Hungary’s Kristof Rasovszky and Italy’s Rachele Bruni both had busy schedules at the 2019 Open Water Worlds in Korea. Rasovszky won the 5 km title on 13 July, was fourth in the 10 km on the 16th and started – but did not finish – the 25 km swim on the 19th.
Bruni won the bronze medal in the 10 km Worlds on the 14th, then finished fifth in the 5 km on the 17th.
Both packed their bags, got on a trans-Pacific flight and on the 21st (Sunday) were at Lac St. Jean in central Quebec to win the fifth leg of the FINA Open Water World Series!
Rasovszky won his race easily, more than 12 seconds ahead of runner-up Fares Zitouni of France, while Bruni won a tight finish from fellow Worlds competitor Anna Olasz (HUN), by less then four seconds. Olasz competed in the Worlds 25 km race and only arrived in Canada at 3 a.m. before the race! But she noted that “arriving on race day is nice because jet lag hasn’t hit me yet.”
All three should get a special medal for the most combined miles on water, land and air between two competitions in three days!
Zitouni won his first-ever World Series medal in the men’s race and Caroline Laure Jouisse (FRA) took the women’s bronze, also her first World Series podium. Summaries:
FINA Open Water Marathon World Series
Lac St. Jean (CAN) ~ 21 July 2019
(Full results here)
Men (10 km): 1. Kristof Rasovszky (HUN), 1:53:28.80; 2. Fares Zitouni (FRA), 1:53:41.30; 3. Dario Verani (ITA), 1:53:44.59; 4. Matteo Furlan (ITA), 1:53:47.00; 5. Marcel Schouten (NED), 1:53:47.01.
Women (10 km): 1. Rachele Bruni (ITA), 2:03:56.40; 2. Anna Olasz (HUN), 2:04:00.30; 3. Caroline Laure Jouisse (FRA), 2:04:03.20; 4. Stephanie Horner (CAN), 2:04:08.80; 5. Kenna Delaney Smallegange (CAN), 2:05:47.40.
