FINA has put together a quick hype video for the upcoming World Cup, getting fans excited for the competition slated for July. Though the video is labelled for the World Championships in Budapest, it also highlights the FINA World Cup, which will have nine stops over three clusters, beginning in October.
Among those highlighted in the video are Vladimir Morozov, Chad Le Clos and Katinka Hosszu, who have been dominant on the World Cup circuit over the last few years. Others seen in the video include Alia Atkinson, Jérémy Stravius and Emily Seebohm.
The video also mentions that there will be 2.35 million in total prize money for the circuit, and in an interesting twist, ‘Olympic and World medalist go straight to the finals’. It sounds like if a swimmer has medaled in a specific event at the Olympics or World Championships, they get an automatic bye to the final of that race, though it’s not clear. More on that when it’s announced.
Check out the video below, courtesy of FINA on youtube.
Pls say it ain’t so. I love watching semis just as much as finals. Heats not as much. But all 3 are important (except in distant races). I don’t want anyone to get a free pass to the finals. What happens to the up and coming who swim their best? Do they lose a spot in finals which they earned just because there are more medalists at the event?
AvidSwimFan – this rule appears to apply only for the World Cup series – where prelims for the top swimmers have been virtually meaningless, because of lack of depth in the events.
I really dont like this idea of having Olympic Medalists and Worlds Medalists going to finals, I just see so many things going wrong with it