USA Swimming News

Wednesday, May 17, 2023

Open Water National Team Announced, Heads to World Aquatics Open Water World Cup


SimonLamar2022OWWorlds885x544


The 12 athletes named to the 2023 U.S. Open Water National Team, presented by Toyota, earned the distinction based on their results from the 2023 Open Water National Championships 10K, which took place April 21-23 in Sarasota, Florida. The top six finishers in the men’s and women’s competitions who earned spots on the team are listed below.

Leah DeGeorge (Jacksonville, Fla./University of Florida)
Mariah Denigan (Walton, Ky./Indiana Swim Club)
Katie Grimes (Las Vegas, Nev./Sandpipers of Nevada)
Kensey McMahon (Jacksonville, Fla./University of Alabama Swim Club)
Ashley Twichell (Fayetteville, N.Y. /TAC Titans)
Claire Weinstein (White Plains, N.Y./Sandpipers of Nevada)

Luke Ellis (Las Vegas, Nev./Sandpipers of Nevada)
Brennan Gravley (Las Vegas, Nev./University of Florida) 
Dylan Gravley (Las Vegas, Nev./Arizona State University)
Simon Lamar (Hacienda Heights, Calif./FAST Swim Team)
Ivan Puskovitch (West Chester, Pa./TSM Aquatics)
Joey Tepper (Egg Harbor Township, N.J./University of Tennessee)

The 10K at the 2023 U.S. Open Water National Championships also served as part of the selection process for the 2023 World Aquatics Championships Team, 2023 Pan American Games Team and 2023 LEN Open Water Cup. Open water international team selection procedures can be found here. The Open Water National Team window is active through May 1, 2024.

All 12 members of the U.S. Open Water National Team, as well as David Heron (Mission Viejo, Calif./Mission Viejo Nadadores), are slated to compete in the World Aquatics Open Water Swimming World Cup May 20-21 in Golfo Aranci, Italy.

Coaching the team in Italy will be Cory Chitwood (Indiana University), Kristen Murslack (University of Florida) and Ron Aitken (Sandpipers of Nevada). Chitwood and Aitken also served as coaches at the 2022 FINA (now World Aquatics) Open Water World Championships.

This World Cup is the final step for athletes looking to qualify for the World Aquatics Open Water Swimming Championships this summer in Fukuoka, Japan, as well as a step toward potential qualification for the Olympic Games in 2024.

Selection procedures for the 2023 World Aquatics Championships Team for open water can be found here. For more information on this World Cup, please click here.

Connect With Our Community