Europe’s open water swimmers “best in the world,” says Prayer as Stari Grad Championships loom
As the excitement builds for the European Aquatics Open Water Swimming Championships Stari Grad 2025, Italy’s Andrea Prayer, chair of the European Aquatics Technical Open Water Swimming Committee, has highlighted the domination of athletes from the continent at global level as he looks ahead to the season.
“Europe has been an important support in open water, organising the majority of the most important open water events in both the World Aquatics and European Aquatics calendars,” Prayer told European Aquatics. “The level of our swimmers is the highest in the world, and in this, Europe has done a great job.”
Prayer emphasised the importance of the upcoming European Open Water Swimming Championships, describing them as “absolutely necessary” for maintaining momentum and keeping national federations engaged.
“It’s very important to choose dates not too close to the World Championships,” he added, acknowledging the need for collaboration with World Aquatics’ Technical Open Water Swimming Committee to ensure the best outcomes for athletes and fans.
Set to take place from May 28 to 31 off Croatia’s Hvar island, the Championships promise to be the main highlight of the European open water swimming calendar, showcasing the continent’s top athletes in a summer for the sport that also includes the 2025 World Aquatics Championships in Singapore.
Prayer reflected on the sport’s steady rise in popularity since its Olympic debut in 2008. “Our discipline has become more and more popular,” he explained, while also acknowledging that open water still faces challenges in visibility: “Unfortunately, the ‘poor’ visibility on TV doesn’t help in comparison with other aquatic disciplines. Triathlon, for example, has more coverage.”
Despite this, Europe remains a powerhouse in the sport.
At the 2024 World Championships, European male swimmers occupied the first nine places in the 5km race and the first four in the 10km event, with their female counterparts sweeping the medals in the 10km and earning gold in the 5km thanks to Sharon van Rouwendaal completing a winning double.
At the Paris Olympics, European men secured the top 10 places in the 10km, with Hungary’s Kristof Rasovszky taking gold ahead of Germany’s Oliver Klemet and his compatriot David Betlehem, while in the women’s 10km gold went to van Rouwendaal with Italy’s Ginevra Taddeucci taking bronze.
Building on the successes of 2024, Prayer is eager to see growth in participation, innovation in event formats, and deeper connections with fans.
“We are trying to add new events like Knockouts and Mixed Team Relays that are more attractive for the public,” he revealed. “And by including mass participation events where ‘normal’ athletes can swim on the same course as the champions, we hope to create more interest around our sport.”
Prayer’s vision for 2025 extends beyond competition results. He hopes to strengthen the sport’s foundations by appointing open water delegates within each national federation, tasked with promoting the discipline and building stronger ties with clubs and athletes.
As open water swimming heads into a pivotal year, with the European Aquatics Open Water Swimming Championships at its heart, Prayer’s passion for the sport is clear. With new formats, enhanced storytelling, and efforts to widen participation, 2025 is shaping up to be a season of both celebration and progress within European open water swimming.
Stephen Stanley for European Aquatics
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