorporate open water in the NCAA the same way they have cross country nationals in athletics early in the season