By Riley Overend on SwimSwam
European Aquatics Open Water World Cup
- May 18, 2024
- Leg 1: Piombino, Italy
- Results
Men’s 10K
- Domenico Acerenza (ITA) – 1:46:54.16
- Sacha Velly (FRA) – 1:46:54.67
- Marc-Antoine Olivier (FRA) – 1:46:54.86
- Vincenzo Caso (ITA) – 1:47:07.15
- Andrea Filadelli (ITA) – 1:47:11.49
Women’s 10K
- Angela Martinez Guillen (ESP) – 1:56:37.81
- Ginevra Taddeucci (ITA) – 1:56:39.46
- Caroline Jouisse (FRA) – 1:56:40.33
- Ana Marcela Cunha (BRA) – 1:56:42.36
- Lisa Pou (MON) – 1:56:42.50
After nearly two hours of racing at the European Aquatics Open Water World Cup stop in Piombino, Italy, Domenico Acerenza rallied past the French duo of Sacha Velly and Marc-Antoine Olivier over the last 100 meters to beat them by less than a second.
Acerenza, a 29-year-old Italian, reached the finish line in a winning time of 1:46:54.16, with Velly (1:46:54.67) and Olivier (1:46:54.86) right on his tail.
Acerenza has been on a tear to start 2024 with just a couple months remaining until the Paris Olympics this summer. He punched his ticket to the River Seine with a 7th-place finish at the World Championships in February before winning the first World Aquatics Open Water Swimming World Cups stop in March.
“This is the Olympic year — this is good training for the race,” Acerenza said. “I try to push every day so it is okay.”
Velly, the runner-up finisher at 19 years old, led going into the final lap but couldn’t hold onto a body-length advantage over Acerenza.
On the women’s side, 20-year-old Spaniard Angela Martinez Guillen also came from behind to capture the 10km title ahead of Italy’s Ginevra Taddeucci (1:56:39.46) and France’s Caroline Jouisse (1:56:40.33).
“The final part of the race was crazy,” said Martinez Guillen, who placed 13th at the World Championships in February to qualify for the Paris Olympics. “There was a lot of people.”
Reigning Olympic champion Ana Marcela Cunha of Brazil missed the podium by just a couple seconds with a 4th-place showing in 1:56:42.36. Lisa Pou, who switched sporting nationalities from France to Monaco last year, placed 5th in 1:56:42.50.
2023 world champion Leonie Beck of Germany couldn’t quick crack the top 10 with an 11th-place effort in 1:56:52.11.
The European Aquatics Open Water World Cup continues next month with one final tune-up before the Paris Olympics. The second stop of the tour is scheduled for June 29 in Barcelona, Spain.
What a way to kick off the #SwimmingOWC season
#EuropeanAquatics | #Swimming pic.twitter.com/NMRcKu9p34
— European Aquatics (@EuroAquatics) May 19, 2024
Read the full story on SwimSwam: Domenico Acerenza, Angela Martinez Guillen Rally for European OW World Cup Wins in Piombino