Sydney hosts the action from the seven-stage FINA/ARENA Swimming World Cup 2008 this weekend, where the Olympic Park Aquatic Centre will become an elite 25m showcase. Fans are reminded they can access Cup coverage of the finals via free LIVE streaming on the FINA website, and witness some of the best test their endurance in an effort to win acclaim and prize money. It is most suitable that swimming powerhouse Australia takes a turn staging the Cup this time, as two of their own – Christian Sprenger and Marieke Guehrer - currently lead the overall World Cup ranking.

Sprenger’s top-rank results from his formidable breaststroke skills, demonstrated by a Durban (RSA) win over the 50m in 26.45 to garner 1013 points - the highest tally earned in the Series so far. Before that, in Belo Horizonte (BRA) he won the 100m, among other races, in 58.19 (981 points). In Sydney however, he faces fellow Olympian Brenton Rickard (AUS). Guehrer meanwhile, maintained her lead from Brazil by again obtaining the best female performance in Durban with a 50m butterfly victory in 25.56 (999 points). For Guehrer (AUS) this World Cup is the continuation of a reinvigorated season. A teenage Athens 2004 Olympian, now, at 22, she has re-emerged with force having moved a year ago from Brisbane to Melbourne and new coaching.

This year’s Cup has already welcomed Beijing Olympic 1500m champion Oussama Mellouli (TUN) and Cesar Cielo Filho (BRA, men's 50m free gold medallist), Tara Kirk (USA), Evgeny Korotyshkin and Stanislav Donets (RUS), as well as Mandy Loots, William Diering, Cameron van der Burgh, and Jessica Pengelly (RSA). Alshammar, Nystrand, and Lillhage (SWE) are back, and so is Bal (USA). At home this weekend, Beijing Olympians such as Barratt Bronte, Leith Brodie, Cate Campbell, Ashley Delaney, Felicity Galvez, Belinda Hocking, Kirk Palmer and Emily Seebohm hit the blocks, as well as newcomer Ellen Fullerton.