Mainstone’s Pack Mission

WAIS open water swimmer Rhys Mainstone will this Sunday take on the world’s best at the FINA 10km Open Water event in Eilat, Israel.

Part of FINA’s eight leg World Cup series, Mainstone will compete internationally for the first time in 2012, where he can expect to race against the best in the business according to his coach Mel Tantrum.

“Rhys will be part of a field of 70 swimmers in Eilat, and the objective will be to experience racing in a top level pack,” she said.

Mainstone – who last February claimed a second 10km open water National Championship in Perth – is eyeing an aggressive race strategy in Israel as he attempts to make his mark on the international scene.

“He will be learning to attack when they attack, and we’ll see how he reacts to that,” Tantrum said. “He’ll look to get into a strong position against good international quality. He’s used to swimming in packs of 10, but here, the top groups will be more like 20 or 30 and they will be attacking.”

Whilst the Eilat event will be Mainstone’s first international event for 2012, he has previously competed in world cup and world championship competition. In 2009 Mainstone fetched a sixth place finish in Dubai whilst still a teenager, and just last year, the Broome-raised swimmer earned a fifth place finish in an open water event in Hawaii in huge field of over 800 competitors.

For more news on the third leg of the 2012 FINA open water World Cup series, visit http://www.iswim.org.il/#with results to be posted following the race on Sunday.