Day One, FINA World Open Water Swimming Championships 2010 - Roberval, Quebec, Canada.

“Clash of the titans!” “Dog-Eat-Dog!” “Expect the Unexpected” “Brutal!” These were some of the statements heard in the Women’s 10km World Championship event yesterday.

Watching the finish of the Women’s 10km event; these elite competitors were so closely packed still at the finish where they left nothing was left to chance or in the tank. All was put on the line yesterday. Only 16 seconds separated 1st to 8th place….after 10km!

Twenty-One year old Martina Grimaldi of Italy, surprised everyone but not herself when she took the lead with 700m to the finish and held her 10m lead all the way to achieving her first World Championship title. Italy went 1-2 with fellow teammate Giorgia Consiglio winning silver. China achieved their first ever World Championship medal in open water swimming with Yanqiao Fang achieving the bronze medal.

As reported by Daily News of Open Water Swimming.com, the newly crowned Women’s World Champion swam four fairly evenly-split 2.5K loops in the 10K course in Roberval: 31:08, 31:29, 31:24 and 30:44. Silver medallist Italian Consiglio swam 31:09, 30:58, 31:26 and 31:54 while bronze medalist Yanqiao Fang of China went 31:20, 31:20, 31:36 and 30:43.

Results as published on DailyNewsofOpenWaterSwimming.com

1. GRIMALDI Martina (ITA), 2:05:45.2
2. CONSIGLIO Giorgia (ITA), 2:05:57.4
3. FANG Yanqiao (CHN), 2:05:59.1
4. MAURER Angela (GER), 2:05:59.2
5. CUNHA Ana Marcela (BRA), 2:05:59.7
6. JENNINGS Christine (USA), 2:06:01.1
7. PAYNE Keri-Anne (GBR), 2:06:01.4
8. VILLAECIJA Erika (ESP), 2:06:01.5
9. HEISTER Linsy (NED), 2:06:04.6
10. ASPORD Ophelie (FRA), 2:06:04.8
11. GONZALEZ Alejandra (MEX), 2:06:07.0
12. REQUENA Yurema (ESP), 2:06:25.8
13. PECHANOVA Jana (CZE), 2:06:28.5
14. PATTEN Cassandra (GBR), 2:06:39.5
15. SELIVERSTOVA Ekaterina (RUS), 2:06:44.2
16. BAKER Cara (NZL), 2:06:45.8
17. CARDENAS HERNANDEZ Zaira (MEX), 2:06:48.4
18. HANSFORD Stacey (AUS), 2:07:39.7
19. SITIC Karla (CRO), 2:08:33.2
20. YAN Siyu (CHN), 2:08:33.2
21. BARROS ESQUIVEL Katia (ECU), 2:08:38.2
22. REICHERT Nadine (GER), 2:08:40.1
23. BERESNYEVA Olga (UKR), 2:08:44.8
24. CALDAS CALLE Nataly (ECU), 2:08:48.8
25. DU TOIT Natalie (RSA), 2:09:00.1
26. ZHIDKOVA Anastasia (AZE), 2:09:01.0
27. WILLIAMS Nadine (CAN), 2:10:05.8
28. KOTSUR Inha (AZE), 2:12:16.8

DNF (did not finish) swimmers included ARAOUZOU Kalliopi (GRE), ZUPAN Teja (SLO), BALAZS Zsofia (CAN), LAMMENS Manon (BEL), ILCHENKO Larisa (RUS).

DSQ (Disqualified) swimmers included FABIAN Eva (USA), OKIMOTO Poliana (BRA), MULLER Aurelie (FRA), LYMPERTA Marianna (GRE), GORMAN Melissa (AUS)

All results and splits can be seen at Power House Timing the official timing for the 6th FINA World Open Water Swimming Championships Roberval Canada 2010.

Hear from Steven Munatones, Chief Editor, DailyNewsofOpenWaterSwimming.com share his insights into the Women’s 10km event and what to expect today in the Men’s 10km World Championship event.

Cheers Shelley Taylor-Smith