It took a long time… but after 56 years the best of the best reunited at Lac St Jean, Roberval, Quebec, Canada last week for “The Famous 1km Best In The World” competition, held in conjunction with the 6th FINA World Open Water Swimming Championships Roberval 2010.

Courtesty of Steeve Tremblay, included in the photo above are the Legendary Kings of Lake St Jean; Paul Asmuth, Claudio Plitt & Philip Rush joined by previous La Traversee crossing competitors Steven Munatones, Igor de Souza and myself.

50-year-old Argentinian, Claudio Plitt, confirmed his participation in the historical “La Traversee du Lac St Jean” for a total of 21 solo crossings and 5 double crossings which equalled over twelve (12) days of swimming.

Competition it was not! The 1km swim demonstrated that we all still “had it” and that “it” comes in various forms. Competition was not the word of the day but more readily heard were “enjoy, relax, easy, fun, friendship” and the most common was “not 2 laps please only 1 lap!”

And 2 laps it was …which left strategy to play an important part as it always does in open water swimming. Strategy: for most… to make it to the finish!

Results - Men’s: 1st Steven Munatones 2nd. Paul Asmuth 3rd. Claudio Plitt. Women’s: 1st. Shelley Taylor-Smith

Enjoy as Claudio Plitt shares his new “strategy” that he has adapted to his life after 50yrs and also how he will tackle the American Marathon Swimming Legend, Paul Asmuth.

Enjoy & Cheers
Shelley Taylor-Smith

Women’s 5km Medal Presentation Ceremony at the 6th FINA World Open Water Swimming Championships in Roberval, Quebec, Canada on 20th July 2010.

For your enjoyment below is the Women’s 5km medal presentation ceremony and two interviews with World Champion & Gold Medallist, Eva Fabian, USA.

Results below.

1. FABIAN Eva (USA), 1:02:00.98
2. CONSIGLIO Giorgia (ITA), 1:02:01.08
3. CUNHA Ana Marcela (BRA), 1:02:02.68
4. OKIMOTO Poliana (BRA), 1:02:02.78
4. JENNINGS Christine (USA), 1:02:02.78
6. MULLER Aurelie (FRA), 1:02:04.48
7. ARAOUZOU Kalliopi (GRE), 31:36.758 1:02:04.78
8. ZUPAN Teja (SLO), 1:02:06.38
9. BAKER Cara (NZL), 1:02:07.28
10. SITIC Karla (CRO), 1:02:07.58
11. FRANCO Alice (ITA), 1:02:08.28
12. REQUENA Yurema (ESP), 1:02:09.18
13. PECHANOVA Jana (CZE), 1:02:11.38
14. ASPORD Ophelie (FRA), 1:02:13.58
15. PATTEN Cassandra (GBR), 1:02:18.08
16. FANG Yanqiao (CHN), 1:02:18.88
17. BERESNYEVA Olga (UKR), 1:02:23.78
18. DE FRANCESCO Danielle (AUS), 1:02:26.28
19. REICHERT Nadine (GER), 1:02:29.68
20. MACDONALD Bonnie (AUS), 1:02:37.68
21. DU TOIT Natalie (RSA), 1:02:38.18
22. BULAKHOVA Maria (RUS), 1:02:41.08
23. LI Xue (CHN), 1:02:42.08
24. BARROS ESQUIVEL Katia (ECU), 1:02:47.98
25. JEWEL Karyn (CAN), 1:03:22.58
26. CALDAS CALLE Nataly (ECU), 1:03:26.48
27. GONZALEZ Alejandra (MEX), 1:04:46.88
28. KOTSUR Inha (AZE), 1:05:18.28
29. BALAZS Zsofia (CAN), 1:05:30.28
30. SALDIVAR Odette (MEX), 1:06:55.98
31. FARKASOVA Alexandra (SVK), 1:10:42.08
ZHIDKOVA Anastasia (AZE), DNS
PAYNE Keri-Anne (GBR), DNS
LYMPERTA Marianna (GRE), DNS
SELIVERSTOVA Ekaterina (RUS), Disqualified

Men’s 5km Medal Presentation Ceremony at the FINA World Open Water Swimming Championships 2010 in Roberval, Quebec, Canada on 20th July 2010.

Enjoy the presentation ceremony followed by an interview with men’s 5km Bronze Medallist, Fran Crippen, USA.

Italy has now consolidated a strong lead in the Champions Trophy table after day two of the 6th FINA World Open Water Swimming Championships 2010 Roberval, Quebec, Canada.

The gold medal and World Championship title in the Mens 10km went to the “Italian Stalian” Valerio Cleri, (the reigning World 25km Champion and 4th placegetter in 2009) who showed how “age = experience” when he pulled away in the final 400m and held a one body lead all the way to the finish line.

Enjoy the medal presentation ceremony video and below please find the official results as reported by Steven Munatones, Chief Editor, Daily News of Open Water Swimming.com

The final results are as follows:

1. CLERI Valerio (ITA), 2:00:59.3
2. DRATTSEV Evgeny (RUS), 2:01:00.6
3. DYATCHIN Vladimir (RUS), 2:01:03.0
4. CRIPPEN Francis (USA), 2:01:05.0
5. FERRETTI Luca (ITA), 2:01:07.8
6 LURZ Thomas (GER), 2:01:08.5
7. PETERSON Charles (USA), 2:01:10.0
8. CHERVYNSKIY igor (UKR), 2:01:12.9
9. STOYCHEV Petar (BUL), 2:01:13.0
10. DO CARMO Allan (BRA), 2:01:15.2
11. ELORZA Rodrigo (MEX), 2:01:17.5
12. VENTURI Bertrand (FRA), 2:01:18.0
13. WEINBERGER Richard (CAN), 2:01:20.6
14. CODEVELLE Julien (FRA), 2:01:28.3
15. BROWNE David (AUS), 2:01:56.9
16. FESENKO Sergiy (AZE), 2:02:14.5
17. TOBIN Simon (CAN), 2:02:17.3
18. LOPEZ Ivan (MEX), 2:02:20.3
19. REICHERT Christian (GER), 2:02:51.4
20. VANGENEUGDEN Tom (BEL), 2:03:01.7
21. ALCANTARA Filipe (BRA), 2:03:12.2
22. HO Chad (RSA), 2:04:44.5
23. DMITRIEV Michael (ISR), 2:05:45.1
24. ENDERICA OCHOA Ivan (ECU, 2:06:16.9
25. POSMOURNY Jan (CZE), 2:06:44.7
26. FICHTL Jakub (CZE), 2:09:42.4
27. SOLDO Tomislav (CRO), 2:13:11.5
28. SKRODZKI Michal (POL), 2:24:30.7

DNF: NOGUEIRA MONTERA Diego (ESP), UKRADYGA Kostiantyn (UKR), MAINSTONE Rhys (AUS), FOGG Daniel (GBR), HERVAS JADAR Fancisco Jose (ESP), ALLEN Thomas (GBR), RYCKEMAN Brian (BEL)
Disqualified: SOLDO Josip (CRO)
DNS: GIANNIOTS Spyridon (GRE)

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

As you know I regularly talk about how grateful I am Canadians are proud and want to share the passion for all things and not let a moment go by…seize the day.

Carpe Diem!

Enjoy Pierre Lafonteine, Canada Swimming CEO shares a message with the Canadian Open Water Swim Team impressing on them the history of how Canadians support their countrymen to achieve their goals and the importance of expressing gratitude to those who help you achieve your goals.

Cheers Shelley Taylor-Smith

The greatest show on earth…. has come to the tiny village of Roberval, Quebec, Canada; the host for the 6th FINA World Open Water Swimming Championships, 15-23 July 2010.

Roberval, a town of 11,000 residents has welcomed in open arms, the 124 elite open water swimming competitors from 30 countries.

I will be writing daily blogs and sharing interviews with Champions - athletes, coaches, organisers, referees, officials and volunteers.

The following was reported by Steven Munatones, Chief Editor of Daily News of Open Water Swimming

Dr. Julio Maglione, the FINA President, opened the festivities with a bilingual address to the gathered media at today’s press conference. “I want to express my sincere gratitude to Swimming Canada, the city of Roberval and the local organising committee.”

Swimming Canada CEO Pierre Lafontaine echoed the gratitude of Dr. Maglione at today’s press conference. In his usual enthusiastic manner, Pierre said, “The local organizing committee even went so far in changing the water temperature of lac St-Jean.”

Pierre was referring to the notoriously historical cold water of lac St-Jean has increased in temperature to an unseasonably and unprecedented 24°C (75°C) that have greeted the swimmers at the championships. Most of the swimmers were quite happy and surprised to learn of the warm-water conditions.

“Swimming Canada is excited to host the world championships and we are thankful to Dr. Maglione for having confidence in us. Sport is a place where people can dream. That is the power of sport.”

Canadian National Team coach Ron Jacks repeated the excitement of Dr. Maglione and Pierre. “The 7-member Canadian team is in good spirits after a 5-day training camp in Montreal. The swimmers have had a great week of preparation in Montreal. The 10K will be our great event. With the event now being in the Olympics, we are seeing a surge of swimmers trying to grain that experience for the 2012 Olympic Games qualifier next year in Shanghai.”

“The Canadian team is comprised with some solid veterans such as Simon Tobin of Quebec, Zsofie Balaz of Toronto and Nadine Williams of Sherwood Park who all competed at the 2009 World Swimming Championships. I’m optimistic that we will get a few surprise performances from our veterans and rookies.”

The Canadian team includes Xavier Desharnais, Simon Tobin, Richard Weinberger, Zsofia Balazs, Karyn Jewell, Joanie Guillemetee-Simard and Nadine Williams.

Thanks Steven Munatones and Daily News of Open Water Swimming for that back end story on the Canadian Open Water Swim Team.

Enjoy my interview below with Pierre Lafonteine, Swimming Canada CEO.

Let me know how you are enjoy the videos and blog posts and what skill helps you have a more enjoyable open water swimming experience. I look forward to sharing the amazing experience of the FINA World Championships and the passionate hospitality of the host city of Roberval.

Cheers Shelley Taylor-Smith
FINA TOWSC member 2000-present
FINA Athletes Commission Chairman 1999-2000
7-time Womens World No.1 Marathon Swimming Champion 1988-1995
5-time Overall Winner & Fastest Time Overall Manhattan Island 48km Marathon Swim
Director & Founder Champion Mindset Consulting