For the past 60 years, the Traversée internationale du lac St-Jean in Québec, Canada has been one of the premier open water swimming competitions in the world.

In 2008, in preparation for the FINA Open Water World Championships, a FINA 10km Marathon Swimming World Cup was started in addition to the traditional across-the-lake point-to-point race.

The following year, the community of Roberval hosted the 2009 FINA World Open Water Championships that included a highly competitive 10 km race where Italian Olympians Martina Grimaldi and Valerio Cleri topped the medal stand.

Since then, the FINA 10Km Marathon Swimming World Cup event in Roberval has increased in popularity and stature year-by-year.

Similar to the Olympic course in the Serpentine, the race consists of 6 loops of a 1.66 km course in the 23°C (73°F) water. The course neatly fit inside the Roberval Harbour next to the shore where spectators easily watched the 17 male competitors from 9 countries and 11 female swimmers from 7 countries go head-to-head. Olympic swimmers from Canada and the United States participated before heading to London for the 2012 Olympic Games.

By the halfway point in the men’s race, Arthur Frayler (USA) was followed by Christian Reichert (Germany), USA Olympian Alex Meyer, Canadian Olympian Richard Weinberger, and Alexander Studzinski (Germany). With one loop to go, a lead group of three, Weinberger, Frayler and Reichert took charge and made it a 3-man battle. Olympic medal dark horse Weinberger showed why he has the right stuff and pulled out a 2-second victory over young Frayler.

At the 5km mark, there were 12 women in the lead pack with USA Olympian Haley Anderson in the lead. But Anderson peeled off and elected to retire from the swim as part of her preparation for the Olympic 10K on August 9th. With Anderson out, different women took the lead until American Eva Fabian took control and made it a 4-women race on the last loop. The incoming Yale University freshman won over her American rival Christine Jennings and her Brazilian competitor Ana Marcela Cunha.

Men’s Results

1. Richard Weinberger (CAN) 1:56.05.04
2. Arthur Frayler (USA) 1:56.07.01
3. Christian Reichert (GER) 1:56.09.01
4. Alex Meyer (USA) 1:57.42.08
5. Xavier Desharnais (CAN) 1:57.52.06
6. Alexander Studzinski (GER) 1:57.52.08
7. Aimeson King (CAN) 1:58.33.03
8. Davy Billeau (BEL) 2:01.21.01
9. Diogo Villarinho (BRA) 2:01.32.05
10. Evgenij Pop Acev (MKD) 2:06.55.05
11. Rodrigo Correa (BRA) 2:09.19.00
12. Brando Johnson (USA) 2:10:59:05
13. Matheus Isidro (BRA) 2:15.32.01
DNF Giovanny Lima (BRA)
DNF Ian Van der Hulst (NED)
DNS Evgeny Drattsev (RUS)
DNS Trent Grimsey (AUS)

Women’s Results

1. Eva Fabian (USA) 2:02:04:07
2. Christine Jennings (USA) 2:02.06.01
3. Ana Marcela Cunha (BRA) 2:02.13.07
4. Emily Brunemann (USA) 2:02.17.06
5. Zsofia Balazs (CAN) 2:02.51.00
6. Béatrice Pineau (CAN) 2:03.35.08
7. Nadine Reichert (GER) 2:04.47.02
8. Heidi George (USA) 2:04.48.08
9. Matilda Soerensen (DEN) 2:06.40.04
10. Gabriela Cordeiro (BRA) 2:06.49.06
11. Nadine Williams (CAN) 2:07:35.04
12. Sarah-Lee Hevey (CAN) 2:12.40.04
DNF Nika Kozamernick (SLO)
DNF Gabriela Rocha (BRA)
DNF Haley Anderson (USA)
DNF Marianna Souza (BRA)
DNF Nichole Ribas (BRA)
DNS Marianela Mendoza (ARG)
DNS Caitlin Nolan (CAN)

Copyright © 2012 by World Open Water Swimming Association