PR 91 – Reichert (GER) and Bruni (ITA), the best of 2015

Christian Reichert (GER) and Rachele Bruni (ITA) are the overall winners of the 2015 FINA/HOSA 10km Marathon Swimming World Cup, after the conclusion of the 10th and final race of the circuit, held in Hong Kong (HKG) on October 17. Reichert amassed 103 points throughout the season and got the only win of the year precisely in Hong Kong, while Bruni collected 112 points after victories in Viedma (ARG), Abu Dhabi (UAE), Setubal (POR) and Mégantic (CAN). In the last race of the 2015, the Italian swimmer was sixth.

This is the first consecration for Reichert in the 10km circuit, after his second places in 2011, 2012 and 2014. For Bruni, this is also her best classification so far in this competition. Both athletes were also present at the 16th FINA World Championships 2015 in Kazan (RUS), with Reichert getting the gold in the 5km Team Event and Bruni being fourth in the same race and also in the 10km.

In Hong Kong, Reichert took the gold in 1h56m07s4, but was closely followed by Allan do Carmo (BRA, the “FINA Men’s Best Open Water Swimmer of 2014”), who touched in 1h56m07s5. With this silver medal, the Brazilian star also ensured the second place of the overall ranking, with 94 points (his only win of the series being the penultimate race of the year in Chun’An, China). Jordan Wilimovsky (USA), the 10km world champion in Kazan, was the third placed in Hong Kong (1h56m09s3), while Jack Burnell, from Great Britain, arrived shortly after for the fourth place, thus securing the third place of the overall classification of the FINA/HOSA 10km Marathon Swimming World Cup, with 84 points. Burnell had previously won the Cozumel (MEX) and Balatonfured (HUN) rendezvous.

Among women, the winner in the waters of Repulse Bay was Keri-Anne Payne (GBR), in a time of 2h05m25s6. The 2008 Olympic silver medallist in the 10km was faster than Ana Marcela Cunha (BRA, the “FINA Women’s Best Open Water Swimmer of 2014”), second in 2h05m25s7. As with the men, Cunha’s runner-up position was also enough to guarantee the second place of the 2015 ranking, with 92 points (in 2015, she triumphed in Balatonfured and Chun’An). While the third best of the race in Hong Kong was Poliana Okimoto, also from Brazil, in a time of 2h05m26s4, the next swimmer in the overall ranking was Anna Olasz (HUN), only 10th in Asia, but with a total of 77 points (her best result of the season being the silver medal in Lac Mégantic).

Top-3 overall ranking* of the FINA/HOSA 10km Marathon Swimming World Cup 2015

MEN
1. Christian Reichert (GER), 103 points
2. Allan do Carmo (BRA), 94 pts
3. Jack Burnell (GBR), 84 pts

WOMEN
1. Rachele Bruni (ITA), 112 points
2. Ana Marcela Cunha (BRA), 92 pts
3. Anna Olasz (HUN), 77 pts

*Athletes eligible to receive the prize money related to the overall ranking of the Series must have participated in at least six races in 2015. Therefore, the distribution of prize money may differ from the points' ranking.