Petar Stoychev (BUL) is the overall winner of the 2008 FINA Open Water Swimming Grand Prix for the eighth consecutive year, after his first victory in the series in 2001! In the last event of this season, in Sumidero (Chiapas, Mexico), the Bulgarian champion did not finish the 15km-race, but his advance in the general rankings was enough to secure another win in the Series, with a total of 126 points. In 2008, Stoychev got six wins out of the nine races in the programme – since 1999, he has now an accumulated number of 43 victories -, and was followed by Brendan Capell (AUS, 89 points, sixth in Mexico) and Stéphane Gomez (FRA, 84 points, fourth in Chiapas).

Among women, Natalia Pankina (RUS) closed her brilliant 2008 season with a sixth place in Mexico and the triumph in the overall ranking (110 points) – the Russian star won four races during this year’s circuit. She was followed by Germany’s Stefanie Biller (99) and Spain’s Esther Nuñez Morera (winner in 2007) with 85 points.

2008 GENERAL RANKING & PRIZE MONEY
MEN

1. Petar Stoychev (BUL) / 126 pts / US$ 15,000
2. Brendan Capell (AUS) / 89 pts / US$ 10,000
3. Stéphane Gomez (FRA) / 84 pts / US$  5,000

WOMEN
1. Natalia Pankina (RUS) / 110 pts / US$ 15,000
2. Stefanie Biller (GER) / 99 pts / US$ 10,000
3. Esther Nuñez Morera (ESP) / 85 pts / US$ 5,000

On October 18, 2008 in Sumidero, the men’s race was a tough fight between five swimmers. In the end, Ivan Lopez (MEX) got his first win of the year, finishing in 3h13m52s. Russia’s Daniil Serebrennikov (bronze medallist in the fifth race of the season in Sabac) got silver after touching less than one second behind Lopez and Damian Blaum (ARG) was third, half a second slower than the Russian.

The women’s race was not so close, with Germany’s Britta Kamrau-Corestein winning in 3h18m25s, followed by Alejandra Gonzalez (MEX, five minutes slower) and Esther Nuñez Morera (ESP) in 3h24m36s.

MEDALLISTS in Sumidero
MEN:
1. Ivan Lopez (MEX) 3h13m52s; 2. Daniil Serebrennikov (RUS) 3h13m53s40; 3. Damian Blaum (ARG)    3h13m53s97

WOMEN: 1. Britta Kamrau-Corestein (GER) 3h18m25s; 2. Alejandra Gonzalez (MEX) 3h23m18s; 3. Esther Nuñez Morera (ESP) 3h24m36s