Wellington to host FINA World Marathon Swim event

New Zealand has been awarded the rights to host a round of the burgeoning FINA Marathon Swimming World Cup in 2009.

Swimming New Zealand has successfully applied to be included in the championship circuit with the event to be held in Oriental Parade, Wellington in April 2009.

The event will be run alongside the inaugural World Age Group Open Water Championships with more than 1000 competitors expected to take part.

The New Zealand successful bid was announced by FINA at the Open Water World Championships in Seville, Spain.

The FINA Marathon Swimming World Cup is a fast growing professional open water circuit which has gained considerable significance with the inclusion of the 10km open water swim into the Olympic programme at Beijing.

Swimming New Zealand believe the event will provide an international focus for the sport in New Zealand and act as a considerable opportunity for the country’s leading young open water swimmers.

“It’s outstanding news for our sport,” Swimming New Zealand CEO Mike Byrne said in Seville. “This circuit has been successful for several years now and we are the first Oceania country to host a round.

“It’s a major international sporting event that will not only attract considerable numbers of competitors from overseas but also international exposure for our sport and our country.”

Mr Byrne has worked closely with New Zealand wetsuit company Blueseventy, FINA’s worldwide partner for open water swimming, on this event.

“Blueseventy approached us with the idea and more importantly to develop a World Age Group Open Water Championship.

“Open water swim events are becoming hugely popular in this country and around the world. Swimming is a great way for people to remain active and healthy and these championships will provide a wonderful opportunity for age groupers to compete on an international basis.

“We know from other sports like triathlon that age group international events are extremely popular.”

Blueseventy spokesman Geoff Matthews said the decision is great news.

“This circuit is really taking off around the world and with the inclusion of the 10km event in the Olympics will further promote and boost the event,” Mr Matthews said.

“For us as FINA’s global partners in open water swimming and also as a New Zealand company, we are very proud and excited to support an event in our own country.

“We congratulate Swimming New Zealand for their foresight to grab this exciting opportunity.”

Mr Byrne said they have worked closely with Wellington City Council on the 2.5km course off Oriental Parade.

“We are very grateful to the support we have received already from the Wellington City Council who will be a key partner in the event.

“It will be fantastic. It will be right out in front of the public and we expect many of the open water stars to be here.

“Beijing will boost 10km open water swimming and I am sure many of the stars from this event at the Olympics will be in Wellington next year.”

Organisers expect more than 50 elite swimmers for the marathon world cup event over 10kms (4 laps) while they hope to attract more than 1000 age group swimmers competing over a range of distances from 2.5km to 10km

This year the eight-stop FINA Marathon World Cup takes in Brazil, Dubai, Portugal, Canada, Hong Kong, Singapore, China and Mexico. Each round carries prize money of $US20,000.