Courtesy of WOWSA, Huntington Beach, California.

Usually, it is not easy to obtain information about events on the FINA/Hosa 10km Marathon Swimming World Cup professional circuit. Information about the pro races is usually obtained from the participating athletes.

However, the US$60,000 cash prize race in Abu Dhabi is changing the dynamic. With more money flowing into the race at all levels, the new FINA race is also providing lots of information to the media and the public.

With John West of New Zealand as the head FINA delegate, the large organizing committee is providing data, photos and information via social media. In contrast to the past, FINA is also sending out its top photography team – Deep Blue Media – to film, photograph and document the FINA/Hosa 10km Marathon Swimming World Cup 2015 – Abu Dhabi.

We sincerely hope that the time, effort and resources that FINA is pouring into the race in Abu Dhabi will be replicated at other FINA/Hosa 10km Marathon Swimming World Cup and FINA Open Water Swimming Grand Prix races. The well-deserving open water athletes will certainly benefit from this new passion and allotment of resources by FINA – but only if FINA also supports the other races on the circuit in the same manner it is doing in Abu Dhabi.

This organization with significantly greater cash prizes, increased media effort, and much more resources in general is a template for future success. Let’s hope it is not limited to Abu Dhabi.

Copyright © 2015 by World Open Water Swimming Association