The LEN Open Water Cup series got underway in Eilat, Israel, this weekend, with Jack Burnell and Danielle Huskisson the pick of the 10 British swimmers in action.
The French swimmers were the dominant force over in Israel as world champion Marc-Antoine Olivier took the men’s race and European bronze medallist Lara Grangeon claimed the women’s title.
The 10km races were swum amidst near perfect conditions in the Red Sea, with the men’s event seeing a pack of four escape from the rest of the field in the closing stages, with Olivier eventually prevailing. Still in heavy training as he continues his return from injury, Jack Burnell was the best of the rest as he finished a very solid fifth, 26 seconds down on the winner.
There was also a fine swim by Tobias Robinson, who touched just two seconds and two places behind his National Centre Loughborough teammate Burnell. That swim bodes well as he continues to build on his ninth place finish at last summer’s European Championships.
In the women’s race Danielle Huskisson produced one of the best swims of her career, almost a carbon copy of Burnell’s fifth place finish. With four swimmers fighting it out for the win, the Stirling based swimmer was 29 seconds back, but a full two minutes clear of sixth place.
Next Brit home was Alice Dearing, who touched in 10th, whilst Maisie Macartney was 18th home, but more impressively was fifth junior across the line, finishing in the third main group.
The LEN Open Water Cup now heads for France at the end of next month, with the full schedule below.
LEN Open Water Cup 2019 Schedule
Leg 1 – Eilat (ISR) – 31 March
Leg 2 – Brive La Gaillarde (FRA) – 23 May
Leg 3 – Barcelona (ESP) – 29 June
Leg 4 – Ohrid (MKD) – 18 August
Leg 5 – Copenhagen (DEN) – 31 August