The day prior to the FINA/HOSA Marathon Swim World Series in Doha, the water was tested and approved by hundreds of local kids and adults who took the plunge at the Corniche.

Three family-friendly races, divided into several heats due to the popularity of the event, were available.

1. 400m 11-12-year-old

2. 800m 15-17-year-old

3. 1200m 18 and over

As the morning training sessions of the elite finished, over 360 Qatari kids from the neighbouring schools and adults gathered for the challenge to sample the exact same experience as the world’s best swimmers participating in the Series on Saturday. Families of the braves were watching from the shores with the Doha skyline in the horizon.

The goal of the Open Water Challenge was to enable people of all abilities to swim the same course on Doha’s picturesque Corniche.

The exclusive experience also saw participants enjoy the same facilities and full services as the elite athletes, including the athlete pre-race call-room, the same starting platform, live athlete tracking and entering the post-race mixed zone, enabling everyone to be a world-class athlete for the day and hopefully inspire the young talents of tomorrow.

Commenting on the Open Water Challenge, President of the Qatar Swimming Association (QSA) and FINA Bureau Member, Khalil al-Jabir, said:

‘While we aim to organise the FINA /HOSA Marathon Swim World Series to the highest possible level for all participants, our ambitions go far beyond this. We are determined to use the opportunity to grow and develop swimming by showcasing the sport to new audiences and creating an enjoyable and memorable experience for everyone.”

The RESULTS of the OPEN WATER CHALLENGE, provided by Microplus, can be found here.

The women’s elite competition take place Saturday March 17, 2018 at 08:30, while the men’s competition is at 13:30.

Follow all the actions of the elite races on FINAtv.