World Aquatics Swimming World Cup 2024 calendar revealed

 

#UnitedByRacing 2024 will see a three-city Asian tour for the Swimming World Cup season

The World Aquatics Swimming World Cup 2024 will take place in three Asian cities over three consecutive weeks in October and November 2024. The events will feature three days of action-packed racing in the short course (25m) pool.

The three city stops of the Swimming World Cup 2024 will all be qualifying events for the World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m) – Budapest 2024, making this an ideal international lead-in racing tour to the championships.

The three Asian destinations for the nine days of racing:

Shanghai (CHN) 18-20 October

Incheon (KOR) 24-26 October

Singapore (SGP) 31 October – 2 November

The 2024 edition of the World Aquatics Swimming World Cup sits into the global swimming calendar between the Paris 2024 Olympic Games (26 July – 11 August), and the World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m) – Budapest 2024 which is scheduled to take place in December 2024.

The compact racing series begins in familiar Shanghai along the People’s Republic of China’s central coast.  International swimming events are no stranger in this bustling metropolis, with China’s biggest city previously hosting five Swimming World Cups, the World Swimming Championships (25m) in 2006 and the World Aquatics Championships in 2011.

Qin Haiyang of China set the pace on this year’s Swimming World Cup tour, going a perfect nine-for-nine across the 50m, 100m, and 200m breaststroke events to win the overall male Swimming World Cup 2023 title.

Qin says racing Swimming World Cup boosted his confidence as he eyes more World titles in Doha – he won three in Fukuoka – this February, followed by his quest for Olympic golds in Paris in July.

“I had my mind set on winning races and setting World Cup Records. I gained greater experience racing by racing on the Swimming World Cup. I am pleased with my time on the tour and the times I posted in the pool. I’ll be back.”

Added Zhang Yufei, China’s standout butterfly performer who finished 3rd in the overall women’s Swimming World Cup 2023 rankings: “I really like racing Swimming World Cup events. I can’t wait to come back and race the World Cup again.”

This emerging younger generation of medal-winning and World Record-threatening Chinese swimmers has contributed massively to swimming’s popularity in China.

“With rising Chinese talents across the strokes, having the Swimming World Cup come back to Shanghai will not only allow our athletes to chase top performances in front of packed arenas of passionate fans, but they will also help inspire the upcoming generations of swimmers,” said China Swimming Federation President Zhou Jihong. “We couldn’t be more pleased to give athletes like Qin Haiyang, Zhang Yufei, Pan Zhanle and all the international swimmers the chance to compete in Shanghai. It’s going to be a beautiful event.”

From Shanghai, the series heads to Incheon, Republic of Korea, a first-time World Aquatics event host. Bordering the South Korean capital of Seoul, the ultra-modern city of Incheon successfully hosted aquatic sports events at the 17th Asian Games in 2014.

The World Aquatics President noted the importance of mixing in new host cities with experienced ones.

“With our World Cups, we are always looking for the right number of experienced hosts while also bringing our sports events to new cities. While Incheon is a first-time World Aquatics host, Korea has demonstrated excellence in delivering a top experience in major sports events,” said World Aquatics President Husain Al Musallam.

Korea’s track record of successful event hosting includes having held three editions of the Swimming World Cup, the 2019 World Aquatics Championships in Gwangju and the Seoul Olympics in 1988.

Standout freestyler Hwang Sunwoo of Korea is among those targeting a top performance in Incheon.

"As an athlete, it is meaningful to know that Incheon, Republic of Korea, will host the 2024 Swimming World Cup.

“It has been a while since Korea has hosted an international competition, and I look forward to participating in the meet along with other members of the national team in front of a home crowd."

Following the Swimming World Cup 2024 stop in Incheon, the series heads to Singapore, the host of the World Aquatics Championships in 2025. Singapore has demonstrated excellence in hosting top-level sports events, including World Cups in five of the six aquatics sports, the World Aquatics Junior Swimming Championships in 2015 and the Youth Olympic Games in 2010.

Singapore has also been a regular Swimming World Cup series host, with the Asian island nation having held 13 event editions since 2007.

Starting the Swimming World Cup 2024 in Singapore should resonate with teams and athletes.

“Singapore has everything we hope to share with our athletes: world-class facilities, proven experience of hosting events of the highest quality and a comprehensive approach to aquatic sports that runs from elite level to the community,” said World Aquatics President Husain Al Musallam.

 

Historic Highs

The performance level has never been higher on the Swimming World Cup, as evidenced by the two World Records and the 33 World Cup Records that were just set during the recently completed Swimming World Cup 2023 tour.

The hard-fought but friendly rivalries in the pool made for an electric event atmosphere, which helped World Aquatics draw record numbers of viewers and fan engagement in 2023. With a stacked global aquatics event calendar, look for fan interest in next year’s Swimming World Cup to reach even greater heights.

The athletes say the Swimming World Cup is a can’t-miss event. Having a USD 1.2 million prize pool (before bonuses) will also help attract stacked swimming fields across the entire tour.

World Aquatics Swimmer of the Year winner Kaylee McKeown finished the Swimming World Cup with a flourish, setting two World Cup records in Budapest on her way to the Swimming World Cup women’s overall title.

“It's lovely. I’ve had such a great experience racing these Swimming World Cups. I’ve been really relaxed here and that helps me swim a bit sharper,” said the World and Olympic champion. “It’s nice to bring these results back home to Australia; this gives me extra motivation.”

World Aquatics opens training centre with Cercle Des Nageurs d’Antibes in Antibes, France

 

The new World Aquatics Training Centre will prepare swimmers for the Paris Olympics and beyond

With the objective to prepare international athletes from the World Aquatics Scholarship Programme for major global competitions, World Aquatics announces an agreement with the Fédération Française de Natation (FFN) and the Cercle des Nageurs d'Antibes (CN Antibes) to open the federation’s latest World Aquatics Training Centre.

The partnership will enable World Aquatics Scholarship Programme athletes from developing nations to train at the CN Antibes venue in Antibes in France’s Côte d’Azur region.

CN d’Antibes becomes France’s first World Aquatics Training Centre as the scholarship athletes will be mentored by CN Antibes Executive Director Frédéric Vergnoux who has a track record of coaching swimmers to World and Olympic medals. Created in 2014 with the aim of raising the level of athletes worldwide, the World Aquatics Scholarship Program is in its 10th season - an edition with unprecedented ambition.

Selected athletes benefit from a one-year program, in an environment conducive to reaching their full potential for optimal preparation for the World Aquatics Championships – Doha 2024 and the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

The program targets athletes who have shown strong international potential in competitions such as the World Aquatics Championships, World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m), and previous Olympic Games. The program offers financial support and expert technical knowledge to athletes who lack sufficient conditions to train in their home country.

World Aquatics President Husain Al-Musallam expressed his delight in establishing a World Aquatics Training Centre in France.

"I am thrilled about our collaboration with CN Antibes, marking a significant milestone for aquatics. With an exceptional team of coaches, talented athletes, and top-notch facilities, France boasts a rich history in aquatics, especially in swimming,” said the World Aquatics President. “The establishment of our Training Centre in Antibes brings me immense joy. As we gear up for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, I believe this centre will serve as a powerful source of inspiration for the aspiring athletes currently honing their skills at our latest Training Centre.”

 

About Le Centre International d’Antibes

The new international Training Centre was an obvious choice for Antibes, France, as the CN Antibes is renowned for its high-quality infrastructure, provided by the town of Antibes, its close links with the CREPS d'Antibes and the recent appointment of Frédéric Vergnoux as the club's Executive Director.

Vergnoux, a 5-time Olympic coach, brings to the NAC and the international project his expertise based on his work in seven different countries. Swimmers under Vergnoux’s tutelage have broken 288 national records to date, as well as winning medals at the Olympic Games, World Aquatics Championships, and the European Aquatics Championships.  Voted best coach in the world in 2014, national coach of the British, Spanish, and Belgian Olympic teams, Frédéric Vergnoux has coached 32 swimmers to the Olympic Games.

Vergnoux will be directly responsible for the overall preparation of swimmers in the Elite International, Elite, and Elite Para groups. He is supported by Quentin Coton for the Elite group, and Régis Gautier for the Elite Para group.

The CN Antibes Elite International group has grown to include the 12 international athletes from the World Aquatics Scholarship Programme who are currently training in Antibes.

“It’s an honour to be coming back home, as they say, and in particular to a club with such a long tradition as CN Antibes,” said Vergnoux. “My duties will be multiple, between managing the club and training the World Aquatics group, but I’ll be supported by a competent and motivated staff, in an ideal working structure. It’s a unique challenge in French swimming, and I’m proud to be able to work within a club and in close collaboration with the FFN and World Aquatics. We’ve been at work for over a month now, and for me this will always be the only explanation for our future success.”

CN Antibes President Laurent Ciubini noted what the appointment of Vergnoux as Executive Director and the club becoming a World Aquatics Training Centre means to the club’s future success.

"Co-development has always been in my DNA and this fits in perfectly with Antibes and the Côte d'Azur, where the whole world meets or dreams of meeting. The arrival of Fred Vergnoux and the creation of this International Centre will undoubtedly contribute to enabling club and international athletes to train and progress within the CN Antibes."

Added FFN President Gilles Sezionale: "After the successful experiences of bringing knowledge to various Francophone countries, France is taking a new step in its contribution to world swimming with the creation of this centre."

 

More about the Cercle des Nageurs D’Antibes (CN Antibes)

Founded in 1965, the Cercle des Nageurs d'Antibes is one of France's most awarded swimming clubs: 16 Olympic medals, 9 World Championship medals, 200 French championship titles, 7 European championship titles, 3 European records and 10 World Records.

A training club, a club of excellence, and an accession and training Centre, CN Antibes has become a key player in swimming in France and worldwide, opening the first World Aquatics Training Centre in France in conjunction with World Aquatics for its Scholarship Programme. From apprenticeship to international elite, the CN Antibes covers all fields of aquatic sports to the delight of its 1,200 members.

www.cnantibes.com

Swiss Aquatics selektioniert 6 Athlet innen für die Kurzbahn-Europameisterschaft in Bukarest

 

Mit der Kurzbahn-Schweizermeisterschaft endete gestern der Qualifikationszeitraum für die Europameisterschaft vom 05. bis 10. Dezember 2023. Eine Athletin und fünf Athleten wurden nun selektioniert und werden in Bukarest um die Medaillen kämpfen.

Am vergangenen Wochenende fanden während drei Tagen im Schwimmbad Buchholz in Uster die Schweizermeisterschaft im 25m-Becken statt. Dies war zugleich die letzte Möglichkeit die Selektionskriterien für die Europameisterschaften zu erfüllen. Und diese Gelegenheit nutzten unsere Athlet:innen. Sie pushten sich zu Topzeiten und so schafften es schliesslich 10 Athlet:innen die Limiten zu unterbieten.

Verzicht auf die EM zugunsten der Vorbereitung auf die WM und die Olympischen Spiele

Der vollgepackte internationale Wettkampfkalender dieser Saison macht es unmöglich alle Höhepunkte auf höchstem Leistungsniveau zu bestreiten. Daher verzichten einige der Athlet:innen, welche die Qualifikationskriterien für die EM geschafft hätten, auf eine Teilnahme. Roman Mityukov, der gerade erst am Sonntag einen neuen Schweizer Rekord über 200m Rücken aufgestellt hatte und Bronzemedaillengewinner der WM im Juli, Jérémy Desplanches, Olympiamedaillengewinner in Tokyo, Nina Kost und Lisa Mamié, Europameisterin 2022 werden nicht nach Bukarest, damit sie sich auf die lange Bahn konzentrieren können, um eine für sie optimale Vorbereitung für die WM in Doha im Februar absolvieren zu können.

Somit wird Swiss Aquatics von einem jungen, schlagkräftigen Team bestehend aus 6 Sportler:innen vertreten werden.

Julia Ullmann, 2005, Limmat Sharks Zürich

Antonio Djakovic, 2002, Schwimmclub Uster

Gian-Luca Gartmann, 2003, Schwimmclub Uster

Thierry Bollin, 2000, Genève Natation 1885

Noè Ponti, 2001, Nuoto Sport Locarno

Marius Toscan, 2002, Schwimmverein St. Gallen-Wittenbach

Wir gratulieren allen Athlet:innen und ihren Trainer:innen zur Selektion und wünschen viel Erfolg an der Europameisterschaft.

Foto: Patrick B. Kraemer

Swiss Aquatics sélectionne 6 athlètes pour les Championnats d'Europe en petit bassin à Bucarest

 

La période de qualification pour les Championnats d'Europe du 05 au 10 décembre 2023 s'est terminée hier avec les Championnats suisses en petit bassin. Une nageuse et cinq nageurs ont désormais été sélectionnés et se battront pour les médailles à Bucarest.

Le week-end dernier, les championnats suisses en bassin de 25 m se sont déroulés pendant trois jours à la piscine Buchholz d'Uster. Il s'agissait également de la dernière possibilité de se qualifier pour les Championnats d'Europe. Et nos athlètes ont profité de cette occasion. Ils se sont stimulés mutuellement à réaliser des temps records et 10 athlètes ont finalement réussi à remplir les critères de qualification.

Renoncement aux Championnats d'Europe au profit de la préparation aux Championnats du monde et aux Jeux olympiques

Le calendrier chargé des compétitions internationales de cette saison ne permet pas de participer à tous les temps forts au plus haut niveau de performance. C'est pourquoi certains athlètes qui auraient pu se qualifier pour les championnats d'Europe ont renoncé à y participer. Roman Mityukov, qui a établi dimanche un nouveau record de Suisse sur 200 m dos et médaillé de bronze aux Championnats du monde de juillet, Jérémy Desplanches, médaillé olympique à Tokyo, Nina Kost et Lisa Mamié, championne d'Europe 2022, ne se présenteront pas à Bucarest afin de pouvoir se concentrer sur le grand bassin et se préparer de manière optimale pour les Championnats du monde de Doha en février.

Swiss Aquatics sera donc représentée par une équipe jeune et performante composée de six athlètes.

Julia Ullmann, 2005, Limmat Sharks Zurich

Antonio Djakovic, 2002, Schwimmclub Uster

Gian-Luca Gartmann, 2003, Schwimmclub Uster

Thierry Bollin, 2000, Genève Natation 1885

Noè Ponti, 2001, Nuoto Sport Locarno

Marius Toscan, 2002, Schwimmverein St. Gallen-Wittenbach

Nous félicitons tous les athlètes et leurs entraîneurs pour leur sélection et souhaitons beaucoup de succès aux Championnats d'Europe.

photo by patrick b. kraemer

Michelle Heimberg mit neuem Team in Richtung Weltmeisterschaft und olympische Spiele

 

Michelle Heimberg nimmt die Vorbereitung für die Weltmeisterschaft in Doha und die olympischen Spiele in Paris mit einem neuen Trainerteam in Angriff.

In einer Analyse der bisherigen Zusammenarbeit sind Michelle Heimberg und Beatrix Rois-Szakatdati übereingekommen die Zusammenarbeit zu beenden. Bis auf weiteres übernimmt der Verband den Lead in der Betreuung der erfolgreichsten Schweizer Wasserspringerin. Um eine optimale Vorbereitung auf die Höhepunkte 2024, die WM in Doha im Februar und die olympischen Spiele in Paris im August, für sie zu gewährleisten, werden Peter Gildemeister, Leistungssportchef Swiss Aquatics, und Francisco Parga, Wasserspring-Trainer beim Schwimmklub Bern, das Training der 23-jährigen Athletin übernehmen. Sie freut sich auf die neue Zusammenarbeit und ist sich sicher, dass diese zwei ausgewiesenen Fachleute zusätzliche Impulse setzen können, um sie noch weiterzubringen.

Michelle Heimberg wie auch Swiss Aquatics danken Beatrix Rois-Szakatdati herzlich für die erfolgreiche Zusammenarbeit in den letzten Jahren und wünschen ihr für ihre Zukunft alles Gute!

Swim Ireland Announce Athletes for Upcoming European and World Championships

 

Swim Ireland have announced three cohorts of athletes this who will represent Ireland in upcoming senior international competitions, the European Short Course (25m) Championships and the World Long Course (50m) Championships.

For the forthcoming 2023 European Aquatics Championships in Bucharest in December, a team of 17 athletes have been named, spearheaded by European Record holder Daniel Wiffen. The team was selected in two sections, to allow both a senior and a junior element to the team. Wiffen, who was a two-time finalist at the 2023 World Aquatics Championships in Japan will feature alongside Ellen Walshe who was a semi-finalist at this event. Familiar names such as Shane Ryan and Danielle Hill will also be part of the team, with some athletes, including Mona McSharry, Darragh Greene and Conor Ferguson opting not to compete on this occasion in favour of the training pool.

For the first time of asking, twins Daniel and Nathan Wiffen will compete on an Irish team together, whilst exciting youngsters John Shortt, Ellie McCartney and Grace Davison will be familiar names from recent European Junior and Commonwealth Youth Games campaigns.

The 2024 iteration of the World Aquatics Championships in Doha, Qatar will see both swimmers and divers vie for Olympic berths in Paris, with this being the penultimate occasion for swimmers before a final Olympic Trials in Dublin in May. For divers, this is their final nail-biting attempt to achieve their place as part of Team Ireland.

Mona McSharry will feature for Ireland in this event as part of a 12-strong swimming team and a 3-person diving team. McSharry was a finalist on two occasions at the 2023 World Aquatics Championships and, alongside Wiffen, will form Ireland’s greatest hopes of final spots and podium challenges across the eight days of racing. Ellen Walshe will skip this event to focus on training through to May and both the Men’s 400m Medley relay and Women’s 400m Freestyle relay are set to compete on this occasion. Ireland currently sit with three relays in provisional Olympic relays berths, with an overall Top-16 position from Fukuoka and Doha required to secure Paris invitations.

The diving team is led through the experience of Clare Cryan, who narrowly missed qualifying for Paris by only 8 points last time of asking in Fukuoka. Alongside Ciara McGing and the exciting young prospect Jake Passmore, tickets to Paris are the primary focus for all three of the diving team.

National Performance Director Jon Rudd was excited about the announcements taking place and what this means for Irish swimming and diving over the months ahead. “The European Short Course Championships is first up for us and will give athletes an opportunity to tune up in international waters before many of them head to Doha. For the juniors on the team, opportunities to test themselves against older and more experienced athletes is something that must be grasped with both hands. I am sure that those on our team will do that very thing.”

In terms of Doha, he went on to say “It is an unusual time of the year to have such an event, and we may never see this again, particularly in Olympic year, but it must be embraced, and we have to take the opportunities that come with it. Daniel Wiffen, Mona McSharry and Ellen Walshe have all booked their places in Paris, and this is a chance for our swimmers, divers and our relays to add themselves to Team Ireland and ensure their spots come July”.

2023 European Aquatics Championships (25m), Bucharest, Romania

Name  Home Programme    Home Coach

Evan Bailey    New Ross SC  Fran Ronan

Victoria Catterson    National Centre (Dublin)     Steve Beckerleg

Grace Davison           Ards SC           Curtis Coulter

Tom Fannon  National Centre (Dublin)     Steve Beckerleg

Maria Godden           National Centre (Limerick)  John Szaranek

Danielle Hill   Larne SC         Peter Hill

Ellie McCartney         National Centre (Limerick)  John Szaranek

Max McCusker          Millfield School         Ryan Livingstone

Liam O'Connor          Project 28/Terenure SC       Andrew Addison

Dylan Registe Lisburn City SC          Stan Sheppard

Erin Riordan  National Centre (Dublin)     Steve Beckerleg

Shane Ryan    National Centre (Dublin)     Steve Beckerleg

John Shortt    National Centre (Limerick)  John Szaranek

Oisin Tebite   National Centre (Dublin)     Steve Beckerleg

Ellen Walshe  Templeogue SC         Brian Sweeney

Daniel Wiffen            Loughborough University    Andi Manley

Nathan Wiffen          Loughborough University    Andi Manley

 

2024 World Aquatics Championships (50m), Doha, Qatar - Swimming

Name  Home Programme    Home Coach 

Victoria Catterson    National Centre (Dublin)     Steve Beckerleg

Grace Davison           Ards SC           Curtis Coulter

Tom Fannon  National Centre (Dublin)     Steve Beckerleg

Conor Ferguson        Loughborough University    Ian Hulme

Maria  Godden          National Centre (Limerick)  John Szaranek

Darragh Greene        National Centre (Dublin)     Steve Beckerleg

Max McCusker          Millfield School         Ryan Livingstone

Mona McSharry        University of Tennessee       Matt Kredich

Erin Riordan  National Centre (Dublin)     Steve Beckerleg

Shane Ryan   National Centre (Dublin)     Steve Beckerleg

John Shortt    National Centre (Limerick)  John Szaranek

Daniel Wiffen            Loughborough University    Andi Manley

 

2024 World Aquatics Championships, Doha, Qatar - Diving

Name  Home Programme    Home Coach 

Clare Cryan    City of Sheffield        Thomas Owens

Ciara McGing Ohio State University           Justin Sochor

Jake Passmore           City of Leeds  Marc Holdsworth

 

Issued by Swim Ireland, whose Performance Programme is supported and funded by Sport Ireland & Sport Northern Ireland.

Michelle Heimberg avec une nouvelle équipe en direction des championnats du monde et des Jeux olympiques

 

Michelle Heimberg commence sa préparation pour les championnats du monde de Doha et les Jeux olympiques de Paris avec une nouvelle équipe d'entraîneurs.

Après avoir analysé leur collaboration jusqu'à présent, Michelle Heimberg et Beatrix Rois-Szakatdati ont décidé de mettre un terme à leur collaboration. Jusqu'à nouvel ordre, la fédération prend en charge l'encadrement de la meilleure plongeuse suisse. Afin de lui assurer une préparation optimale pour les temps forts de 2024, les Championnats du monde de Doha en février et les Jeux olympiques de Paris en août, Peter Gildemeister, chef sport de performance chez Swiss Aquatics, et Francisco Parga, entraîneur de plongeon au Schwimmklub de Berne, prendront en charge l'entraînement de la jeune athlète de 23 ans. Elle se réjouit de cette nouvelle collaboration et est certaine que ces deux spécialistes confirmés pourront lui donner des impulsions supplémentaires pour la faire encore progresser.

Michelle Heimberg et Swiss Aquatics remercient chaleureusement Beatrix Rois-Szakatdati pour leur collaboration fructueuse au cours des dernières années et lui souhaitent le meilleur pour l'avenir !

Doha 2024 announce fan travel packages for the upcoming World Aquatics Championships

 

The Organising Committee of the World Aquatics Championships and the World Aquatics Masters Championships – Doha 2024 today announced exclusive travel packages for fans from across the world to mark 100 days to go until the start of the World Masters Championships.

The packages will give fans the opportunity to watch World Aquatics’ flagship competitions, held in the Middle East for the first time, while enjoying Doha’s world-class hospitality and welcoming culture during the events.

The World Aquatics Championships will be held between 2 and 18 February and the World Aquatics Masters Championships between 23 February and 3 March following the successful hosting of a number of aquatics events in Doha, including the World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m) in 2014 and nine legs of the World Aquatics Swimming World Cup series between 2012 and 2021.

Tickets for the World Aquatics Championships - Doha 2024 went on sale to fans on October 25th through the official Championships' website and Q-tickets platform. In partnership with Discover Qatar, Doha 2024 is thrilled to offer a variety of exceptional ticket options for those planning to travel and witness their favourite aquatic athletes in action in 2024.

Fans will be able to choose from an array of three, four and five-star hotel options in the Qatari capital, as well as from a list of exciting and wide-ranging tours and excursions to enjoy away from the action in the water. An optional airport transfer package is also available on the Discover Qatar website.

“We are delighted with the travel packages we are able to offer fans travelling to Doha for the World Aquatics Championships and World Aquatics Masters Championships thanks to our partnership with Discover Qatar. While we know that everyone will enjoy the world-class competitions during their time in Doha, these packages give them the opportunity to maximise their experience away from competition and enjoy all that Qatar’s rich culture has to offer,” said Sheikha Asma bint Thani Al Thani, Director of Marketing and Communications, Opening and Closing Ceremonies Committee at the World Aquatics Championships and World Masters Aquatics Championships – Doha 2024.

Doha is a truly multicultural city – home to people from nearly 100 different countries – and an established international destination which attracts millions of tourists each year. The city boasts beautiful, family-friendly beach resorts and luxury spas, world-class shopping malls and traditional Arab Souqs and a thriving arts and culture scene with countless museums, galleries and public art installations.

This fusion of cultures and the old and new is a hallmark of Doha and will provide aquatics fans with a new experience as the first time the World Aquatics Championships has been held in the Middle East. It is reflected in the tradition of its harbours set against a backdrop of stunning modern skyscrapers and in the rich diversity of its restaurants and nightlife. From fine-dining to family-style, Doha’s thousands of restaurants and cafes serve local and international cuisines that will cater for the tastes of the whole aquatics family.

Fans can book their travel packages on the Discover Qatar webpage: https://www.discoverqatar.qa/world-aquatics-championships-doha-2024/overview

Fans can buy their tickets to attend the World Aquatics Championships – Doha 2024 on Q-tickets platform: https://events.q-tickets.com/qatar/eventdetails/4005832070/world-aquatics-championships-doha-2024

Otopeni 2023 European Short Course Swimming TICKETS ON SALE

 

Tickets for the highly-anticipated 2023 European Short Course Swimming Championships, which will run from 5-10 December in Romania, have officially been released to the public.

Otopeni 2023 will see some of the biggest names from across the continent battle it out over six days of ‘splash-and-dash’ racing.

To apply for tickets to the 22nd edition of the European Short Course Swimming Championships please follow THIS LINK.

One of the major highlights on the opening night is likely to be Lithuania’s Danas Rapšys bid to reclaim the 400m freestyle title he last won in Glasgow four years ago.

The first day of competition will also see the women line up in the 400m individual medley final, on a night which concludes with 4x50m free relay events for both genders.

The sprint showdowns in the women’s 50m freestyle and men’s 50m backstroke finals will be two of the major draws on the second night in Romania, before the men take on the 50m free distance 24 hours later.

Day three will also see Ukrainian Mykhailo Romanchuk seek his first European Short Course title since 2017 in the 1500m freestyle, while Kira Toussaint of the Netherlands will aim to defend the 200m backstroke crown she claimed in Kazan two years ago.

Home favourite and world record holder David Popovici will be one of the major draws in the 100m and 200m freestyle events – across days four-six.

His battle with 2023 World 200m freestyle champion Matt Richards, is one of the most highly-anticipated contests of the competition.

The final night – day six – will see athletes battle it out for 11 gold medals.

For a breakdown of some of the biggest names who have already confirmed their attendance at Otopeni 2023 CLICK HERE.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VIEW THIS DOCUMENT

https://mcusercontent.com/9629a434427140ef238c091e3/files/6a9469e4-6c6e-be83-9721-83f7ea4dd468/Info_Bulletin_European_Short_Course_Swimming_Championships_Otopeni_2023_2.pdf

World Triathlon Cup Series Abu Dhabi change of date; Napier, Hong Kong, Wollongong, Chengdu, Tiszjauvaros and Weihai World Cups added to 2024 World Cup calendar

 

World Triathlon is pleased to announce several added events for the 2024 season calendar, including a change of date of the much-awaited kick-off of the World Triathlon Championship Series Abu Dhabi, one more Para Cup event in Hungary and six more World Cups confirmed on the calendar.

In what will be a huge year with all eyes on the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the qualification periods for both will see crucial opportunities for athletes to earn points on the qualification rankings before the cut-off dates: 27 May 2024 for the Olympic rankings and 1 July 2024 for the Paralympic rankings.

The 2024 World Triathlon Championship Series will begin once more in Abu Dhabi, but one week later than the previously announced date. On 8-9 March, the UAE will host the first stop of the Championship Series, along with a Mixed Relay Series and a Para Cup.

New Zealand will host the opener of the World Cup circuit in 2024, by moving the former event in New Plymouth to Napier  and to two weeks earlier for February 24-25, that will also include a World Triathlon Mixed Relay Series event, both of them providing points for the Olympic rankings.

Another city ready to make its debut on the World Cup circuit is Hong Kong, which will host a sprint distance race on the weekend of 23-24 March. Australia will return to the World Cup circuit, with Wollongong hosting another Sprint distance race on 20-21 April, while the Chinese city of Chengdu will be part once again of the calendar, with the first Standard distance points on offer on the World Cup that will be hosted on Monday, April 29.

Another addition to the 2024 race calendar is Tiszaujvaros (Hungary). The spiritual home of Hungarian triathlon since 1997 will host a World Cup on the weekend of 6-7 July, on their traditional two-day, semi-final/final format.

The latest addition to the World Cup calendar is another Chinese city, Weihai, that will return to host a Standard distance race on 27 September.

Hungary will also welcome participants of the first edition of the Para Cup in Tata, 60 km west from Budapest, on the weekend of 13-14 July.

Here is the current confirmed calendar for the 2024 World Triathlon race season:

 

Olympic and Paralympic Games

30, 31 July & 5 August – Paris 2024 Olympic Games

1-2 September – Paris 2024 Paralympic Games

 

2024 World Triathlon Championship Series:

8-9 March – WTCS Abu Dhabi, UAE (Sprint distance & Mixed Relay)

11 May – WTCS Yokohama, JPN (Standard distance)

25-26 May – WTCS Cagliari, ITA (Standard distance)

13-14 July – WTCS Hamburg, GER (Sprint distance & Mixed Relay)

14-15 September – WTCS Montreal, CAN (Sprint distance & Mixed Relay)

17-20 October – World Triathlon Championship Finals Malaga, ESP (Standard distance)

 

Mixed Relay:

24-25 February - Napier, NZL

9 March - WTCS Abu Dhabi, UAE

19 May - Mixed Relay Olympic Qualification Event Huatulco, MEX

14 July - WTCS Hamburg, GER

15 September - WTCS Montreal, CAN

 

World Triathlon Cup:

24-25 February - Napier (NZL) – Sprint

23-24 March - Hong Kong (HKG) - Sprint

30 March - Lievin (FRA) - Indoor

20-21 April - Wollongong (AUS) - Sprint

29 Apr - Chengdu (CHI) - Standard

17-19 May - Samarkand (UZB) – Standard

17-19 May - Huatulco (MEX) – Sprint

6-7 July - Tiszaujvaros (HUN) - Semifinal/final

7-8 September - Karlovy Vary (CZE) – Standard

21-22 September - Valencia (ESP) – Sprint

27 September - Weihai (CHN) - Standard

5-6 October - Rome (ITA) – Sprint

12-13 October - Tangier (MAR) – Sprint

26-27 October - Brasilia (BRA) – Standard

2-3 November - Vina del Mar (CHI) – Sprint

9-10 November - Miyazaki (JPN) – Sprint

 

Para Triathlon:

8-9 March – Para Cup Abu Dhabi, UAE

16-17 March – WTPS Devonport, AUS

11 May – WTPS Yokohama, JPN

18-19 May – Para Cup Samarkand, UZB

15-16 June – Para Cup Besancon, FRA

22-23 June – WTPS Swansea, GBR

29-30 June – WTPS Montreal, CAN

13-14 July - Para Cup Tata, HUN

20-21 July – Para Cup Long Beach, USA

17-20 October – World Triathlon Para Championships Malaga, ESP

 

Multisport:

15-25 August - World Triathlon Multisport Championships Townsville

8 Sept - World Triathlon Powerman Long Distance Duathlon Championships Zofingen

Please note that the above calendar is not final, with more events to be announced in the coming weeks.    

World Aquatics unveils iconic locations for the Open Water Swimming World Cup 2024

 

The world’s best open water athletes compete in five enticing locations across three continents during next year's World Aquatics Open Water Swimming World Cup series.

LAUSANNE - The World Aquatics Open Water Swimming World Cup 2024 calendar will see the world’s best open water swimmers compete in five iconic locations across three continents.

The 18th season of the World Aquatics Open Water World Cup 2024 is set to make the following five stops:

#1 – Soma Bay (EGY) - 23-24 March 

#2 - Golfo Aranci (ITA) - 25-26 May 

#3 - Setubal (POR) - 1-2 June 

#4 - Hong Kong (CHN) - 26-27 October - TBC 

#5 - Eilat (ISR) - TBC

The Open Water Swimming World Cup 2024 season will get underway in the crystal-clear waters of Soma Bay, Egypt, hosts of the successful Open Water Swimming World Cup 2023 as part of the Egypt Aquatics Festival.

The second stop will be Golfo Aranci, Italy, a coastal town renowned for its warm Sardinian hospitality. 

"Sardinia is a second home for many of us who compete in open water swimming. It’s always a joy to race there,” said German swimmer Leonie Beck.

A week after Golfo Aranci the tour will make another stop in familiar surroundings, around the beautiful port city of Setubal, Portugal. The Sado Estuary Nature Reserve has successfully welcomed multiple World Aquatics open water events, including the Olympic Marathon Swim Qualifier events in 2012, 2016 and 2021, the Marathon Swim World Series 2022, and the World Aquatics Open Water Swimming World Cup 2023.

“Open water swimming is a big part of our culture and we are always happy to welcome friends from around the world to compete,” said Portuguese swimmer Tiago Campos.

Stop four of the World Aquatics Open Water Swimming World Cup 2024 will see athletes head east for the 13th open water event in Hong Kong, a city that seamlessly blends vibrant culture with stunning natural beauty. The final stop will be in Eilat, with further details to be confirmed at a later date.

“Every stop of the World Aquatics Open Water World Cup 2024 provides something extraordinary, from the crystal-clear waters of Soma Bay to the Hong Kong skyline,” said World Aquatics President Captain Husain Al-Musallam. “Next year promises to be a really special one for open water swimming.”

Learn to Swim Conference concludes with European Aquatics planning 2-year Pilot Project to develop European standards

 

Credit to: Kaspars Garda

At the climax of Day 2 of the historic Learn to Swim Conference in Jurmala, Latvia, European Aquatics announced plans to roll out a 2-year pilot project as the next step of its Learn to Swim (LTS) strategy.

At least three European member federations who have highly developed, developed and developing learn to swim programmes will be approached to work with European Aquatics to:

Evaluate and collect relevant information on a database

Allow sharing of best practices and challenges

Evaluate and collect relevant information on a database

Produce a LTS Manual and certification system

Raise public and political awareness on the topic

Communicate the framework and results to stakeholders and the public

European Aquatics President Antonio Silva said: “We are aware of the challenges of having so many differences within Europe, and it’s important to stress that we are just the start of a long journey.

“But with around 15 per cent of Europe’s population under the age of 14 and many countries having no established systems at the moment, European Aquatics has a great opportunity to build a sustainable system.

“As this conference has shown, there is a wealth of knowledge and experience in our national federations. By working together, we can ensure more people are taught to swim and feel safe in the water.”

Day 2 of the Learn to Swim Conference also gave the delegates more opportunities for networking and knowledge sharing as well as the chance to engage on two key topics: how to break down cultural and social barriers about learning to swim, and how do we ensure we are able to imbed learn to swim programmes in national school programmes, where the impact is colossal.

First up was Summaya Mughal, a Senior BBC TV/Radio Presenter and Journalist, who confronted cultural barriers by learning how to swim at the age of 28 in 2022, taking on this challenge in recognition of the number of South Asian women who are unable to swim.

Her explanation of her journey, which led to an award-winning podcast ‘Brown Gal Can’t Swim,’ where she shares her experience with the wider public, was emotional and engaging, and underlined how important it is to find ways to encourage more adults, and those from currently excluded communities, the chance to learn to swim.

Another excellent presentation saw Andreas Schleicher, the Director for Education and Skills, and Special Advisor on Education Policy at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in Paris, show data, and convincing arguments, why sport and physical exercise not only contributes to the physical and mental well-being of schoolchildren but has a direct, positive impact on their academic performance.

As was stressed on the first day by the athlete guests, the skills acquired from mastering exercise are also life skills – promoting self-confidence, resilience, discipline, time management and teamwork.

The final panel discussion of the conference saw representatives from the federations of England, Wales and Scotland (UK development), Hungary, Sweden, Estonia and Slovenia share experiences, challenges and learnings from their own national learn to swim programmes.

Despite differences of resources, history and culture, it was clear that many of the basic principles were the same and that a unified approach to Learn to Swim in Europe was the correct strategy.

This pioneering event which brought together member federations, academics, swim teachers, and aquatic professionals to share knowledge and best practices could not have taken place without the hard work and dedication of the Latvian Swimming Federation and the European Aquatics Learn to Swim Commission and staff.

The presentations from the main auditorium have been recorded and will be posted on the European Aquatics YouTube channel later this week.

Gwen Jorgensen finishes the season with a gold at the World Triathlon Cup in Vina del Mar

 

A dramatic end to the World Cup race in Chile saw Gwen Jorgensen run down the field to earn the fourth gold of the season. Gina Sereno was awarded silver and Vicky Holland (GBR) ends the season with World Cup bronze. The first two women who crossed the finish line -Katie Zaferes (USA) and Teresa Zimovjanova (CZE) along with two other athletes were disqualified due to taking the wrong turn on the run course.

42 women lined up at the El Sol beach in Vina del Mar, Chile, on Sunday ready for the last World Cup of the season, the one that will provide the last Olympic qualification points for this year.

The morning was chilly, the water was cold and choppy, and as soon as the horn gave the start, Djenyfer Arnold (BRA) and Vicky Holland (GBR) put themselves on the lead positions, a few feet ahead of other great swimmers like Mathilde Gaultier (FRA) or Katie Zaferes (USA), who had also Gwen Jorgensen (USA) behind her, both of them fighting to improve their rankings to try to guarantee a start on the USA team for the first World Triathlon Championship Series races of 2024.

Arnold and Holland navigated the waves coming back to the beach, but Holland struggled in the first transition to get out of her wetsuit, her hands too cold to manoeuvre. While the Rio 2016 bronze medallist struggled in transition, Zaferes had an incredibly fast one, and managed to catch the leading group, and led them out of transition slightly ahead of the chasing group.

The first kilometer of the bike course was vital, with the leading five (Zaferes, Arnold, Gaultier, Teresa Zimovjanova (CZE) and Anna Godoy Contreras (ESP) pushing really hard on the first climb up the hill, and the chasers, led by Holland, Jorgensen and Gina Sereno (USA), trying to get organized behind them.

The leading five managed to stay together in front for the whole 20km of the bike course, with a gap with the chasers always between 15 and 30 seconds, and by the time they hit the second transition to start the run, it was Gaultier the one faster and setting up the pace, followed closely by Zimovjanova and Anna Godoy, Zaferes, meanwhile, suffered trying to get her shoes on and lost a few seconds, but still managed to catch up with Godoy before they completed the first kilometer, and then Gaultier and Zimovjanova at the end of the first lap.

But little did they know the drama that was about to unfold. With Zaferes leading the small lead group of four, they all passed straight through transition under the finish gantry on a straight line, not following the race course that was diverting athletes beside transition as they completed lap one and back on the road a few meters after avoiding any potential lapped runners being in the finish straight. Behind the leading four, Arnold realized that she was going the wrong way and turned around, while Jorgensen and Sereno, at that moment in 6th and 7th place, followed the correct course, as did the rest of the field behind them.

Not conscious about the wrong turn, Zaferes sprinted with one kilometer to go to cross the finish line three seconds ahead of Zimovjanova, while Jorgensen had a fantastic run and climbed to the third place on the tape. Godoy was all smiles in fourth place, while Gaultier rounded the top five.

But as athletes kept crossing the finish line, some athletes and coaches started filing protests against the ones that had taken the wrong course, with the Head referee putting the results on hold and the protests -four of them-  taken to the Competition Jury.

“I was concentrated on the course and took what for me at that moment was the logical path. There were no officials directing us and I did not realize that we were slightly off the course. We passed through the finish gantry in all the laps of the bike and ride and that is what I naturally did on the run. It is unfortunate and of course unintentional, but as the rules state you need to follow the prescribed course and I didn’t do that. I am really proud of my performance today, though. I executed the race exactly as I had planned and am trying to focus on that,” said Zaferes.

Their final decision, after hearing all the parts, was to disqualify Zaferes, Zimovjanova, Godoy and Gaultier for not following the prescribed course, and the final podium was awarded to Jorgensen, Gina Sereno -sixth initially on the finish line- and Vicky Holland -7th on the finish line-.

“This is not the way that you want to win a race. I would have much rather raced to the line on a fair competition, but we all knew the course and the map. When I saw them going straight I was very confused, I didn’t know why they were going that way and didn’t know what to do, but I decided to trust myself. I told myself that I know the course and I just should follow the course, and I took a longer line. It is a really unfortunate situation and we are all sad about it. But I had a good race. My swim was almost there. I’m coming from a lot of racing and I feel like I haven’t had the chance of training, I’m always either racing, recovering or traveling, with so many trips that I had to do to get points. But today I gave everything I had until the end, and I am proud of that,“ said Jorgensen after the medal ceremonies.

For the American, Vina del Mar is her fourth World Cup victory this season, where she has podiumed in six of her seven World Cups on her comeback season.

Today’s silver medal was the first of the World Cup season for Sereno, who also got silver in Vina del Mar last year, and who was also second in the Pan American Games Mixed Relay race last week. Talking about the incident, Sereno said: “We heard people yelling at us ‘izquierda, izquierda’ -left, in Spanish- and I was familiar with the course, because I had done it last week and also last year. But these type of things are mentioned usually in the race briefing. My heart goes to those who are being penalized for this, because they were at the front, they were dominating the race and we don’t want to be on the podium because of this but at the same time we all have to follow the rules”.

Her third place today was the first podium for Vicky Holland since Mooloolaba World Cup 2020, on her fourth race after giving birth to her first child nine months ago. “It is really nice to be back on a podium even if it is in unconventional circumstances, and absolutely not the way that I wanted to be on the podium. But there’s nothing I can do about it. Thinking about my race, I am really pleased with my swim, I came out of the water in second place today. I have been swimming really well on training, so I was delighted with that. Then I struggled in transition and lost like 30 seconds, but overall I managed to get on the chase group of the bike and work really hard, and had a great run as well”, she said.

Italy’s Angelica Prestia ended in the fourth position and Djenyfer Arnold closed the top 5.

Results: Elite Women

1.Gwen Jorgensen USA        00:57:28

2.Gina Sereno USA    00:58:00

3.Vicky Holland GBR 00:58:10

4.Angelica Prestia ITA          00:58:25

5.Djenyfer Arnold BRA         00:58:34