A day after the exciting FINA 10KM Marathon Swimming World Cup race in Viedma, the the third and longest race (88K) on the FINA Open Water Swimming Grand Prix circuit took place in the Paraná River from Hernandarias to Paraná in Argentina (the 16th Maratón Hernandarias-Paraná).

Argentina hero Damián Blaum was the first to reach the Paraná Rowing Club after a tough 8 hours and 23 minutes and 21 seconds in the churning river. The Argentinean was a scant 2 seconds ahead of Alexander Studzinski of Germany. Rodolfo Valenti finished third in 8 hours 25 minutes with his Italian teammate Andrea Volpini, in fourth. This emotional victory was his third consecutive victory where Damián also set a course record.

Alexander had the initial lead, but Damián fought back and closed to a few meters towards the end and finally overtook his German rival at the end.

It was a day for Argentina on the gold medal stand as Pilar Geijo won the women’s race in 8:34:22, comfortably ahead of Esther Núñez Morera of Spain in 8:40:02 and Shelley Clark of Australia in 8:43:36.

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