FINA

FINA/ARENA SWIMMING WORLD CUP 2009

Stars flock to Durban (RSA) for first leg as World Cup kicks off
Lausanne (SUI) October 15, 2009 – No shortage of stars are scheduled to race this year’s
FINA/Arena Swimming World Cup, including the opener this weekend in Durban (RSA) from
October 16-17, 2009 at the Kings Park Aquatic Centre. Short-course breaststroke world record
holder Cameron van der Burgh (RSA) - also the 50m breaststroke World Champion from the 13th
FINA World Championships in Rome in July, and defending World Cup champion from 2008 –
will swim, as will Roland Schoeman and Gerhard Zandberg, who will clash in the 50m backstroke
against Peter Marshall (USA). Other stars include Markus Rogan (AUS), Steffen Deibler (GER)
and, among women, Jessica Hardy (USA) and breaststroke powerhouse Nadja Higl (SRB).
Australian Marieke Guehrer, who collected US$100,000 in prize money for winning last year's
World Cup overall, will also be in action. She will focus again on her pet event - the 50m butterfly;
the distance over which she is World Champion. She will face the Swedish pair of Therese
Alshammar (second overall in last year's World Cup) and Sarah Sjostrom (100m butterfly World
Champion), as well as three-time Olympian Mandy Loots (RSA). Guehrer's team-mates, including
Sophie Edington (100m backstroke) and Ashley Delaney (100m and 200m backstroke).
Further big names to watch this weekend include the Dutch swimmers Inge Dekker, Ranomi
Kromowidjojo and Hinkelien Schreuder, Germany’s Daniela Samulski, Stefan Nystrand (SWE),
Georgina Bardach (ARG), and representing the home team of South Africa, William Diering,
Lyndon Ferns, Kathryn Meaklim and the young rising star Jessica Liss.
After the Africa stage, the Cup moves to Europe, where three consecutive meets in Moscow (RUS)
on November 6-7, Stockholm (SWE) on November 10-11 and Berlin (GER) on November 14 – 15
will unfold, before the series wraps-up in Singapore on November 21-22, 2009.
In these upcoming legs, the star parade will only increase. The Swedish and German stops will be
highlighted by the participation of the great Micheal Phelps (USA); while the Australian front will
feature the much-anticipated return of butterflier Nick D’Arcy, along with Leisel Jones, Libby
Trickett and Felicity Galvez. Germany’s Paul Biedermann is confirmed for the European legs, as is
Britta Steffen and Brazil’s Felipe Franca Silva.
In Singapore, the Australians will be in full force. An additional 10 swimmers will join the group
there - for the most valuable meet of series where swimmers gain double-points. Additions will
include Jessicah Schipper (quadruple World medallist in Rome), fellow short-course world record
holder Emily Seebohm, Christian Sprenger and Adam Pine. Aaron Peirsol (USA), one of the finest
swimmers in the world, also intends to compete in Singapore, and perhaps in Europe. The presence
of such formidable champions guarantees the competitive level of the 2009 World Cup will be
considerably high

.FINA Communications Department • Tel.: (41-21) 310 4710 • Fax: (41-21) 312 6610 • www.fina.org