While the eyes of the world will be on the Olympic marathon swimming 10km in the Serpentine on August 9th (women) and 10th (men), the explosively growing open water swimming world forges on uninterrupted.
On August 11th, 42 swimmers (18 women and 24 men) from 13 countries will take part in the 6th annual Traversée internationale du lac Mégantic (étape de la Coupe du monde des marathons en eau libre FINA 2012), including defending champion Trent Grimsey. The sixth of eight races in FINA 10km Marathon Swimming World Cup Series is a point-to-point race across the scenic lac Mégantic.
“We are pleased with the quantity and especially the quality of swimmers who will be with us this year,” said race director Kevin Laflamme.
“In June, we went to Portugal to recruit participants for this race and our efforts have been successful.”
On the women’s side, the swimmer to watch is Ana Marcela Cunha of Brazil, the leader on the 2012 FINA 10 km Swimming Marathon World Cup ranking. Anna Uvarova (Russia), Eva Fabian (USA), Christine Jennings (USA) and Nadine Reichert (Germany) are also expected to be in the hunt.
On the men’s side, Trent Grimsey (Australia) will be back to defend his title, but will be pushed by Christian Reichert (Germany), Allan Do Carmo (Brazil), Ian van der Hulst (Netherlands), Alexander Studzinski (Germany), Evgeny Drattsev (Russia) and local Canadian Xavier Desharnais.
The following athletes will race for a total of US$23,000: Nadine Reichert (GER), Rita Vanessa Garcia (ARG), Marianela Mendoza (ARG), Noelia Petti (ARG), Ana Marcela Cunha (BRA), Isabelle Longo (BRA), Betina Lorscheitter (BRA), Eva Fabian (USA), Heidi George (USA), Christine Jennings (USA), Ashley Twichell (USA), Anna Uvarova (RUS), Angélique Munyana (RWA), Jade Dusablon (CAN), Kathryn Gagnon (CAN), Léonie Pamerleau (CAN), Béatrice Pineau (CAN), Leena Struzina (CAN), Christian Reichert (GER), Alexander Studzinski (GER), Luciano Martin Sales Rubio (ARG), Trent Grimsey (AUS), Davy Billiau (BEL), Felipe Gonçalves (BRA), Matheus Evangelista (BRA), Samuel De Bona (BRA), Allan Do Carmo (BRA), Victor Colonese (BRA), Victor Simoes (BRA), Islam Mohsen (EGY), Mohamed Monir (EGY), Brandon Johnson (USA), Filippo Pupulin (ITA), Evgenij Pop Acev (MKD), Tomi Stefanovski (MKD), Ian van der Hulst (NED), Evgeny Drattsev (RUS), Shabana Mandela (RWA), Xavier Desharnais (CAN), Nicolas Masse-Savard (CAN), Samuel Matte (CAN) and Gabriel Pouliot (CAN).
Copyright © 2012 by by World Open Water Swimming Association