9,762 adult swimmers, from Olympians to newcomers to the world of aquatics, are heading their way to Riccione, Italy to participate in the 14th FINA World Masters Championships.

The organizers in the seaside town found their most popular event was the 3 km open water swim. Among all the butterflyers, backstrokers, breaststrokers, freestylers, relay members and IM’ers, 2,326 competitors will line up on June 16-17th to test their mettle in the sea.

When a single event like a 3 km sea swim – the longest in the masters swimming calendar – attracts nearly 24% of the total number of swimmers, you know that the sport has arrived in a big way.

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