CASTAIC LAKE, Calif. – Olympian and defending world champion Jordan Wilimovsky (Malibu, Calif./Team Santa Monica) and fellow USA Swimming National Team member Ashley Twichell (Fayetteville, N.Y./ North Carolina Aquatic Club) won the 10-kilometer national titles in convincing fashion Friday to open the USA Swimming Open Water National Championships.

With the victories, Wilimovsky and Twichell clinched berths in the 10K at this summer’s FINA World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, as did the runners up – Brendan Casey (Santa Monica, Calif./Unattached) in the men’s event and two-time Olympian Haley Anderson (Granite Bay, Calif./Trojan Swim Club) in the women’s race.

Men’s 10-kilometer National Championship - Final

Results

1. Jordan Wilimovsky (Malibu, Calif./Team Santa Monica), 1:57:45.61
2. Brendan Casey (Santa Monica, Calif./Unattached), 1:58:37.38
3. Simon Huitenga (Australia), 1:58:38.74

Notes

• Wilimovsky earned his second career 10K Open Water National Championships victory and first since 2015. After capturing the national title two years ago, he went on to win the FINA World Championships title in the same event in Kazan, Russia.
• With the victory today Wilimovsky earned a spot on his third consecutive FINA World Championships roster – 2013, 2015 and 2017. He also was fifth in the 10K at the 2016 Olympic Games.
• Casey touched second to qualify for his first FINA World Championships team. He will join Wilimovsky in the men’s 10K in Budapest, Hungary, on July 18.
• Wilimovsky separated from the lead pack on the fourth lap and never looked back, touching more than 50 seconds clear of the chase pack. 

Quotes

Jordan Wilimovsky: (on the start of the race): “It was a fun race. It was a little cold at the beginning, but I just tried to stay relaxed and swim within the pack the first couple of laps and then build into it and be quick the last two laps and into the finish.”

Wilimovsky (on his finish): “I was confident in my pace and that I would be able to finish pretty strong and pull away at the end.”

Wilimovsky (on qualifying for the FINA World Championships): “I’m just excited to make the team again – make Team USA – and I’ll get back in the pool Monday full training and put in some solid work before Budapest.”

Women’s 10-kilometer National Championship - Final

Results

1. Ashley Twichell (Fayetteville, N.Y./North Carolina Aquatic Club), 2:04:17.84
2. Haley Anderson (Granite Bay, Calif./Trojan Swim Club), 2:05:10.85
3. Rachele Bruni (Italy), 2:05:11.25

Notes

• Twichell won her third career and second straight women’s 10K national title. She also touched first in 2016 and 2012.
• With the victory today Twichell earned a spot on her third FINA World Championships roster – 2012, 2016 and 2017.
• With the runner-up finish, Anderson qualified for her fourth FINA World Championships roster and third straight – 2010, 2013, 2015 and 2017. She is a two-time gold medalist in the 5K and the 2012 Olympic silver medalist in the 10K.     
• Twichell and Anderson will represent Team USA in the FINA World Championships women’s 10K in Budapest, Hungary, on July 16.
• Twichell pulled away from the pack on the third lap continued to build her advantage through the finish, touching nearly 1 minute ahead of the rest of the field.

Quotes

Ashley Twichell: (on taking a commanding lead midway through the race): “It felt really good – definitely not what I was expecting. It wasn’t my strategy going into it, and kind of like with open water, it doesn’t go as planned. An Italian girl took off, and I followed her and looked behind me and was kind of surprised to see that we had a 10-15 meter lead and I just went with it.”

The competition continues over the next two days with Saturday’s first-ever Open Water Junior National Championships 5-kilometer event beginning at 8 a.m. and Sunday’s senior-level 5K national championship at 8 a.m.