Mare Nostrum 3
Courtesy SwimNews. As Shanghai world titles get closer, some of those gunning for honours leave the 2011 Mare Nostrum Tour behind confident in their consistency and sharpness five weeks out from the big meet.

Japan's Ryosuke Irie and fellow-countrywoman Shiho Sakai have won the 2011 Trohpy.

The tour closing session in Monte Carlo this evening witnessed six meet records, all heartening for the breakers riding a wave into China:

WOMEN
400m free: Camille Muffat (FRA) 4:05.46
100m backstroke: Anastasia Zueva (RUS) 59.37
200m butterfly: Natsumi Hoshi (JPN) 2:06.92

MEN
200m backstroke Ryosuke Irie (JPN) 1:54.34
100m breaststroke: Alex Dale Oen (NOR) 1:00.24
400m medley: Laszlo Cseh (HUN) 4:13.27

Evans Is Back
Courtesy SwimNews. Janet Evans, for so long the world 400m and 800m free record holder, is 39 and working her way back to form in the race pool.

Much hype about what she might be capable of was set in the context of two masters records this weekend 15 years after her last big competitive moment: 4:23.82 and 8:59.06 at the eponymous meet she took part in, the Janet Evans Invitational in Fullerton, Orange County. "I think it really shows me where my training is, and it's right about where I thought it was," she told reporters.

The 39-year old mother of two returned to the pool in October and has not ruled out a stab at another Olympic Games. She will need to be travelling 4-5sec faster ever 100m to be in the frame.

Open water, 25km Italian Nationals
World Champion Valerio Cleri and silver medallist Giorgia Consiglio have won the Italian title in the 25km open water swimming in Piombino (Tuscany) on Saturday.

Leading results:

WOMEN
1. Giorgia Consiglio 6h12:21.9
2. Martina Grimaldi 6h12:22.0
3. Alice Franco 6h14:11.9

MEN
1. Valerio Cleri 5h48:15.8
2. Edoardo Stochino 5h249:51.0
3. Andrea Amedeo 5h57:03.8