Angela Maurer Overcomes Jet Lag And Waves
Courtesy of WOWSA, Huntington Beach, California.In a typically gutsy performance that has characterized her illustrious career, Angela Maurer won the 15 km FINA Open Water Swimming Grand Prix in Playa del Carmen, Mexico.
Due to transportation problems with a union strike in the Frankfurt Airport, Maurer traveled from Europe and landed in Mexico only hours before the 15 km race.
A quick sleep and breakfast at the Ocean Maya Royale Resort was apparently enough to get Maurer’s competitive juices flowing. She wisely was in the middle of the pack for the first third of the race and then took off with the men when the lead pack of men came up on the lead pack of women.
The last third of the race was a fierce battle against young Anna Olasz of Hungary. The top duo stuck with the men just long enough to create a gap of a few hundred meters.
Stroke for stroke, they went up and down the 1.25 km course. Literally up and down as the strong winds coming from the Caribbean Sea whipped the course into a frothy fury.
Coming down to the last loop, Maurer pulled up shoulder-to-shoulder with Olasz and they swam parallel with each other for the last stretch and down the finish chute. Within the finish chute, Maurer just hit her final stroke right with an outstretched arm and was picked up by a wave that gave her that extra edge for victory.
Jet lag, winds, waves and competition nearly half her age, Maurer dealt with the conditions she faced. The German superstar is typically tough, terrifically tactical, and just too talented.
FINA Open Water Swimming Grand Prix Results:
1. Angela Maurer (GER) 3:25:26.3
2. Anna Olasz (HUN) 3:25:27.2
3. Melissa Villaseñor (MEX) 3:31:22.6
4. Pilar Geijo (ARG) 3:31:48.2
5. Silvie Rybárová (CZE) 3:33.12.6
6. Zaira Cardenas (MEX) 3:35:46.2
7. Esther Nuñez Morera (ESP) 3:38:00.4
8. Xeniya Romanchuk (KAZ) 3:41.35.3
9. Olga Beresnyeva (UKR) 3:42:10.4
10. Vicenia Navarro (VEN) 3:46:16.7
11. Romina Imwinkelried (ARG) DNF
12. Ines Hahn (GER) DNF
13. Lexie Kelly (USA) DNF
14. Melinda Novoszath (HUN) DNF
Copyright © 2014 by World Open Water Swimming Association
Southern California native, born 1962, is the creator of the WOWSA Awards, Oceans Seven, Openwaterpedia, Citrus Corps, World Open Water Swimming Association, Daily News of Open Water Swimming, Global Open Water Swimming Conference. He is Chief Executive Officer of KAATSU Global and KAATSU Research Institute. Inductee in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Swimmer, Class of 2001) and Ice Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Contributor - Media, Class of 2019), recipient of the International Swimming Hall of Fame's Poseidon Award (2016), International Swimming Hall of Fame's Irving Davids-Captain Roger Wheeler Memorial Award (2010), USA Swimming's Glen S. Hummer Award (2007, 2010) and Harvard University's John B. Imrie Award (1984). Served on the FINA Technical Open Water Swimming Committee and as Technical Delegate with the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games, and 9-time USA Swimming coaching staff. Note: WOWSA only recommends products or services used or recommended by the community. WOWSA does not receive compensation for links or products mentioned on this site or in blog posts. If it does, it will be indicated clearly on that specific post. See WOWSA's privacy policy for more information.
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