Courtesy of WOWSA, Huntington Beach, California.

FINA’s longest Open Water Swimming Grand Prix race is from the city of Hernandarias to Parana in Argentina…a nearly impossibly long 88K (54 miles).

14 men and 8 women started the Maraton International Hernandarias-Parana on February 7th, racing downstream in the 21ºC water together to the exciting finish.

Damián Blaum of Argentina caught Alexander Studzinski of Germany at the beginning of the finish chute and passing him on the last stroke after 8 hours 23 minutes (see above). Argentina swept the race when teammate Pilar Geijo won the women’s race in 8 hours 34 minutes.

Women’s Final Results
1. Pilar Geijo (ARG) 8:34:22.84
2. Esther Nuñez Morera (ESP) 8:40:02.16
3. Shelley Clark (AUS) 8:43:36.20
4. Noelia Petti (ARG) 9:12:43.44
5. Grith Sigsgaard (DEN) 9:25:06.45
6. Rita Vanesa Garcia (ARG) 9:37:43.06

Men’s Final Results
1. Damián Blaum (ARG) 8:23:21.54
2. Alexander Studzinski (GER) 8:23:23.22
3. Rodolfo Valenti (ITA) 8:25:02.66
4. Andrea Volpini (ITA) 8:28:53.76
5. Rok Kerin (SLO) 8:32:52.14
6. Gabriel Villagoiz (ARG) 8:34:32.20
7. Evgenij Pop Acev (MKD 8:37:16.54
8. Guillermo Bértola (ARG) 8:39:17.06
9. Emanuel Corsiglia (ARG) 8:49:06.16
10. Mauro Nappa (ITA) 9:24:50.55
11. Juan Cordonnier (ARG) 9:55:53.78
12. Cristian Carrizo (ARG) 9:57:07.49

Photos courtesy of FINA representative Jorge Delgado Panchana.

Copyright © 2010 by World Open Water Swimming Association