SWIMMING Preview: World champions Weertman and Muller headline second World Series race in the Seychelles

Dutch Olympic 10 km Open Water Champion Ferry Weertman

The second of nine 10 km Marathon World Series events is getting ready at Beau Vallon Beach in the Seychelles. The fields are good, including the world champs from 2017:

Men:
● Allan Do Carmo (BRA) ~ 2014 World Series winner
● Marc-Antoine Olivier (FRA) ~ 2016 Olympic bronze; 2017 Worlds bronze
● Christian Reichert (GER) ~ 2015 World Series winner
● Ferry Weertman (NED) ~ 2016 Olympic Champion; 2017 World Champion
● Kristof Rasovszky (HUN) ~ One win, one third in 2018 World Series
● Matteo Furlan (ITA) ~ 2015 Worlds 5 km and 25 km bronzes

Women:
● Samantha Arevalo (ECU) ~ 2017 Worlds silver medalist
● Aureile Muller (FRA) ~ 2015-17 World Champion; 2017 5 km silver
● Arianna Bridi (ITA) ~ 2017 Worlds 10 km & 25 km bronze
● Ana Marcela Cunha (BRA) ~ 2015-17 Worlds 25 km golds, 2015-17 10 km bronzes
● Rachele Bruni (ITA) ~ 2016 Olympic silver medalist
● Anna Olasz (HUN) ~ 2015 Worlds 25 km silver medalist

In the first World Series race in Doha, Germany’s Florian Wellbrock won a tight race over Rasovszky (HUN) and Jordan Wilimovsky of the U.S. The women’s winner was Brazil’s Cunha, who won the race to the touch over Kareena Lee (AUS), Bruni (ITA) and Haley Anderson (USA).

The U.S. swimmers are taking this race off after the national championships last week, but Cunha won that race in Miami and is now racing again in the Seychelles!

There is $30,000 in prize money, paid $3,500-3,000-2,500-1,700-1,500-1,200-950-650 to the top eight finishers in both the men’s and women’s races. Look for results here.