Cameron Daniell of the University of Utah and Mark Kovacsics of California Baptist University won the inaugural MPSF (Mountain Pacific Sports Foundation) Open Water Swimming Championships held in Long Beach, California today.

While Daniell literally came from behind on the very last strokes (and steps) on the 5-loop 5 km course in Marine Stadium (site of the 1932 Olympic Games rowing competition), Kovacsics led from start to finish in a commanding performance.

Daniell trailed teammate Abby Pope over the last lap in her first career open water swim. Pope took over the lead after early leader Reka Kovacs took a wrong turn on the second lap. When Kovacs lead the top six swimmers inadvertently astray, Pope, Daniell, and Milla Ruthven reacted more quickly than their competitors and jumped into a three-person lead pack.

Going into the fifth and final lap on a tranquil course, Pope held a very slim lead over her University of Utah teammates Daniell and eventual third place finisher Milla Ruthven. Around the last turn buoy, senior Daniell had a great 90° turn and sprinted even with freshman teammate Pope. The Utah duo stood up together in the shallow water, but the longer legs of Daniell enabled her to sprint to victory over the final 15m on the soft sand.

With a 1-2-3 finish on the women’s side and the 2-3 finish of Utah male teammates Dylan Becker and Tomas Chocholaty, the University of Utah swimming team captured the overall team title and both relay events at the MPSF Open Water Swimming Championships.
 
“We were incredible today,” said associate head coach Michele Lowry who later swam in the masters 5 km race over the same course. “We took home team championships for both men and women and the team had incredible energy and so much support for one another. Open water is a totally different beast and the Utes performed incredibly. I am so proud of each and every one of them. We are hopeful the NCAA will recognize that there is strong support to add open water to the swimming lineup and we will be able to race more in the future.”

On the men’s side, Utah swimmers Becker and Chocholaty were in the lead pack from the beginning. As the pace quickened over the second half of the race, the duo hung close to the leader from Cal Baptist Kovacsics. But the sophomore from Hungary had too much in the tank over the last 300 meters and held strong for a six-second victory.

Race director Kaia Hedlund summed up the competition held on a sunny, cloudless day, “The MPSF Championships in Open Water Swimming could potentially lead to NCAA Emerging Sport status and ultimately a separate NCAA Championship; similar to cross country, indoor track & field and outdoor track & field – where this is one discipline and 3 sports. Alumni from institutions invited to the MPSF Championship in Open Water Swimming have participated in every one of these Olympic Games and have medaled in both the men’s and women’s events (including Oussama Mellouli and Haley Anderson). Long Beach will serve as the host for the open water swimming and triathlon events at the 2028 Olympic Games.“

Men’s 5 km Results:

1. Mark Kovacsics 54:58
2. Dylan Becker 55:04
3. Tomas Chocholaty 55:07
4. Thomas Langlois 55:11
5. Brandon Miller 56:39
6. Cody Meyer 58:03
7. Nathan Ramey 58:08
8. Kyle Brill 58:11
9. Josh Delizo 58:23
10. Micah Ginoza 58:31
11. John Sullivan 59:07
12. Connor Martilla 59:29
13. Owen Berry 59:32
14. Vitaly Kostin 59:52
15. Joseph Stephenson 1:00:56
16. Kyle Capili 1:00:59
17. Aidan Vulgas 1:01:11
18. Jude DiStefano 1:03:07
19. Paul Rasoumoff 1:04:38
20. Atuhaire Ambala 1:05:04
21. Nic Friedley 1:05:05
22. Garrett Dykier 1:09:05
23. Mark Kovacsics

Women’s 5 km Results:

1. Cameron Daniell 59:39
2. Abby Pope 59:40
3. Milla Ruthven 59:48
4. Reka Kovacs 1:01:20
5. Marlene Sandberg 1:01:25
6. Alice Ciobanu 1:01:46
7. Summer West 1:01:56
8. Chloe Thompson 1:02:06
9. Gabriela Robles 1:02:07
10. Paige Mitchell 1:02:18
11. Raya Embury 1:02:21
12. Ece Yildirim 1:02:39
13. Aleksandra Wegrzynowska 1:03:30
14. Madison Caserio 1:03:40
15. Giulia Decataldo 1:03:52
16. Taylor Kabacy 1:04:07
17. Shyann Kissinger 1:04:10
18. Diana Cgan 1:05:23
19. Riley Baldwin 1:05:31
20. Bryn McGinnis 1:05:56
21. Maria Chatzi 1:06:04
22. Sera Hanagan 1:06:09
23. Bella Flaminio 1:06:18
24. Ava Elliott 1:06:20
25. Skylar Bruner 1:06:31
26. Anna Vermeulen 1:06:37
27. Abigail Rousseau 1:06:52
28. Riana Barrett 1:07:02
29. Erin Kau 1:07:03
30. Krisalyn Henderson 1:07:06
31. Tay Thomas 1:07:40
32. Mackenzie Kawashiri 1:07:44
33. Natalie Hogenboom 1:07:45
34. Ryann Dorris 1:07:47
35. Grace O’Connell 1:07:48
36. Bella Cabral 1:08:15
37. Ellie Davis 1:08:16
38. Mati Dixon 1:13:05
39. Anna Dycherhoff 1:13:19
40. Kenzi Cook 1:13:31
41. Anna Doherty 1:13:57
42. Madison Rishwain 1:14:22

Final Team Standings – Women:

1. University of Utah 208
2. San Jose State University 120
3. Grand Canyon University 93
4. Fresno State University 89
5. San Diego State 76
6. University of San Diego 75
7. California Baptist University 64
8. Loyola Marymount University 39
9. University of the Pacific 22
10. Whittier College 6
11. Pepperdine University 2

Final Team Standings – Men:

1. University of Utah 190
2. California Baptist University 140
3. Grand Canyon University 103
4. Whittier College 84
5. UC Santa Barbara 100
6. University of the Pacific 46

© 2023 Daily News of Open Water Swimming

“to educate, enthuse, and entertain all those who venture beyond the shoreline“

A World Open Water Swimming Federation project.