2009 World Swimming Championships in Rome

The tentative dates for the open water races at the 2009 World Swimming Championships are July 19th (women's and men's 5K), July 21st (women's 10K), July 22nd (men's 10K), July 24th (women's 25K) and July 25th (men's 25K - although the race may be combined with the women's 25K race on July 24th).

NBC will televise the 2009 World Swimming Championships, although coverage of the open water races is currently not planned.

The location of the races has not been confirmed, but one strong candidate is "Rome's beach" a stretch of the Mediterranean coast near the Rome airport where the water is usually water and rough.

Photo of Larisa Illchenko, Olympic 10K Marathon Swim gold medalist, winning her first gold medal at the 2004 World Open Water Swimming Championships in Dubai over Ksenia Popova of Russia and Sara McLarty of the USA. Photo by Steven Munatones.