Ginevra Taddeucci (28, Italy, @ginevrataddeucci) put her stamp on the 2025 World Aquatics Open Water Swimming World Cup  series – but she faced her nemesis Moesha Johnson (28, Australia, @swimmer_moe) throughout the year in what shaped up to be the most competitive, most compelling rivalry in the open water swimming world.

Taddeucci finished second on the World Cup Stage 1 in Soma Bay in the Red Sea – losing to Johnson. She finished an uncharacteristic seventh in Stage 2 in Ibiza in 18°C water – without Johnson competing. She finished another second in Stage 3 in Setúbal Bay – losing again to Johnson. She faced Johnson four separate times at the World Championships in Singapore. She won Stage 4 in Golfo Aranci in October, winning US$60,450 for her efforts.

Soma Bay, Egypt in February

“That wind was so difficult, so windy out there,” Taddeucci said. “And the sea was really full of waves. This was terrible, but it was a good race and I am so happy. I follow Moesha; she’s the strongest woman in the world. That’s all I thought about, ‘follow Moesha.’ She’s the best woman. She’s very fast. Those last three laps were very, very fast. It’s the first competition of 2025 and I am just so very happy. I haven’t had so much training yet, coming off a year that had the Olympics in Paris.”

• 10 km: Moesha Johnson first in 2:06:34.60 versus Ginevra Taddeucci second in 2:06:37.60
• Mixed Relay: Australia with Moesha Johnson second versus Italy with Ginevra Taddeucci third

Ibiza, Spain in April

• 10 km: Moesha Johnson DNS with Ginevra Taddeucci 7th

Setubal Bay, Portugal in June

• 10 km: Moesha Johnson first in 1:53:39.60 versus Ginevra Taddeucci second in 1:53:41.40

Singapore World Championships in July

• 10 km: Moesha Johnson first in 2:07:51.30 versus Ginevra Taddeucci second in 2:07:55.70
• 5 km: Moesha Johnson first in 1:02:01.30 versus Ginevra Taddeucci second in 1:02:02.30
• 3 km Knockout Sprints: Ginevra Taddeucci second in 6:21.90 versus Moesha Johnson third in 6:23.10
• Mixed Relay: Italy with Ginevra Taddeucci 2nd versus Australia with Moesha Johnson 5th

Golfo Aranci, Italy in October

• 10 km: Ginevra Taddeucci first in 1:58:56.50 vs. Moesha Johnson 11th in 1:59.07.00
• Mixed Relay: Italy with Ginevra Taddeucci 2nd versus Moesha Johnson DNS
• 3 km Knockout Sprints: Moesha Johnson first in 6:24.10 versus Ginevra Taddeucci DNS

It is a rivalry that will extend over the next three years, culminating at the LA28 Olympic Games. Pressure.

Angela Martinez Guillen of Spain was second overall, earning US$42,700 2250 with Lea Boy  (25, Germany, @lea_boy) finishing third and earning US$31,150.

2025 World Aquatics Open Water Swimming World Cup Rankings

1. Ginevra Taddeucci, Italy 2600 points
2. Angela Martinez Guillen, Spain 2250
3. Lea Boy, Germany 1950
4. Caroline Laure Jouisse, France 1900
5. Moesha Johnson, Australia 1800
6. Celine Rieder, Germany 1370
7. Bettina Fabian, Hungary 1100
8. Klaudia Tarasiewicz, Poland 1100
9. Lisa Pou, Monaco 1006
10. Viktoria Mihalyvari-Farkas, Hungary 980
11. Linda Caponi, Italy 970
12. Ines Delacroix, France 960
13. Jeannette Spiwoks, Germany 940
14. Ana Marcela Cunha, Brazil 740
15. Barbara Pozzobon, Italy 678
16. Chelsea Gubecka, Australia 600
17. Isabel Gose, Germany 550
18. Paula Otero Fernández, Spain 460
19. Louna Kasvio, Finland 458
20. Maria de Valdes, Spain 440
21. Candela Sanchez Lora, Spain 430
22. Elena Tortora, Italy 388
23. Giulia Berton, Italy 342
24. Lizian Sobral, Brazil, 330
25. Clemence Coccordano, France 300
26. Ichika Kajimoto, Japan 290
27. Julie Pleskotova, Czech Republic 284
28. Viviane Jungblut, Brazil 276
29. Mafalda Rosa, Portugal 270
30. Malak Meqdar, Morocco 246
31. Brooke Travis, USA 244
32. Giulia Gabbrielleschi, Italy 240
33. Alessia Ossoli, Italy 214
34. Ella Dyson, Great Britain 200
34. Airi Ebina, Japan 200
36. Mariah Denigan, USA 190
37. Georgia Makri, Greece 180
37. Calian Lotter, South Africa 180
39. Jia-Shien Lin, Chinese Taipei 176
39. Yu-Went Teng, Chinese Taipei 176
41. Tayla Martin, Australia 160
42. Yi-Chen Wang, Chinese Taipei 154
43. Maddy Gough, Australia 150
44. Mariya Fedotova, Kazakhstan 140
45. Darya Pushko, Kazakhstan 138
46. Cibelle Jungblut, Brazil 130
46. Clara Martinez de Salinas Pena, Spain 130
48. Jacqueline Davison-McGovern, Australia 110
48. Brinkleigh Hansen, USA 110
50. Ines Menchini, Italy 108
51. Kexin Wang, China 106
51. Leah Phoebe Crisp, Great Britain 106
53. Muran Tian, China 104
53. Luisa Rumler, Germany 104
53. Viola Giraudo, Italy 104
56. Silvia Ciccarella, Italy 102
57. Leonie-Sarah Josephine Tenzer, Finland 100
58. Alena Benesova, Czech Republic 98
59. Hanyu Cheng, China 96
59. Ana Abad, Ecuador 96
59. Emma Micheletti, Italy 96
62. Pac Tung Nikita Lam, Hong Kong 90
62. Erika Giacomini, Italy 90
62. Federica Senatore, Italy 90
65. Rosalie Mesmacque, France 88
65. Anna Barth, Germany 88
65. Veronica Santoni, Italy 88
68. Napsugar Nagy, Hungary 86
68. Chiara Sanzullo, Italy 86
70. Aliyah Hoesel, Germany 84
70. Ekaterina Sorokina, Neutral Athletes from Russia 84
72. Ines Mourenza Rocha, Spain 82
72. Mahila Spennato, Italy 82
72. Yana Kurtseva, Neutral Athletes from Russia 82
75. Alexandra Mejia Gallego, Andorra 80
75. Serena Strel, Netherlands 80
77. Clemence Richard, France 78
77. Lolly Milbaum, USA 78
79. Pin-Cen Liu, Chinese Taipei 76
80. Arwa Faisal Malek, Egypt 74
80. Zi-Ting Lin, Chinese Taipei 74
82. Julia Coll Marti, Spain 72
82. Gaia Piccione, Italy 72
84. Makenna Sherman, USA 70
85. Spela Perse, Slovenia 68
85. Zhi-Hui Lu, Chinese Taipei 68
87. Nadine Karim, Egypt 66
87. Emma Fredersdorf, Switzerland 66
87. Ai-Hsuan Huang, Chinese Taipei 66
90. Claudia Giralt Pidemont, Spain 64
91. Anina Bruhin, Switzerland 62
92. Alba Ortiz de Guinea Baston, Spain 60
92. Cielo Peralta, Paraguay 60
94. Alba Maestro Lorenzo, Spain 58
94. Pilar Canedo, Uruguay 58
96. Raquel Ruiz Reyes, Spain 56
97. Aya Miniya, Morocco 54
98. Aitana Martin Hernandez, Spain 52
99. Marina Roca Fortuny, Spain 50

© 2025 Daily News of Open Water Swimming

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