By Chaker Belhadj
FINA Press Commission Member
SHARM EL SHEIKH, Egypt, September 23. ITALY took the first two titles of the 2nd FINA Open Water Swimming World Championships in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, winning both the women's and men's 5K events.
Viola Valli was first in 56 minutes 52 seconds to win the women's race by 9 seconds over Holland's Edith Van Dijk. Luca Baldini triumphed in the men's race, winning in 51:49.78, one second faster than countryman Stefano Rubaudo, with Germany's Thomas Lurz another second back.
Curiously, in recent years, Valli and Baldini have had exactly the same career history: In the first edition of the competition, in Honolulu (2000), they were both third in the 5 K. In 2001, at the 9th FINA World Championships in Fukuoka, Valli won the 5 K race as did Baldini. With these victories in Egypt, they proved, once again, that they are the best open water swimmers at this distance.
Furthermore, Italy had one more reason to celebrate: in the men’s race, Stefano Rubaudo was second, completing the three-medal collection in this first day. The podium was completed with the young German Thomas Lurz (only 21 years old).
In the women’s competition, the experienced Edith van Dijk (first in Honolulu in the 10 km and third of the same distance in Fukuoka), finished second, just nine seconds behind Valli. The Dutch swimmer was the winner of the 2001 FINA Marathon Swimming World Cup. The third place was surprisingly occupied by the Swiss Hanna Miluska, 18 years old!
RESULTS
WOMEN 5K
1 VALLI Viola, Italy, 30 56:52
2 VAN DIJK Edith, Netherlands, 29 57:01
3 MILUSKA Hanna, Switzerland, 18 58:13
4 CASPRINI Valeria, Italy, 26 58:35
5 PASTOR Nadine, Germany, 17 58:37.10
6 PECHANOVA Jana, Czech Repub., 21 58:37.41
7 BILLER Stefanie, Germany, 16 58:37.78
8 JDANOVA Ekaterina, Russia, 16 58:38
9 SELVERSTOVA Ekaterina, Russia, 18 58:39
10 SCHRADER Denise, Switzerland, 23 58:42
11 TRUDEE Hutshinson, Australia, 21 58:43
12 STUTZEl Karley, Canada, 20 58:44
13 PUNET Maria, Argentina, 19 58:48
14 CLARKE Shelley, Australia, 21 58:49
15 HEGEDUS Diana, Hungary, 17 58:50
16 IAKOVLEVA Natalia, Brazil, 30 1:02:15
Country Points
1 Italy 30
2 Switzerland 17
3 Germany 16
3 Netherlands 16
5 Russia 09
6 Czech Repub 08
7 Australia 02
8 Canada 01
MEN 5K
1 BALDINI Luca, Italy, 26 51:49.78
2 RUBAUDO Stefano, Italy, 30 51:51.20
3 LURZ Thomas, Germany, 21 51:52.43
4 RIEG Yannick, France, 22 52:59.07
5 GOMEZ Stephane, France, 26 53:04.18
6 SALIBA Mark, Australia, 23 53:04.71
7 IVANOV Ivan, Russia, 23 53:06.19
8 CLELAND Grant, Australia, 24 53:06.69
9 HEIN Christian, Germany, 19 53:07.53
10 BUCAR Jure, Slovenia, 36 53:07.78
11 PUNKO Siarhei, Belarus, 21 54:02.83
12 BENTO Guilherme, Brazil, 26 54:05.85
13 MAJCEN Nace, Slovenia, 34 54:08.17
14 TAREK Amr, Egypt, 16 54:09.79
15 CREEL David, Canada, 21 54:10.16
16 LIMA Fabio, Brazil, 21 54:10.77
Country Points
1 Italy 34
2 France 22
3 Germany 18
4 Australia 13
5 Russia 06
6 Slovenia 03
7 Belarus 02
8 Brazil 01