Courtesy of WOWSA, Huntington Beach, California.

Lake and river swims throughout Argentina are very popular and include three FINA pro marathon swims in 2010: the 15 km Maraton Acuatico Internacional Ciudad Rosario, the 57K Maraton Acuatica Internactional Rio Coronda and the 88 km Hernandarias-Parana Maraton Acuatico. The pros always entertain the crowds with exciting finishes in shallow water – check out the Rosario race below.

But, it is the amateurs – from age-groupers to masters – who are the mainstays of open water swimming in Argentina, enjoying dozens of major races and many more local swims.

The 1 km and 3 km Desafío Lago Aluminé (Lake Alumine Challenge) is typical. Desafío Lago Aluminé is held in Alumine Lake (Lago Aluminé in Spanish). There is also the Cruce Del Puerto Rosario, the 74th edition of the Argentinian Open Water Swimming Championships (Aguas Abiertas Campeonato Argentino).

Copyright © 2009 by World Open Water Swimming Association