Courtesy of WOWSA, Huntington Beach, California.

The 60th edition of La Traversée internationale du lac St-Jean announced the 24 athletes from 15 countries for its 2014 race.

There are two big underlying stories on the 34 km race in Quebec, Canada:

Can former water polo player Tomi Stefanovski of Macedonia repeat his come-from-behind victory at the Traversée internationale du lac St-Jean?

His success as a 42-year-old with 6 shoulder surgeries against the world’s fastest marathon swimmers was arguably the greatest comeback of 2013 and good reason for his nomination as the 2013 World Open Water Swimming Man of the Year.

Secondly, after an outstanding sophomore year on the FINA Open Water Swimming Grand Prix circuit, Olga Kozydub of Russia will not defend her title at the Traversée. The 2013 World Open Water Swimming Woman of the Year’s absence opens up the race to long-time rivals, Pilar Geijo, Esther Nunez Morera, and Silvie Rybárová.

1. Simon Pistor (GER)
2. Alexander Studzinski (GER)
3. Damián Blaum (ARG)
4. Samir Barel (BRA)
5. Matheus Evangelista (BRA)
6. Tiago Sato (BRA)
7. Tsvetan Yordanov (BUL)
8. Joanes Hedel (FRA)
9. Bertrand Venturi (FRA)
10. Edoardo Stochino (ITA)
11. Aleksandar Ilievski (MKD)
12. Evgenij Pop Acev (MKD)
13. Tomi Stefanovski (MKD)
14. Saleh Mohammad (SYR)
15. Philippe Guertin (CAN)

1. Rita Vanesa Garcia (ARG)
2. Pilar Geijo (ARG)
3. Dina Levačič (CRO)
4. Esther Nunez Morera (ESP)
5. Lexie Kelly (USA)
6. Silvie Rybárová (CZE)
7. Anna Mankevich (RUS)
8. Sabryna Lavoie (CAN)
9. Vicenia Navarro (VEN)

Photo shows the early stages of the Traversée internationale du lac St-Jean, heading towards Roberval, photo by Lucie Drolet.

Copyright © 2014 by World Open Water Swimming Association