As is traditional, the 2012 FINA Open Water Swimming Grand Prix starts up in Argentina with a trio of professional marathon swims in Rosario, Santa Fe-Coronda and Hernandarias-Parana.
The pro circuit then shifts to Capri-Napoli in Italy, Lac St-Jean and Lac Memphremagog in Canada, Sabac in Serbia and Ohrid Lake in Macedonia.
World Open Water Swimming Woman of the Year Pilar Geijo will attempt to defend her Grand Prix title, but with the absence of Petar Stoychev, the 11-time defending FINA Open Water Swimming Grand Prix champion, the race among the world’s fastest professional marathon swimmers is wide open.
The 39th edition of the Maratón Acuática Internacional Santa Fe – Coronda has a star-studded field for its January 29th race including Damián Blaum (Argentina), Andrea Volpin (Italy), Rodolfo Valenti (Italy), Alexander Studzinski (Germany), Rostislav Vitek (Czech Republic), Ian van der Hulst (Netherlands), Evgenij Pop Acev (Macedonia), Igor Dimovski (Macedonia), Tomi Stefanovski (Macedonia), Libor Smolka (Czech Republic), Edoardo Stochino (Italy), Mattia Alberico (Italy), Trent Grimsey (Australia), Beltrand Venturi (France), Joanes Hedel (France), Rok Kerin (Slovenia), Saleh Mohamed (Syria)
On the women’s side besides Pilar Geijo, there is Esther Nuñez (Spain), Noelia Petti (Argentina) and Ivana Sitic (Croatia).
There are also five local swimmers entered from the Sante Fe area: Gabriel Villagoiz, Martín Carrizo, Luciano Sales Rubio, Antonella Bogarín y Vanesa García.
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