2016 European Junior Open Water Championships
- Piombino, Italy
- Dates: September 9-11, 2016
- Championship Central
- Day 1: 5k (14- and 15-year-olds) and 7.5k (16- and 17-year-olds)
- Day 2: 10k
- Day 3: Team Relays
The first day of competition at the European Junior Open Water Championships came to a close with host team Italy taking six of the 12 podium spots. Organized by LEN, the governing body of 52 national European Swimming Federations, the meet is being held in Piombino, Italy,from September 9th through September 11th, and features swimmers from Cyprus, Denmark, France, Great Britain, Greece, Netherlands, Poland, Czech Republic, Russia, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland, Hungary, Italy, Germany, Belgium, Israel, Ukraine, Turkey and Sweden.
In the boys’ 14-15 5k race, France’s Jean-Baptiste Clusman took the top spot with a 58:57.0 finish. Samuele De Rinaldi and Michele Sassi of Italy went 2-3 with 59:01.8 and 59:07.9, respectively. Italy put 2 on the girls’ 14-15 podium as well, with Giulia Salin finishing first in 1:03:04.9 and Giulia Berton taking third with 1:03:07.7. Second place went to Alba Romero of Spain with 1:03:05.7.
The 7.5k races took place in the afternoon. France’s Logan Fontaine was victorious in the boys’ 16-17 age group, coming in at 1:31:28.4. Russia’s Iaroslav Potapov finished just behind in 1:31:28.7, while Nicola Roberto of Italy rounded out the podium in 1:31:35.8. In the girls’ 16-17 race, Hungary’s Janka Juhasz won by a 2-second margin over Spain’s Paula Ruiz, 1:38:01.4 to 1:38:03.4. Eleonora Brotto of Italy touched third with 1:38:08.6.
The racing continues on Saturday with the 10k races, and on Sunday with the team relays (4×1.25k). A live stream can be found here.