Simon Ercoli of Italy and Cecilia Biagioli of Argentina won the first race in the professional marathon swimming circuit in Rosario, Argentina over the weekend.

Simon finished just ahead in 1:55:04.3 over Alexander Studzinski of Germany in in 1:55:04.6 in the 15K race in 24°C river water (see below). Frenchman Bertrand Venturi was third in 1:55:34.

Cecilia Biagioli made her countrymen proud by winning the women’s race in 2:01:46 over teammate Antonella Bogarin in 2:01:59 and Esther Nunez Morera of Spain in 2:02:13 (shown above).

The athletes move next week to Santa Fe, Argentina where they face a 57K journey down a river and a 88K event the following week in Hernandarias to Parana.

Many more photos of the down-to-the-wire race between Simon and Alexander and pre- and post-race festivities are here.


Men’s Results
Simone Ercoli, Italy, 1:55:04:30.10
Alexander Studzinski, Germany, 1;55:04:60.30
Bertrand Venturi, France, 1:55:34.60
Rodolfo Valenti, Italy, 1:55:36.5
Sebastien Fraysse, France, 1:55:39.11
Andrea Volpini, Italy, 1:55:42,8
Guillermo Bertola, Argentina, 1:55:48,15
Julien Codevelle, France, 1:56:10.14
Damián Blaum, Argentina, 1:57:48.20
Rok Kerin, Slovenia, 1:58:03.13
Petar Stoychev, Bulgaria, 1:59:04.10
Gabriel Villagoiz, Argentina, 202:40.7
Mattia Alberico, Italy, 2:02:19.17
Edoardo Stochino, Italy, 2:02:59.16
Evgenij Pop Acev, Macedonia, 2:06:01.12
Emanuel Corsiglia, Argentina, 2:09:23.18
Fernando Zabala, Argentina, 2:09:34.20
Michael Mruzek, Czech Republic, 2:14:01.09
Emanuel Olmedo, Argentina, 2:18:12.19
Rostislav Vitek, Czech Republic, DNF

Women’s Results
Cecilia Biagioli, Argentina, 2:01:46.23
Antonella Bogarín, Argentina, 2:01:59.31
Esther Nuñez Morera, Spain, 2:02:13.24
Ophelie Asport, France, 2:05:59.38
Celia Barrot, France, 2:06:02.37
Shelley Clark, Australia, 2:06:27.26
Camilla Frediani, Italy, 2:06:31.21
Pilar Geijo, Argentina, 2:06:38.22
Mascha Traxel, Germany, 2:16:10.25
Noelia Petti, Argentina, 2:16:33.33
Mirna Vago, Argentina, 2:21:07.28
Shereen Mansour Egypt, 2:22:30.30
Rita Vanesa García, Argentina, 2:26:00.34
Tania Sapcznik Sanchez, Paraguay, 2:31:06.35
Aldana Martínez Argentina, 2:36:41.36
Laura La Piana, Italy, DNF
Mariana Mello, Brazil, DNF
Marianella Mendoza, Argentina, DNF

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