Courtesy of WOWSA, Huntington Beach, California.

Qatar is among the seven countries preparing bids to host the FINA World Swimming Championships in either 2021 or 2023.

Qatar was the host of FINA’s 25m pool swimming championships in 2014, but the country bordering the Persian Gulf would also be responsible for holding the pool swimming, diving, open water swimming, synchronized swimming and water polo championships if FINA selects it on June 30th.

But the sea water temperature today in Doha is 31.1°C (provided by the daily satellite readings provided by the NOAA). The water temperatures in July – the month when the FINA world championships are usually held – will be even higher.

Since FINA’s own maximum water temperature rule is 31°C, it will be interesting to see how – or where – the open water events will be held.

Photos courtesy of Philip Emslie are from the Qatar Open Water Swimming Championships held along The Corniche in Doha. The Corniche is usually off limits for recreational swimming, but the coastline course was site of 1.5 km, 2 km and 3 km races in May when the air temperature 40°C and the water temperature was 27°C.

Copyright © 2015 by World Open Water Swimming Association