The historic part of the Dutch city of Hoorn is the scenery for the departure and finish point of the 3rd FINA World Junior Open Water Swimming Championships.

From the old harbour a 2.5km lap will leave to the Markermeer as a fresh water lake and come back to the harbour.

31 FINA Member Federations have entered for the Championships where for the first time a 10km event for juniors in the age of 18/19 years old will be part of the programme. The so far Team Event will be held as a 4x1.25km mixed relay in two categories (14-16 years and under 19) with two male and two female competitors . For the 14/15 year-old rockies a 5km race is on the programme and the 16/17 year-old competitors have to swim 7.5km.

Altogether 33 FINA member federations have entered for the three day championships (July 16-18) with eight events.

A great interest has been manifested for the 7.5km race in the 16/17 category as 42 men and 36 women have been entered.

For the 10km event in the 18/19 age category, 36 men and 30 women are in the preliminary starting lists.

In the youngest age group, 14/15, 30 boys and 29 girls will be fighting for the medals. At least 17 mixed relays for the category U19 have entered and nine mixed relays will be in the age category 14-16.

Several medal winners from the last FINA World Junior Open Water Swimming Championships, held in Balatonfüred in Hungary in 2014, are presentin Hoorn. Taylor Abbott (USA) as the 5km champion and team bronze medallist will be now at grab for a medal in the 10km event. There he will face the 2014 bronze medallist in the 5km event and team world youth champion Zhongyi Qiao from China. Both will be challenged by Kirill Belyaev (RUS), who was third in the 7.5km event and runner-up in the team event of the juniors in Balatonfüred.

Simon Lamar (USA), bonze medalist at the Youth in Balatonfured, entered for the 7.5km in Hoorn.

Nikoletta Kiss from Hungary, 2014 double champion in the 7.5km and the junior team event, will now take the departure in the 10km event.

In the 7.km event in Hoorn, Carlotta de Matteo (ITA) is in the field. She finished two years ago as a runner-up in the 5km and the youth team event.

At the previous edition, the six titles were won by China (two), Hungary (two). Russia (one) and USA (one).

Follow the results HERE

Take a look at the start list HERE