Alex Meyer, Rachele Bruni Win First Stop of FINA 10K Marathon World Cup

Photo Courtesy: Barbados Swim Festival

Alex Meyer (USA) and Rachele Bruni (ITA) were the winners of the first leg of the 2016 edition of the FINA/HOSA 10km Marathon Swimming World Cup, organised in Patagones-Viedma, in Argentina. In a thrilling race on February 7, the North American touched home in 1h55m44s72, while Bruni needed 2h06m11s50 to complete the race.

Among men, it was a very interesting finish between Meyer and Italy’s Simone Ruffini. At the 2015 FINA World Championships in Kazan (RUS), the European athlete got the gold in the 25km, while the US star was silver medallist. In Argentina, the order of arrival was reversed in the 10km, with Ruffini touching second in 1h55m45s44, less than a second behind the winner. Another Italian, Federico Vanelli, grabbed bronze, in a time of 1h55m47s31. The winner of the 2015 FINA/HOSA 10km Marathon Swimming World Cup, Germany’s Christian Reichert, was only 15th in Argentina.

In the women’s field, Rachele Bruni confirmed her overall victory last year in the series, triumphing by more than three seconds over Poliana Okimoto (BRA), runner-up in 2h06m15s00. Samantha Arevalo, from Ecuador, completed the podium, in a time of 2h06m22s72. The Italian champion revalidated her win from 2015 also in Viedma, in the start of a season that also saw her triumphing in three other races (Abu Dhabi, UAE; Setubal, POR; and Lac Megantic, CAN). Arevalo’s bronze is her second success in this circuit, after earning silver in the ninth and penultimate race of 2015 in Chun’An (CHN).

38 men and 24 women, representing 17 nations took the plunge in Argentinean waters. The 2016 seven-leg FINA/HOSA 10km Marathon Swimming World Cup will have its next stop in Abu Dhabi (UAE) on February 26.

MEDALLISTS IN PATAGONES-VIEDMA (ARG)

Men
1. Alex Meyer (USA), 1h55m44s72; 2. Simone Ruffini (ITA), 1h55m45s44; 3. Federico Vanelli (ITA), 1h55m47s31

Women
1. Rachele Bruni (ITA), 2h06m11s50; 2. Poliana Okimoto (BRA), 2h06m15s00; 3. Samantha Arevalo (ECU), 2h06m22s7

FINA/HOSA 10km Marathon Swimming World Cup calendar
1.    Patagones-Viedma (ARG) – February 7, 2016
2.    Abu Dhabi (UAE) – February 26, 2016
3.    Balatonfured (HUN) – June 18, 2016
4.    Lac St-Jean (CAN) – July 28, 2016
5.    Lac Megantic (CAN) – August 13, 2016
6.    Chun’An (CHN) – October 9, 2016
7.    Honk Kong (HKG) – October 15, 2016

FINA contributed this report.

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