Damián Blaum Smiles On The Way To Work
Damián Blaum is on the cover of Argentina’s Fluir Natacion Magazine this month.And for good reason: he enjoys what he does and his attitude is about as positive as can be.
Blaum grimaced and struggled throughout the 2013 season, but he always finished with a smile as he won the 2013 FINA Open Water Swimming Grand Prix title after a season-long battle in warm rivers, cold lakes, rough seas, and turbulent tropics.
But the personable Argentinean won by the slightest of margins with 62 overall points, just one point better than runner-up Evgenij Pop Acev from the Republic of Macedonia. The title came down to the final leg at the Maratona del Golfo Capri-Napoli where Pop Acev was second by a mere 6 seconds, Ercoli was fourth, and Blaum hung on and finished 10th to capture his first FINA Grand Prix title.
Blaum has been the runner-up four times (2007, 2009, 2010, and 2012), but he put it all together in 2013. He is now training for the 2014 FINA Grand Prix circuit which will take him to ater Argentina (Maratón Acuática Internacional Santa Fe – Coronda), Mexico (Cozumel 15K), Italy (Maratona del Golfo Capri-Napoli), Canada (Traversée Internationale du lac St-Jean and Traversée Internationale du lac Memphrémagog), and Macedonia (Ohrid Lake Swim Marathon).
The Fluir Natacion Magazine is available here.
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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