FINA Open Water Tour 2023 Announces Six Stops in 17th Season
The FINA Open Water Tour 2023 released dates on Thursday for its events next season, the 17th iteration of the global series.
The six dates are in addition to the FINA World Championships next summer in Fukuoka, Japan. The tour will have two other stops in Asia – in Taipei’s Sun Moon Lake and in Hong Kong on consecutive weekends to end October and start November.
The tour kicks off on May 20-21 in Golfo Aranci, Sardinia, the first Italian stop for a FINA open water event.
“It’s a great feeling to hear that next season we’ll start in Sardinia,” Italian Olympian and 2022 series co-champ Gregorio Paltrinieri said in a FINA press release. “Racing in Italy is always special. I’m sure we’ll get a lot of fans and friends coming over to Sardinia to cheer us on. Sardinia is a beautiful place, especially for open water swimming. I’m really glad that a FINA event is back in Italy.”
The next week brings the tour to Setubal in Portugal, a frequent stop. The summer will be devoted to the build-up to Worlds in Japan, the open water events of which take place June 26-30.
It will resume in early August in Paris, a preview of the 2024 Olympics and an official test event for the Games. Unlike last year’s stop in Paris, this competition will take place in the River Seine.
The series will finish where the 2022 season finished, with a trip to Eilat, Israel, on Dec. 1-2.
“We have the right mix of familiar hosts together with a new entrant and competition venue to add to our open water swimming racing calendar in 2023,” FINA President Husain Al-Musallam said. “From our start in Sardinia to the season’s end in Eilat, we can continue to see some of the best performances and closest finishes ever in open water throughout the FINA Open Water Tour 2023.”
“As one of the more experienced racers, I like this challenge,” said Brazilian Ana Marcela Cunha, the six-time world series winner. “From the FINA World Championships to the FINA Marathon Swim World Series, I’m proud of what I was able to accomplish this year. Looking to 2023, I’m ready to take on a new year with new challenges.”
FINA Open Water Tour 2023
- May 20-21, Golfo Aranci, Sardinia, Italy
- May 27-28, Setubal, Portugal
- Aug. 5-6, Paris, France
- Oct. 28-29, Sun Moon Lake, Nantou, Taipei
- Nov. 4-5, Hong Kong
- Dec. 1-2, Eilat, Israel
What’s with there being no tour stops in the USA?