COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – USA Swimming announced on Friday the coaches and participants for the World Aquatics Open Water Championships – Fukuoka 2023. Competition is scheduled for July 15-20 (July 14, 15, 17, 19 in the U.S.), at Fukuoka’s Seaside Momochi Beach Park.

Ron Aitken, head coach and executive director of the Sandpipers of Nevada, will serve as head coach with Cory Chitwood serving as assistant coach. Chitwood has been a member of the Indiana University swimming coaching staff for the last four seasons.

Aitken and Chitwood were members of the U.S. coaching staff for the World Aquatics Open Water Swimming World Cup this May in Golfo Aranci, Italy. The duo also served as coaches at the 2022 FINA (now World Aquatics) Open Water World Championships.

“It’s been an exciting spring of open water racing,” USA’s Swimming’s National Team Open Water Director Bryce Elser said. “Coach Aitken and Coach Chitwood bring extensive experience in the sport and international competitions. In the last several years, both Ron and Cory have proven their ability to work with our Open Water National Team Athletes and I am extremely confident in their ability to set the team up for some successful swims in Fukuoka. We’re looking forward to seeing the hard work put in by our athletes when they take the water in Japan.”

Schedule (dates in Japan):

July 15 – women’s 10K

July 16 – men’s 10K

July 18 – women’s 5K, men’s 5K

July 20 – mixed 4x1500m relay

Athletes:

Mariah Denigan (Jacksonville, Fla./University of Florida) – 10K, 5K

Katie Grimes (Las Vegas, Nev./Sandpipers of Nevada) – 10K, 5K

Brennan Gravley (Las Vegas, Nev./University of Florida) – 10K, 5K

Dylan Gravley (Las Vegas, Nev./Arizona State University) – 5K

Joey Tepper (Egg Harbor Township, N.J./University of Tennessee) – 10K

All athletes named to both the open water and pool teams are eligible to swim in the relay. Selection procedures for American open water athletes qualifying to compete at the World Aquatics Championships can be found here. More information on the 2023 World Aquatics Championships can be found here.

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