LAUSANNE, Switzerland, June 29. THE men's winner of Race 2 (Saturday, June 27 at Setubal Bay, POR) of the FINA 10km Marathon Swimming World Cup 2009 series was Thomas Lurz (GER) in 1h34m26s. As the holder of the 5km gold and 10km silver from the 2007 FINA World Championships, the 5km gold and the 10km bronze from the 2008 FINA World Open Water Swimming Championships, and the 2008 Olympic bronze medal, Lurz's victory was somewhat predictable. Nevertheless, as five of the marathon swimmers who competed in the inaugural 10km marathon swim at the 2008 Beijing Olympics entered the men's race, the level of competition was very high.
In an extremely tight finish, Christian Reichert (GER) took silver in 1h34m18s00 and Allan Carmo (BRA) secured bronze with a time of 1h34m18s15. Spyridon Gianniotis (GRE), who led the race at a swift pace until the last 800m, took 4th in 1h34m29s, and the great Petar Stoychev (BUL) finished 5th in 1h35m33s.
A tough race also unfolded in the women's field, which included four Olympians. The leaders alternated, but Poliana Okimoto (BRA) prevailed after sprinting to the win in 1h42m32s. The legendary Angela Maurer (GER) finished 2nd in 1h42m33s, and thus repeated her result from the 2008 Setubal Bay edition, while bronze went to another rising German open water star – Stefanie Biller, the silver medallist overall from the 2008 FINA Open Water Grand Prix. Ana Marcela Cunha, winner of the 10km World Cup Race 1 in Santos (BRA), settled for 4th in 1h42m52s.
Medallists from Setubal Bay:
MEN
1. Thomas Lurz (GER) 1h34m16s
2. Christian Reichert (GER) 1h34m18s00
3. Allan Carmo (BRA) 1h34m18s15
WOMEN
1. Poliana Okimoto (BRA) 1h42m32s
2. Angela Maurer (GER) 1h42m33s
3. Stefanie Biller (GER) 1h42m37s
The race consisted of five 2km rectangular laps. A total of US$20,000 in prize money was awarded. There are 13 stops on the FINA 10km World Cup 2009 circuit, which continues until the last leg in Sharjah (UAE) on October 21. After Setubal, the World Cup races being held this summer are: July 23, 2009 at Lac St. Jean (CAN); August 8, 2009 in Varna (BUL); August 12, 2009 at Lake Annecy (FRA); and August 29, 2009 in Copenhagen (DEN).
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