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LEN European Open Water Cup 2017, Final – Preview

Tough two days ahead

Lake Bracciano (ITA) will host the Final of the LEN European Open Water Swimming Cup, the two-day event will feature a 5km and a 10km race for both genders. A pot of € 21,000 is also up for grabs in the weekend.

Lake Bracciano, a natural beauty close to Rome (ITA) will be the site of the final of LEN European Open Water Swimming Cup – a worthy venue for the culmination of the series which have its 20th edition this year.

This season the Cup will have the traditional two-day final event once more, which usually has a big impact on the final rankings. Having back-to-back races on Saturday and Sunday and the opportunity of earning double points will surely heat up the battles.

Among the men, two former winners, German veteran Christian Reichert (2008, 2009, 2012) and Italy’s Andrea Bianchi (2014) chasing Hungary’s new young gun Kristof Rasovszky who swept the first three titles winning in Eilat, Barcelona and Navia (though based on the rules only the two best efforts count). He also won two FINA World Cup races (Setubal, Lac Megantic), showing tremendous form in the current season. Bianchi won in Copenhagen (Rasovszky skipped that meet) to keep up with the Magyar, while Reichert had two upfront finishes in Barcelona and Navia. Since double points can be collected, title-holder Dario Verani might also have a word though he trails by 25 points this time.

Germany’s Leonie Beck tops the women’s ranks with the maximum points, thanks to her triumphs in Navia and Copenhagen, and has a fine chance to maintain the Germans’ traditions since the country captured the most female overall titles, 8 since 1998 (among the men they amassed 8 victories too). Here Hungary’s Katalin Somenek Onon and Italy’s Ginevra Taddeucci had the best positions in the hunt for the title. The final will also welcome a legend of the discipline, Germany’s Angela Maurer, world and European champion who clinched her first European title 11 years ago.

The top five finishers in the overall shall receive prize money – men and women respectively –, the total pot amounts € 21,000, the winner’s share is € 3,500 in both genders.

2017 European Open Water Swimming Cup – Legs Leg 1 – Eilat (ISR), 26 March (10km) Leg 2 – Barcelona (ESP), 1 July (10km) Leg 3 – Navia (ESP), 5 August (7.5km) Leg 4 – Copenhagen (DEN), 25 August (6km) Final – Bracciano (ITA), 16-17 September (5 and 10km)

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Standings before the Final

Men 1. Rasovszky Kristof HUN 40 2. Andrea Bianchi ITA 30 3. Christian Reichert GER 29 4. Alessio Occhipinti ITA 27 5. Matan Roditi ISR 23 6. Marcelo Guidi ITA 20 7. Daniel Szekely HUN 19 8. Yuval Safra ISR 18 Raul S. Betancor ESP 18 10. Shahar Resman ISR 15 Dario Verani ITA 15 12. Matej Kozubek CZE 11 Logan Vanhuys BEL 11 Roger R Iglesias ESP 11 15. Niklas Frach GER 10 16. Idan Mordel ISR 2 17. Matthieu Mattelaer BEL 1

Women 1. Leonie Beck GER 40 2. Katalin S. Onon HUN 35 3. Ginevra Taddeuci ITA 31 4. Nikolett Szilagyi HUN 27 5. Eden Girloanta ISR 21 6. Judith N Silvestre FRA 21

Only swimmers eligible for being ranked in the overall are listed.

Past Overall Winners Women – Men

1998 (NED) Emmanuel Poissier (FRA) 1999 Angela Maurer (GER) Emmanuel Poissier (FRA) 2000 Etta van der Weijden (NED) Luca Baldini (ITA) 2001 Hanna Miluska (SUI) Marco Formentini (ITA) 2002 Hanna Miluska (SUI) Luca Baldini (ITA) 2003 Stefanie Biller (GER) Alan Bircher (GBR) 2004 Stefanie Biller (GER) Alan Bircher (GBR) 2005 Yurema Requena (ESP) Thomas Lurz (GER) 2006 Cassandra Patten (GBR) Francisco José Hervás (ESP)

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2007 Cathleen Rund (GER) Toni Franz (GER) 2008 Nadine Pastor (GER) Christian Reichert (GER) 2009 Gina Mohr (GER) Christian Reichert (GER) 2010 Eva Risztov (HUN) Andreas Waschburger (GER) 2011 Ines Hahn (GER) Hendrik Rijkens (GER) 2012 Margarita Dominguez (ESP) Ferry Weertman (NED) / Christian Reichert (GER) 2013 Anna Olasz (HUN) Andreas Waschburger (GER) 2014 (ITA) Andrea Bianchi (ITA) 2015 Svenja Zihsler (GER) Dario Verani (ITA) 2016 Giulia Gabbrielleschi (ITA) Dario Verani (ITA)