Open Water Cup returns to Sardinia in September

The World Para Swimming Open Water Cup will return to Sardinia this year. The second edition of the event will take place on 21 September on the Italian island. 

The Open Water Cup was launched in 2023, marking the first open water race in the World Para Swimming calendar in over a decade. The successful inaugural edition saw 36 Para swimmers from 13 nations competing in the town of San Teodoro in Sardinia. 

“We are delighted to be returning to Sardinia in September for the second Open Water Cup. Last year, we said that we did not see it as a one-off event and that the main objective was to take important lessons to help us develop a blueprint for future open water Para swimming competitions,” said Craig Nicholson, Head of World Para Swimming. “The response we received following the inaugural Sardinia Open Water Cup was huge and demonstrated that there is a clear appetite for more events. We are looking forward to an even more successful competition in 2024.” 

First-ever #OpenWaterCup ✅

Sardinia 🇮🇹 was the perfect host for our open water event. Sun ☀️was shining, athletes were happy and excited and the crowd was vibing!

We just loved it 🫶

Check full results here: https://t.co/wqBxyj6sCj

📷: Deep Media Blue pic.twitter.com/j8V6uGU2bn

— #ParaSwimming (@Para_swimming) September 23, 2023

The Sardinia 2023 Open Water Cup crowned six winners, with Spain collecting all victories in the men’s races. Five-time Paralympic champion Javier Torres won the 1.5km S1-S6 event, while Jacobo Brun finished first in the 3km S7-S10 race, and Alejandro Medero in the 3km S11-S14 event. 

Swiss Paralympic medallist Nora Meister was the winner in the women’s 1.5km S1-S6 in her first-ever open water event. The women’s 3km S7-S10 saw a victory for Poland’s Oliwia Jablonska, while Sweden’s Pernilla Lindberg triumphed in the women’s 3km S11-S14 race. 

More information about the World Para Swimming Sardinia 2024 Open Water Cup is available here.