The World Aquatics Open Water Swimming World Cup 2024 is set to kick off this weekend

The Open Water Swimming World Cup starts this weekend in Soma Bay, Egypt, just a month and a half after the World Championships in Doha, Qatar. This year is an important year for the sport with several major events, including the World Championships, European Championships, the Olympic Games, and Short Course World Championships. The Open Water Swimming World Cup provides athletes with another opportunity to showcase their talent on the world stage.

The competition will take place over two days, with 44 men and 36 women competing in the first leg of the Open Water Swimming World Cup. The Women's and Men's 10km will start on Saturday, and the Mixed 4 x 1500m relay will finish on Sunday. The overall prize money this year will be USD 350,000, with each stop awarding USD 30,000 to the best swimmers. The winners of the 10km will receive a check for USD 3,500, while first place in the Mixed Relay will receive a check for USD 5,000.

There will be three categories open for awards: World Cup Leader, World Cup Sprint Leader, and World Cup Junior Leader. The overall World Cup Leaders will earn USD 50,000, the runners-up USD 35,000, and the third-ranked swimmer will receive USD 25,000. The individual World Cup Sprint Leader (men and women) who has accumulated the most points in that category within the 10km event during the year will be awarded USD 10,000, and the World Cup Junior Leader will earn USD 10,000.

There are several athletes to watch out for in the upcoming race. Leonie Beck, who won the gold medal in Soma Bay last year, is aiming to demonstrate a show of strength ahead of the Olympic Games Paris 2024. Ana Marcela Cunha, the reigning Olympic champion, is hoping to secure another win after finishing in third place in the 5km and fourth in the 10km in Doha. French swimmer Caroline Jouisse, who finished third overall last year, is expected to push herself even further this season as she prepares to compete in her home Olympics.

In the men's category, Kristof Rasovszky, the reigning World Champion and last year's overall World Cup winner, is aiming to finish on the podium in Soma Bay after missing it last year by 0.5 seconds. French swimmer Marc-Antoine Olivier and Italian swimmers Domenico Acerenza, Gregorio Paltrinieri, and Marcello Guidi are also expected to perform well.

The first three stages of the World Aquatics Open Water World Cup, which are held in Somabay, Golfo Aranci, and Setubal, are crucial stepping stones for athletes as they prepare for the Olympic Games Paris 2024.