ROBERVAL – Dutch Linsy Heister and Alexander Meyer of the United States won 25km titles at the Open Water World Championships in Roberval, Canada, on Thursday.

According to a race report Heister was in second place with 15 kilometers left. With 7.5km remaining she started her progression and her final time of 5 hours, 17 minutes, 46.06 seconds was almost 3 minutes faster than second-place Spanish Margarita Dominguez Cabezas (5:20:25.59) and Celia Barrot of France (5:20:54.74).

Italian World 10km champion Martina Grimaldi was given a red card after 1.5 hours from the start, because she touched the feeding dock.

In the men's event, Meyer registered a time of 5h32:39.38 for victory, just a 1.02 second ahead of World 10km champion Valerio Cleri of Italy (5h32:40.40). Petar Stoychev of Bulgaria (5h33:50.29) was third.

Italy has won the FINA Championship Trophy for teams, with 116 points, just 5 ahead of the USA in a tight tusssle. Russia took third on 62 points.

Also see:

Italian Grimaldi wins women’s 10km world title
Jul 17, 2010

Cleri wins 10km race at open water worlds
Jul 18, 2010