Setubal Bay 10 KM Open Water Olympic Qualifying Event Preview

2016 Marathon Swimming Olympic Qualifier

• Setubal Bay, Setubal, Portugal
• June 11-12
• Event Central
• Event Information
• Start Lists

The 2016 Open Water Olympic Qualifying Tournament is set to take place this weekend in Setubal Bay, Portugal with nine direct Olympic spots on the line in both the men’s and women’s 10km events.

The first group of qualifiers were determined at the 2015 World Championships, where the top 10 finishers in both the men’s and women’s races automatically qualified for Rio. Those who have already qualified are as follows:

Men: 

• Jordan Wilimovsky (USA)
• Ferry Weertman (NED)
• Spyridon Gianniotis (GRE)
• Sean Ryan (USA),
• Jack Burnell (GBR),
• Marc-Antoine Olivier (FRA)
• Simone Ruffini (ITA)
• Richard Weinberger (CAN)
• Allan Do Carmo (BRA)
• Federico Vanelli (ITA).

Women:

•  Aurelie Muller (FRA)
•  Sharon van Rouwendaal (NED)
• Ana Marcela Cunha (BRA)
• Rachele Bruni (ITA)
• Anastasiia Krapivini (RUS)
• Poliana Okimoto Cintra (BRA)
• Isabelle Franziska Harle (GER)
• Kalliopi Araouzou (GRE)
• Haley Anderson (USA)
• Eva Risztov (HUN)

At the Olympic qualifier this weekend the top nine finishers in each race will automatically qualify for Rio. Only countries that have no qualifiers via the World Championships can send a maximum of two swimmers to the qualifier event, as only a maximum of one athlete per gender from each country can qualify in Setubal this weekend.

The third way of qualifying is through continental representation, as the top ranked swimmer from each of the five continents not yet qualified will directly book a ticket to Rio. If a country has already qualified one or two athletes, the next best athlete from that continent will qualify.

That totals 24 swimmers in each race at the Olympic Games. Note that Brazil has already qualified men and women for the Olympics, so there’s no consideration this weekend in Setubal for “host nation representation.”

The women’s race will take place on June 11th, and the men’s on June 12th.

The course, which takes place in the Sado River, will consist of six laps that are just over 1.6 km each. Temperatures ranging from 16-19 degrees (water temperature) celsius are expected.

In 2012 there was a high concentration of Olympic medallists from those that competed in the qualifier compared to those who qualified the year prior at Worlds, so that’s something to keep an eye on heading into Rio.