Cancún is a great place to start focusing on the LA28 Olympic 10 km open water swim.
The water temperature at 12 noon at the start of the women’s 10 km World Aquatics Open Water Swimming World Cup race in Cancún was 29.1°C, but rose to 29.7°C by mid-race. With the air temperature in Cancún rising to above 30°C, the tropical heat of the Caribbean was getting to the women who race in full-body tight compression techsuits. With 73% humidity, there were 8 women who had to pull out due to the heat.
But the heat did not stop Moesha Johnson (28, Australia, World Aquatics bio here, @swimmer_moesha) from taking off fast right from the beginning. Her goal? Win the US$1,000 cash prize for the fastest first lap. And she did not disappoint.
Similar to last season when Johnson won all the first-lap hot spot prize money in all the World Cup races, Johnson also won the US$1,000 hot spot in Cancún. Her strategy was interesting. As soon she crossed the timing gate on the first lap, she shut down her engine and cruised easily blending inside the top pack. She let others take the lead for two laps, but then she forged back in the lead on lap 4 of six.
Johnson said, “It was warm and I had to conserve my energy and keep my heart rate low. The last lap was hard, but the last lap is always a mental thing anyway. This chop is going to similar to LA28 so it is good to race here.”
Finishing in second place was Airi Ebina (24, Japan, World Aquatics bio here, shown below with her coach). She was ecstatic with her first World Cup podium position. “I was inspired by [teammate] Ichika Kajimoto (22, Japan, World Aquatics bio here) who won Japan’s first open water swimming medal. Our team is very close so we all pull for each other.“
The hard-packed white sand that laps upon the Cancún shores is a reminder of Belmont Shore in Long Beach, California where the Olympic open water races will be held on July 17th and 18th 2028. If the onshore winds in Long Beach blow similarly in Cancún, the LA28 conditions will be a splitting image of Cancún, albeit the water temperature will not approach 30°C and will be closer to 20-22°C.
Fourth Feeding Stop with Lead Pack
Women’s 10 km Results
- Moesha Johnson, Australia 2:03:31.20
- Airi Ebina, Japan 2:03:44.40
- Ginevra Taddeucci, Italy2:03:47.90
- Maria de Valdes, Spain 2:03:53.10
- Becca Mann, USA 2:04:41.50
- Angela Martinez Guillen, Spain 2:05:04.10
- Jacqueline Davison-McGovern, Australia 2:05:05.50
- Mafalda Rosa, Portugal 2:05:17.10
- Bettina Fabian, Hungary 2:05:24.20
- Linda Caponi, Italy 2:05:24.90
- Ichika Kajimoto, Japan 2:05:25.30
- Candela Sanchez Lora, Spain 2:05:28.90
- Angelica Andre, Portugal 2:05:33.60
- Klaudia Tarasiewicz, Poland 2:05:52.70
- Giulia Gabbrielleschi, Italy 2:05:55.00
- Callan Lotter, South Africa 2:07:23.30
- Louna Kasvio, Finland 2:07:24.70
- Julie Pleskotova, Czech Republic 2:08:01.20
- Clemence Coccordano, France 2:08:28.80
- Giulia Berton, Italy 2:09:14.60
- Ines Delacroix, France 2:12:09.10
- Antonietta Cesarano, Italy Cibelle Jungblut, Brazil 2:13:06.70
- Noemi Cesarano, Italy Romina Soledad Imwinkelried, Argentina 2:15:20.90
- Mariana Mendes, Portugal 2:15:26.90
- Su Inal, Turkey 2:15:29.00
- Rebecca Rimoldi, Italy Paola Perez, Venezuela 2:16:29.80
- Rafaela Coello, Ecuador 2:16:30.10
- Chloe Teger, USA 2:17:15.30
- Pilar Canedo, Uruguay 2:17:15.40
- Yuritzi Salgado Gonzalez, Mexico 2:17:32.10
- Karolina Ann Valko, Slovakia 2:17:56.50
- Yanci Vanegas, Guatemala 2:18:33.20
- Citlalli Montserrat Mora Olivares, Mexico 2:18:34.40
- Paulina Alanis Hernandez, Mexico 2:18:35.90
- Dalia Berenice Moreno Velasco, Mexico 2:18:37.40
- Regina Cuevas Ortiz, Mexico 2:18:51.00
- Danna Martinez, Ecuador 2:19:20.10
- Andrea Ximena Perez Armenta, Mexico 2:21:10.60
- Dana Toledo, Mexico 2:22:18.30
- Lea Boy, Germany DNF
- Marisela Escobar Falcon, Mexico DNF
- Lisa Pou, Monaco DNF
- Barbara Pozzobon, Italy DNF
- Lucia Slamova, Slovakia DNF
- Lizian Sobral, Brazil DNF
- Jeannette Spiwoks, Germany DNF
- Alessandra Liviana Gendarmi, USA OTL
- Katherine Mercado, Mexico OTL
- Camila Nieves Zubieta, Mexico OTL
- Sharon Rubio de la Rosa, Mexico OTL
- Mayte Puca, Argentina DSQ
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