Courtesy: LEN Media
The largest-ever fields in the event’s history are gathering in Gravelines, France, for the second stop of the LEN European Open Water Cup. The discipline’s greatest stars will line up for the race, Olympic and World champions – altogether 211 swimmers.
As the highlight race of the French national championships, the 10km events will be held on Thursday (31 May) and the quality will be as high as at any World Champs or Olympic marathons. With 94 women and 117 men taking part, these are going to be the largest ever races in the history of the LEN European Open Water Cup.
France was the top nation in last year’s World Champs in Hungary, amassing four titles in seven races and now all of their world champions, including Marc-Antoine Olivier, Axel Reymond and Aurelie Muller, will battle for the title.
However, a swift challenge from other foreign stars is foreseen, above all the two Dutch Olympic champions Ferry Weertman and Sharon van Rouwendaal will also swim for the glory and to make this event really special, non-European superstars will also show up on the starting pontoon. Since this is an open event, the entries from world champions like Brazil’s Ana Marcela Cunha and USA’s Ashley Twitchell were also accepted.
In cooperation with leading sport TV channel BeinSports, both 10km races will be broadcasted live and can be followed on the LEN website: the men’s race is set to start from 11.00 while the women’s competition kicks at from 15.30.
LEN Open Water Cup – 2018
Leg 1, 25 March – Eilat (ISR)
Leg 2, 31 May – Gravelines (FRA)
Leg 3, 30 June – Barcelona (ESP)
Leg 4, 28 July – Navia (ESP)
Leg 5, 25 August – Copenhagen (DEN)
Leg 6, 9 September – Bled (SLO)
where can results be found?