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Horner achieves career first at FINA Marathon Swimming World Cup

News, Swimming –

ROBERVAL, QUEBEC – Stéphanie Horner and Philippe Guertin each took a major step by winning 10-km open water races at the FINA marathon swimming World Cup meet at Lac St. Jean on Thursday.

Horner, the converted pool competitor, won her first 10-km open water race, maintaining a controlled pace to win in two hours six minutes 15 seconds. The Beaconsfield, Que., native outlasted two open water veterans, the United States’ Emily Brunemann (2:06:16, silver) and Germany’s Angela Maurer (2:06:20, bronze).

Guertin, of St-Hubert, Que., won the men’s race in 1:57:05, ahead of American Charles Peterson (1:57:09, silver) and Germany’s Andreas Waschburger (1:57:20, bronze). Eric Hedlin (1:57:21) made a push for the medial podium. Reigning Olympic bronze medallist Richard Weinberger (1:57.26) finished fifth after experiencing breathing issues.

“Overall, that was my first 10 kilometres race that I’ve ever won, so I’m very happy about that,” said Horner, who swam in the 2008 and ’12 Olympics before switching disciplines. “I didn’t know I would be that strong. What I was really focusing on was using today as a stepping-stone for Rio, rehearse how I would swim in Rio, my tactics and whatnot .. I was in control and wasn’t at that [physical] threshold where you get scared.

“Going into Rio, I’m probably 22nd or 23rd out of 25 people. My coaches think if I’m top 15 that would be really good for me. I’m new to the sport. It’s definitely encouraging. It’s a boost. We don’t race in Rio until Aug. 15, so that gives me like an extra week and a half to train and work on tactics.”

In the men’s race, Guertin and Peterson separated from the pack at around the 3-km mark and never looked back.

“To be back on the senior national team means everything to me right now,” Guertin said. “I missed the team for [the 2015 worlds] last year because I broke my hand during the selection [phase] when I hit it on a buoy.

“Today I dove in the water and took the lead from the beginning. I just felt good. I didn’t feel that made a push. It was just that when the waves started to pick up, I started to get a better lead, and I just tried to keep that to the end.”

I didn’t know I would be that strong. What I was really focusing on was using today as a stepping-stone for Rio, rehearse how I would swim in Rio. – Stéphanie Horner

Weinberger noted that a relatively small field contributed to better than 1:1 ratio of boats to competitors. The Moose Jaw, Sask., native said he was just past the 2-km mark when he encountered difficulty.

“I’m very positive about this race,” Weinberger said. “I was third in Hungary [at the last World Cup meet on June 18]. Fifth is not a bad position to be in, considering the competition I was in with, from Canada. They were 100 per cent here. Congratulations to Philippe

“I find of perfected my stroke during the race,” Weinberger added. “On the far end away from the start and finish pontoon and the touch-pad, there was a lot of chop and it helped my stroke. I had really good fitness. What happened in the race was I started having a breathing issue and couldn’t kick into my fast gear. I noticed an issue at around 1½ laps.

“I know what I can fix. I’ll be better prepared for this sort of environment in Rio.”

By virtue of being the first two Canadians to finish other than the two Olympians, Hedlin, Guertin, Jade Dusablon and Breanne Siwicki will be considered by Swimming Canada’s selection committee for the 2017 FINA World Aquatics Championships.

Dusablon finished fourth on Thursday in 2:06:55. Siwicki was sixth in 2:09.04.