While the Australian pool team is enjoying a golden run in Kazan at the World Championships, long distance specialist Rhys Mainstone is the new leader in the FINA World Cup 10km Open Water Series.
West Australian Mainstone claimed victory in the FINA World Cup 10km event on Canada’s Lake Megantic on the weekend to cap off a huge month of action.
“I am really happy and excited to win my last race on the [FINA World Cup] tour,” Mainstone said.
“It’s been a very busy period for me and this is the perfect way to wrap things up before heading home.”
It was a record breaking weekend for the 25 year old.
Not only does the win take him to the top of the World Cup series, he also becomes the first Australian to claim three World Cup events.
Impressively, he did it against the best swimmers in world, with several athletes flying straight from Kazan to compete in the only 10km point-to-point race of the series.
In one of the closest finishes ever seen, eight athletes finished within three seconds, with Mainstone taking the win from three time Olympian Allen De Carmo.
It brings an end a whirlwind month for the Australian, which has seen him compete in five races and churn out more than 60km in the water racing.
During the period he claimed a win at the Lake Magog Pro and a second in the previous World Cup event.
Mainstone will now head home for a well-deserved rest.
WATCH – After 10km of action you could throw a blanket over the finish
Toute une fin! Trois secondes séparent le premier de la huitième place! What a finish! Three seconds between the first and eight place. @LFMégantic #worldcup
Posted by Gabriel Filippi on Saturday, 8 August 2015