Courtesy of WOWSA, Huntington Beach, California.

At the 2013 FINA World Championships in Barcelona, Brazil took the top honors in the open water swimming discipline.*

It is clear that open water swimming is one of the highlights of the Brazil Swimming Federation’s efforts in its build-up to the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.

Brazil has its stars: Poliana Okimoto, Ana Marcela Cunha, Allan do Carmo, Samuel de Bona and a number of emerging athletes nipping at their heels.

Brazil showed its prowess and depth at today’s Grid Race on the opening day of the King and Queen of the Sea (Rei e Rainha do Mar), going 1-2 over the other countries.

1. Brazil A. (Ana Marcela Cunha + Allan do Carmo) 10:32:17
2. Brazil V. (Betina Lorscheitter + Samuel de Bona) 10:35:01
3. U.S.A. (Stephanie Peacock + Chip Peterson): 10:36:22
4. Italy (Alice Franco + Valerio Cleri) 10:37:30
5. Germany (Sarah Bosslet + Thomas Lurz) 10:37:38
6. Argentina (Florencia Mazzei + Guillermo Bértola) 12:08:09
7. Spain (Esther Nuñez + Damián Blaum) DNS

The Grid Race had the women go first, followed by the men.

Ana Marcela Cunha led most of the way on the opening leg, but Betina Lorscheitter was right on her hips. Lorscheitter, who has lost 3 kg and increased her strength and speed, caught up with Cunha on the run up the beach during the transitions. Lorscheitter handed off to teammate Samuel de Bona who took off fast.

Lorscheitter’s teammate Allan De Bona held off fast-charging Allan Do Carmo and the rest of the men’s anchor leg until the very end. De Bona bodysurfed a wave at the end to pull slightly in the lead, but he stumbled on the sand as his goggles were coming off. Do Carmo charged ahead and crossed the finish line first.

* The final results of the 2013 Championships Trophy at the 2013 FINA World Swimming Championships in Barcelona, Spain are as follows. Note: if the 5 km Team Pursuit was included, Brazil would have tied with Germany for top honors with 112 points:

1. Brazil 98
2. Germany 94
3. United States 65
4. Greece 50
5. Italy 47
6. Tunisia 32
7. France 30
7. Canada 30
9. Russia 23
10. Belgium 18
11. South Africa 17
12. Hungary 15
13. Australia 13
14. China 12
15. New Zealand 8

15. Argentina 8
15. Netherlands 8
18. Spain 6
18. Ecuador 6
18. Japan 6
21. Czech Republic 3
21. Ukraine 3
23. Israel 2

Copyright © 2014 by World Open Water Swimming Association