Mainstone Swim Overshadowed by Tragedy

WAIS swimmer and City of Perth club member, Rhys Mainstone placed fifth at the FINAWorld Cup in the 10km marathon in Dubai, UAE over the weekend.

The result further strengthens Mainstone’s growing reputation in the open water ranks, with his WAIS coach Matt Magee heralding his 20 year-old charge.

“It was a superb performance off the back of a roller-coaster year, which including Rhys being pulled from the water at the world championships in Canada suffering from hypothermia,” Magee said.

The race was won by German marathon supremo Thomas Lurz, but the event was overshadowed by the drowning death of World Championship medallist Fran Crippen of the USA.

Crippen failed to finish the race and a subsequent search found his body.Due to the tragic event and out of respect for Crippen,the Australian Swim Team has decided to depart immediately for home and will not participate in the next roundof the World Cup which will be heldthis week in Abu Dhabi.