Italians Dominate Open Water Swim at FINA Masters World Champs

By Peter Andersen

RICCIONE, Italy, June 10. THE competition moved from the pool to the open water today at the FINA Masters World Championships in Riccione, Italy, but it was just as fierce.

Italians dominated the 3-km. open water swim, winning six of the eight men's age groups from 45-49 and up. S. Seguiti, 45-49; L. Marugo, 50-54; M. Paterini, 60-64; F. Momoni, 65-69; A. Casolino, 75-79; and E. Delpino, 80-84 each scored victories for the home team. Only D. Uijtenbogaart of The Netherlands (55-59) and the USA's Frank Brunstad (70-74) — the only American male to win — could blunt the Italian onslaught. Later this summer, Brunstad, Connecticut Masters, will attempt to become the oldest person to swim the English Channel.

In the 50-54 age group, the USA's Scott Lautman, Federal Way, fell just shy of upsetting Lorenzo Marugo, who already had won five events in the pool. Lautman's 35:14.2 was just half a second behind the fleet Italian.

A Moreno of Mexico, swimming in the 35-39 age group, had the fastest time at 33:01.5.

The medals were more evenly distributed on the women's side, with US expatriate Susan Skiff Italy's only winner; she took the 50-54 age group.

Suzanne Heim-Bowen (35:45.2, to win the 45-49 age group), Walnut Creek Masters, and Marcia Barry (45:26.1 to take the gold in the 55-59 division), Virginia Masters, were the only American winners. Amazingly, Heim-Bowen, at 46, had the fastest time in the women's event.

Britain's Jane Asher, winner of five golds in the pool, made it six with a solid triumph in the 70-74 age group.

RESULTS

WOMEN 3-Km. Open Water
75-79 anni – H. Mc Kenzie (AUS) 1h 06'54"4
70-74 anni – J. Asher (GBR) 53'54"9
65-69 anni – M. Schulze (GER) 52'49"2
60-64 anni – C. Wannel (AUS) 47'12"7
55-59 anni – M. Barry (USA) 45'26"1
50-54 anni – S. Skiff (ITA) 45'10"1
45-49 anni – S. Heim-Bowen (USA) 35'45"2
40-44 anni – N. Muir-Cochrane (GBR) 36'01"2
35-39 anni – A. P. Grilo Mendes (POR) 37'32"1
30-34 anni – M. Smet (BEL) 35'48"2
25-29 anni – D. Baumgardt (GER) 36'46"9

MEN 3-Km. Open Water
80-84 anni – E. Delpino (ITA) 1h 10'54"3
75-79 anni – D. A. Casolino (ITA) 53'51"9
70-74 anni – G. Brunstad (USA) 46'58"3
65-69 anni – F. Momoni (ITA) 42'14"5
60-64 anni – M. Paterini (ITA) 40'26"4
55-59 anni – D. Uijtenbogaart (NED) 37'17"9
50-54 anni – L. Marugo (ITA) 35'13"7
45-49 anni – S. Seguiti (ITA) 33'38"9
40-44 anni – I. Vazhenin (RUS) 33'38"6
35-39 anni – A. Moreno (MEX) 33'01"5
30-34 anni – J. Cordier (FRA) 34'21"4
25-29 anni – G. Rivas Rodriguez (VEN) 33'22"6

Full resuts available at: http://62.101.83.30/masters2004/index.html

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