FINA awarded Swimming Canada with its first World Junior Open Water Swimming Championships. The event will be held in the Welland Recreational Canal in Ontario.Site of the annual Welland Four Bridges Swim, Swimming Canada‘s Pierre Lafontaine described the Welland Canal as perfect for open water racing.
“The water conditions are stable and the spectators are able to follow the race at arms length of the field of play. It will make for a great festival of swimming.”
The venue is relatively narrow (135 meters at its widest point), enabling spectators to embrace the action that is bound to be close for the world’s top 14-18 year old open water swimmers. Pierre called the championships to be hosted at the Welland International Flatwater Centre, a great step forward for Canadian swimming. “Canada has a great tradition with hosting impressive international events, and we welcome the opportunity to set a high standard in hosting the first ever World Junior Open Water Swimming Championships.”
The World Junior Open Water Swimming Championships will offer races and relays up to 7.5K in distance including a 3-person, mixed-gender 3K team pursuit relay.
This is a great step forward for all the world’s open water swimming youth.
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