CHUN'AN, Zhejiang Province, Oct. 15 (Xinhua) -- Kristof Rasouszut of Hungary and Ana Marcela Cunha of Brazil won hard battles thanks for video replay at the 2017 FINA/HOSA 10km Marathon Swimming World Cup Chun'an Qiandao Lake held here on Sunday and just repeat the feat they did at the last stop at Lac Megantic in Quebec, Canada in August.
Qiandao Lake is a man-made lake located in Chun'an County, Zhejiang Province. There are 1,078 islands in the lake. It covers an area of 573 km² and has a storage capacity of 17.8 km³. The total area of the islands in the lake is about 86 km².
Qiandao Lake, the sixth leg of the FINA/HOSA 10km Marathon Swimming World Cup, attracted 79 swimmers from 19 countries and regions.
The competitions were so close that about 10 swimmers packed in the leading position from the start to the end. Kristof Rasouszut of Hungary and Allan Do Carmo touched the finishind pad at the same time in one hour 31 minutes 52.4 seconds. Rasouszut was judged the champion with the help of video replay.
Fernando Ponte of Brazil took the bronze medal in 1:31.54.9 while Olympic and world champion Ferry Weertman of the Netherlands came to fourth 1:31.56.9.
"It was a very good but hard race. I was really happy with my result. I tried to be at the first position in the first three laps and tried to beat Carmo at the finish. In fact, I was always bad at the finish because of the bad position at the last 300, 400m. But today I was at the good position and won the champion. I like Qiandao Lake very much for the water and good temperature." said Rasouszut who finished fifth at the FINA World Championships in Budapest last July.
As the pre-meet top favorite, Rio Olympic and Budapest world champion Weertman
said he was happy for the place. "It was my first race of the season, so I was happy with the place though I did not stand on the podium. I do feel pressure coming into the race that many people expect me to win and every swimmer wants to beat me."
"For me, it is a great preparation for the European Short Course Championships in December. I like the mixed training between open water and indoor pool," said the member of 4X200m freestyle relay team of the Netherlands.
In the women's race, Ana Marcela Cunha and Bridi Arianna of Italy also clocked the same time 1:31.37.29.2. Cunha was confirmed the champion only after referees watched the video replay. Viviane Jungblut of Brazil was placed third in front of Esmee Vermeulen of the Netherlands in 1:37.30.8 while Bruni Rachele of Italy came to fifth before Finnia Wunram of Germany sixth in 1:37.58.4, respectively.
"The competitions in recent years became more and more close, I was ready for that. My coach told me to swim as fast as I can in the last 200 meters. Though it was a rainy day but I like the water and temperature colder the better," Cunha smiled.
The 7th and last stop of 2017 FINA/HOSA 10km Marathon Swimming World Cup will be held in Hong Kong on Oct. 21.
