Open Water

2022's Open Water Highlights: Florian Wellbrock Shines Beyond the Pool As open water swimming continues to grow and return to normalcy after the pandemic, there have been plenty of exciting stories. Here is a look at some of the best and most interesting open water moments during 2022. WORLD CHAMPIO...

FINA Open Water Tour 2023 Announces Six Stops in 17th Season The FINA Open Water Tour 2023 released dates on Thursday for its events next season, the 17th iteration of the global series. The six dates are in addition to the FINA World Championships next summer in Fukuoka, Japan. The tour will have t...

Gregorio Paltrinieri, Kristof Rasovszky Tie for FINA Marathon Swim World Series Title; Ana Marcela Cunha Wins Women's The final stop of the FINA Marathon Swim World Series took place Saturday in Eilat, Israel, with 10-kilometer races for men and women, and Italian distance star Gregorio Paltrinieri ...

By Claire Alongi, Swimming World College Intern. Swimming is a cool activity, right? For many the image of paradise is being surrounded by a cloud of sunscreen while lazing by the ocean or pool before slipping into the water to escape the sweltering heat. However, competitive swimmers are very in-to...

Today marks 12 years since the death of Fran Crippen in an open-water race in Dubai that should have never taken place due to extremely high water temperatures. Swimming World annually runs this story in which Crippen's longtime coach, Dick Shoulberg, fondly remembers his protege. October 23, 2010 c...

Navigating Open Waters with the Right Mentor - Such As Bridgette Hobart Open-water racing is a truly different sport than racing in the pool. With no lane lines, contact from other swimmers, and marine life, there are so many things that can influence a race. Being good at this sport requires mental...

Nigel Downing, 71, Becomes Oldest British Swimmer to Cross Strait of Bonifacio Nigel Downing has become the oldest British swimmer to cross the Strait of Bonifacio, doing so in late September to raise money for charity. Downing, 71, covered the 13.9-kilometer crossing in four hours, 25 minutes. He o...

Taking On the S.C.A.R. Challenge: A Major Open-Water Demand Many marathon swimmers look for new and unusual challenges. One of the very different challenges is S.C.A.R., which is four marathon swims in four days. This event is held in the Southwestern desert of the United States in the Salt River ne...

Petition Started to Protest FINA’s Removal of 25km Race from Worlds A petition has stated online in response to FINA’s decision last month to remove the 25-kilometer swim from the 2023 World Championships. The effort is being led by the account Openwater Media. It has drawn more than 1,000 signature...

Former Irish Rugby Star Rosie Foley Complete Swimming Triple Crown Rosie Foley, a former Irish international rugby player, completed the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming, in memory of her late brother. Foley is just the third Irish swimmer to complete open water’s three most decorated swims. The ...

Betsy Kiunisala Medalla is Growing National Open Water Swimming Team Of the Philippines From the Ground Up By Jia H. Jung An increasingly global contingent of “tankers” with Filipino roots populates the competitive pool swimming scene. This past May, Chloe Isleta, Filipina swimmer and 2020 Arizona S...

FINA has removed the 25K open water race from the lineup to the upcoming 2023 World Championships. The world governing body of swimming released a letter to member federations detailing the decision on Thursday. According to the letter, the FINA Bureau, following consultation with various stakeholde...

Potomac River Swim to Honor Veterans, Encourage Open Water Events On Sept. 11, 2022, JP Vanderloo, a senior at Loudoun County High School and leader in their NJROTC program, will participate in a 20.5-mile marathon swim along the Potomac River as it winds through DC. The course will start slightly ...

The Wild Nature Of Open Water Starts and Finishes The sport of open water swimming takes several forms. We’ll divide this discussion into three categories: FINA Circuit; Amateur races; and solo swims. Each have their own required starts and finishes. The FINA Circuit for Elite Racers What: Olympics;...

By Claire Alongi, Swimming World College Intern.  When people think of going for a swim, they typically picture diving into a 25-meter chlorinated pool instead of a vast expanse of open water. While the former type of swimming is highly publicized, the latter has a niche of its own. Open water swimm...

Rhode Island residents will be making a big splash on Saturday, September 10, at the 13th annual Swim Across America Rhode Island open water swim. This swim raises funds for crucial cancer research for the swim’s local beneficiary Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island, which focuses on supporting...

The Inaugural Wild Bill Swim & Paddle Challenge was a success in every aspect. More than 75 participants, from as far as Canada and San Francisco, 5 other states, and as close as across the lake, gathered for the swim and paddle events, surpassing planners’ ambitious goal of 50 swimmers. The Wild Bi...

Li Ling Yung-Hryniewiecki is ready to make open water history. Swimming to raise money for the Splash Foundation, she will aim to become the first Singaporean woman to swim the English Channel. Her goal is to raise $32,000 to aid the Splash Foundation's expansion plans. “Through my involvement with ...

Passages: Brenda Fisher, Famed English Channel Swimming Pioneer, 95 Brenda Fisher, who gained international renown in the 1950s for crossing the English Channel, died on Aug. 2. She was 95 years old. She suffered from complications of a stroke. In 1951, the 23-year-old won the Channel Race, crossing...

Sean Nuttall Swims Across Lake Ontario And Back to Raise Money For Toronto Brain Research Center Open water swimmers have crossed some of the Great Lakes in the past, some as individuals and others with a group relay. Sean Nuttall took the next step and swam across Lake Ontario — and back — in a 100...