Every year Swimming World Magazine celebrates the sport of open water swimming by designating the November issue as the “Open Water Issue.” This year is no different as Swimming World reflects on some of open water’s top moments from the last year, looks ahead to possible future events in open water swimming, and crowns the Open Water Swimmers of the Year!
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In anticipation of the announcement of this year’s winners, here’s a look back at winner’s from previous years.
2016 Winners: Sharon van Rouwendaal & Ferry Weertman
Photo Courtesy: Eric Seals-USA TODAY Sports
Sharon van Rouwendaal was crowned with her second Open Water Swimmer of the Year title after winning the gold in the 10K open water swim at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Having only trained for open water events in the two years prior to the Olympics, van Rouwendaal credited her strong mental training as the key to helping her hold off a charging field behind her in the Olympic final. She finished the race 17 seconds faster than the competition.
Photo Courtesy: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Ferry Weertman grabbed his first Open Water Swimmer of the Year title in 2016 after claiming gold in the men’s 10K open water race in Rio. A picture perfect finish showed that Weertman had out-touched veteran open water star Spyridon Gianniotis at the finish and earned his first Olympic gold medal.
| Year | Women | Men |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Sharon van Rouwendaal, NED | Kristof Rasovszky, HUN |
| 2023 | Leonie Beck, GER | Florian Wellbrock, GER |
| 2022 | Ana Marcela Cunha, BRA | Gregorio Paltrinieri, ITA |
| 2021 | Ana Marcela Cunha, BRA | Florian Wellbrock, GER |
| 2020 | Not awarded due to COVID-19 pandemic | Not awarded due to COVID-19 pandemic |
| 2019 | Ana Marcela Cunha, BRA | Florian Wellbrock, GER |
| 2018 | Sharon van Rouwendaal, NED | Kristof Rasovszky, HUN |
| 2017 | Aurelie Muller, FRA | Ferry Weertman, NED |
| 2016 | Sharon van Rouwendaal, NED | Ferry Weertman, NED |
| 2015 | Aurelie Muller, FRA | Jordan Wilimovsky, USA |
| 2014 | Sharon van Rouwendaal, NED | Andrew Gemmell, USA |
| 2013 | Poliana Okimoto, BRA | Thomas Lurz, GER |
| 2012 | Eva Ristov, HUN | Ous Mellouli, TUN |
| 2011 | Keri-Anne Payne, GBR | Thomas Lurz, GER/Spyros Gianniotis, GRE |
| 2010 | Martina Grimaldi, ITA | Valerio Cleri, ITA |
| 2009 | Keri-Anne Payne, GBR | Thomas Lurz, GER |
| 2008 | Larisa Ilchenko, RUS | Maarten van der Weijden, NED |
| 2007 | Larisa Ilchenko, RUS | Vladimir Dyatchin, RUS |
| 2006 | Larisa Ilchenko, RUS | Thomas Lurz, GER |
| 2005 | Edith van Dijk, NED | Thomas Lurz, GER/Chip Peterson, USA |
That isn’t a cliffhanger!