Thursday, March 31, 2022
High Stakes on the Line This Week at U.S. Open Water National & Junior Championships
The nation's top open water talents will be on full display this week as they vie for numerous roster spots at the U.S. Open Water National & Junior Championships. The competition will take place April 1-3 at the Lynn Hall Beach Park in Fort Myers Beach, Fla.
Among the top seeds are Tokyo Olympians Erica Sullivan, Michael Brinegar and Katie Grimes. The Olympic trio are joined on the psych sheet by Open Water National Team members Mariah Denigan, Leah DeGeorge and the brother duo of Dylan and Brennan Gravley,
Open Water World Championships competitor David Heron is also on the psych sheet for Fort Myers and will look to repeat his successes from last year's event, where he finished first in both the 5K and the 10K, marking the first time in nine Open Water National Championships appearances where he captured both event titles.
The three-day competition has a lot on the line, as it will jump start the paths for top finishers to make the upcoming U.S. Open Water National Team and U.S. Open Water National Junior Team as well as the 2022 FINA Open Water World Championships U.S. team and 2022 FINA World Junior Open Water Championships U.S. teams. Details on qualifying procedures can be found below.
2022 U.S. Open Water National Team Selection
The 2022 U.S. Open Water National Team, which will be active May 1-October 31, 2022, will be based on the top six male and top six female finishers in the 10K event at the 2022 Open Water National Championships. The race will take place Friday, April 1, 2022.
2022-2023 U.S. Open Water National Team Selection
Selection to the 2022-23 U.S. Open Water National Team, which will be active November 1, 2022-May 1, 2023, will be decided based on a results-based points system across two domestic and four international open water competitions. At the conclusion of these competitions, the top six male and top six female swimmers with the most points will be named to the 2022-23 U.S. Open Water National Team. The full U.S. Open Water National Team selection criteria can be found here.
2022 FINA Open Water World Championships U.S. Selection
Selection to the U.S. roster for the 2022 FINA Open Water World Championships, which takes place June 26-30 in Budapest, Hungary, will follow a similar points-based system. Points will be distributed to top finishers from the 2022 Open Water National Championships 5K and 10K events, as well as top finishers in the events at the 2022 FINA Marathon Swim World Series in Portugal, which takes place May 28-29, 2022. Following the results of the two competitions, the six male and six female swimmers with the most points will represent the U.S. at the 2022 FINA Open Water World Championships. To view the full selection criteria for the 2022 FINA Open Water World Championships, click here.
U.S. Open Water National Junior Team Selection
The U.S. Open Water National Junior Team will be comprised of the top two male and top two female finishers in the 10K at the Open Water National Championships, the top finishing male and female from a 10K race to be held in October (details announced at a later date), the top finishers from the junior 7.5K event at the Open Water Junior National Championships and any male or female individual medalist at the 2022 FINA Open Water World Junior Championships. To view the full U.S. Open Water National Junior Team selection criteria, click here.
2022 FINA World Junior Open Water Championships Selection
Selection for the 2022 FINA World Junior Open Water Championships, which will take place September 1-4 in Beau Vallon, Seychelles, will be based off the following age-group finishers from the 2022 Open Water National Junior Championships:
• Top two male, top two female finishers from the 5K Junior Nationals (14-15 Age Group)
• Top two male, top two female finishers from the 7.5K Junior Nationals (16-17 Age Group)
• Top two male, top two female finishers from the 10K Nationals (18-19 Eligible Athletes)
Among the top seeds are Tokyo Olympians Erica Sullivan, Michael Brinegar and Katie Grimes. The Olympic trio are joined on the psych sheet by Open Water National Team members Mariah Denigan, Leah DeGeorge and the brother duo of Dylan and Brennan Gravley,
Open Water World Championships competitor David Heron is also on the psych sheet for Fort Myers and will look to repeat his successes from last year's event, where he finished first in both the 5K and the 10K, marking the first time in nine Open Water National Championships appearances where he captured both event titles.
The three-day competition has a lot on the line, as it will jump start the paths for top finishers to make the upcoming U.S. Open Water National Team and U.S. Open Water National Junior Team as well as the 2022 FINA Open Water World Championships U.S. team and 2022 FINA World Junior Open Water Championships U.S. teams. Details on qualifying procedures can be found below.
2022 U.S. Open Water National Team Selection
The 2022 U.S. Open Water National Team, which will be active May 1-October 31, 2022, will be based on the top six male and top six female finishers in the 10K event at the 2022 Open Water National Championships. The race will take place Friday, April 1, 2022.
2022-2023 U.S. Open Water National Team Selection
Selection to the 2022-23 U.S. Open Water National Team, which will be active November 1, 2022-May 1, 2023, will be decided based on a results-based points system across two domestic and four international open water competitions. At the conclusion of these competitions, the top six male and top six female swimmers with the most points will be named to the 2022-23 U.S. Open Water National Team. The full U.S. Open Water National Team selection criteria can be found here.
2022 FINA Open Water World Championships U.S. Selection
Selection to the U.S. roster for the 2022 FINA Open Water World Championships, which takes place June 26-30 in Budapest, Hungary, will follow a similar points-based system. Points will be distributed to top finishers from the 2022 Open Water National Championships 5K and 10K events, as well as top finishers in the events at the 2022 FINA Marathon Swim World Series in Portugal, which takes place May 28-29, 2022. Following the results of the two competitions, the six male and six female swimmers with the most points will represent the U.S. at the 2022 FINA Open Water World Championships. To view the full selection criteria for the 2022 FINA Open Water World Championships, click here.
U.S. Open Water National Junior Team Selection
The U.S. Open Water National Junior Team will be comprised of the top two male and top two female finishers in the 10K at the Open Water National Championships, the top finishing male and female from a 10K race to be held in October (details announced at a later date), the top finishers from the junior 7.5K event at the Open Water Junior National Championships and any male or female individual medalist at the 2022 FINA Open Water World Junior Championships. To view the full U.S. Open Water National Junior Team selection criteria, click here.
2022 FINA World Junior Open Water Championships Selection
Selection for the 2022 FINA World Junior Open Water Championships, which will take place September 1-4 in Beau Vallon, Seychelles, will be based off the following age-group finishers from the 2022 Open Water National Junior Championships:
• Top two male, top two female finishers from the 5K Junior Nationals (14-15 Age Group)
• Top two male, top two female finishers from the 7.5K Junior Nationals (16-17 Age Group)
• Top two male, top two female finishers from the 10K Nationals (18-19 Eligible Athletes)