Yasunari Hirai, Kelly Araouzou Win 5th Santorini Experience
Yasunari Hirai, Kelly Araouzou Win 5th Santorini Experience
Courtesy of Babis Giritziotis and Danijela Bogdanovic, Santorini Island, Greece.The last time Spyros Gianniotis of Greece and Yasunari Hirai of Japan were swimming together, they were racing in Copacabana Beach at the 10 km marathon swim at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. Gianniotis entered the finish chute ahead of his Japanese rival, eventually capturing the silver medal to Hirai’s 8th place finish.
But they joined forces together on Santorini Island in Greece at the 5th annual 2.4 km Santorini Experience along with athletes from 49 different countries who swam from the volcano to the old port of Fira.
Hirai won the race with George Arniakos in second and Dimitris Manios in third. Kelly Araouzou of Greece won the women’s division with Stellina Aplanti second and Irene Diakoumakou third. The complete results are posted here.
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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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