Around 60 swimmers (36 men, 26 women) took the plunge today (October 15) in Hong Kong, for the seventh and last leg of the FINA/HOSA Marathon Swimming World Cup 2016 but Italy's open water champions Simone Ruffini and Rachele Bruni ended off the season with a victory.
World champion (25km) Ruffini touched home first in 2h10m15s8, narrowly defeating Chips Peterson of the USA (2h10m29s1) and Germany's Rob Muffels (2h10m29s3).
In the women's field, Italy's star Bruni, who won the Balatonfured race in June as well as the Viedma one in Argentina, clinched gold in 2h17m12s7. Compatriot Arianna Bridi, a swimmer particularly revealed towards the end of the circuit 2016, was second in 2h17m28s2, while Brazil's Poliana Okimoto was the last one on the podium, clocking the same time.
The 2016 circuit of the FINA/HOSA Marathon Swimming World Cup is now completed. The 2017 season will resume in February, calendar TBC soon.
See results HERE
MEDALLISTS IN HONG KONG
Men
1. Simone Ruffini (ITA) 2h10m15s8; 2. Charles Peterson (USA) 2h10m29s1; 3. Rob Muffels (GER) 2h10m29s3
Women
1. Rachele Bruni (ITA) 2h17m12s7; 2. Arianna Bridi (ITA) 2h17m28s2; 3. Poliana Okimoto (BRA) 2h17m28s2
FINA/HOSA 10km Marathon Swimming World Cup calendar
1. Patagones-Viedma (ARG) February 7, 2016
2. Abu Dhabi (UAE) February 26, 2016
3. Balatonfured (HUN) June 18, 2016
4. Lac St-Jean (CAN) July 28, 2016
5. Lac Megantic (CAN) August 13, 2016
6. Chun'An (CHN) October 9, 2016
7. Honk Kong (HKG) October 15, 2016
SNZ Events
Epic Swim
High Performance