Petar Stoychev regained his normal position on top of the podium in the 57K FINA Open Water Swimming Grand Prix race in Santa Fe, Argentina. Ten years running, he has stood at the top.
Based on those ten strong years of dominance on the Grand Prix circuit, fans have high expectations of the three-time Olympian from Bulgaria. This weekend, he did not disappoint on the second race of the 2011 circuit in Argentina.
But after a long 8 hours and 14 minutes, there was still only a two-second difference between the victorious Bulgarian and second-place Andrea Volpini of Italy with Rodolfo Valenti of Italy third another two seconds back in 8:14:45.
Argentina’s three-time pool swimming Olympian Cecilia Biagioli is proving her versatility outside the pool as she won her second-straight FINA Grand Prix victory.
The 400 and 800-meter specialist finished in 8:15:27 – close to the top men and easily distant from the other seven women in the race including a 19-minute victory over second-place Pilar Geijo of Argentina (8:34:26) and far ahead of third-place Esther Nunez Morera of Spain in 8:41:01.
The next FINA Grand Prix in Viedma, Argentina is a 12K race that is expected to attract a large field. The new race is organized by renowned marathon swimmer Claudio Plit, an International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame inductee – like Petar Stoychev.
Men’s results:
1. PETAR STOYCHEV (BUL) 8:14:41.12
2. ANDREA VOLPINI (ITA) 8:14:43.45
3. RODOLFO VALENTI (ITA) 8:14:45.76
4. GUILLERMO BERTOLA (ARG) 8:15:04.46
5. IVAN AFANEVICH (RUS) 8:17:58.71
6. GABRIEL VILLAGOIZ (ARG) 8:19:48.45
7. DAMIAN BLAUM (ARG) 8:23:24.11
8. EDOARDO STOCHINO (ITA) 8:23:43.01
9. SERGEJ BAUER (GER) 8:36:42.21
10. LUCIANO SALES RUBIO (ARG) 8:38:12.16
11. EVGENJI POP ACEV (MKD) 8:44:03.23
12. RAUL MACEDO (ARG) 8:52:35.28
13. IGOR DIMOVSKI (MKD) 9:33:27.10
ALEX STUDZINSKY (GER), MARTÍN CARRIZO (ARG), DAMIAN JUAREZ (ARG), IAN VAN DER HULST (NED) – DNF
Women’s Results:
1. CECILIA BIAGIOLI (ARG) 8:15:27.31
2. PILAR GEIJO (ARG) 8:34:26.33
3. ESTHER NUÑEZ (ESP) 8:41:01.75
4. ALESSANDRA ROMITI (ITA) 8:42:04.00
5. ANTONELLA BOGARIN (ARG) 8:45:21.49
6. NOELIA PETTI (ARG) 9:21:51.00
7. NICOLETTA SIMONAZZI (ITA) 9:26:28.01
8. VANESA GARCIA (ARG) 9:32:25.48
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