David Betlehem Emerges With Overall Crown in Dramatic Finish to Open Water World Cup
David Betlehem seized the overall men’s title at the Open Water World Cup following a dramatic finish to the series at the fourth and final stop in Setubal, Portugal.
The decisive race of the men’s series followed the women’s equivalent which was won by Moesha Johnson who’d arrived in Portugal with a commanding lead in the standings which she extended to 1,000pts as she swept the series.
That was in stark contrast to the men with nothing to separate Marc-Antoine Olivier and Andrea Filadelli at the top of the standings and Sacha Velly and Betlehem hot on their heels as just 70 points separated the quartet.
Betlehem and Velly battled it out down the final chute with the Olympic bronze medallist slapping the board first in 1:43:23.70 to 1:43:24.00. Olivier finished third (1:43:28.90) followed by Olympic champion Kristof Rasovszky (1:43:29.00) and Filadelli (1:43:29.00).
It meant that Betlehem finished top of the standings to claim the title with 2430pts followed by Velly (2360), Olivier (2300), Filadelli (2200) and Marcello Guidi (1750).
Florian Wellbrock won the sprint lap before being displaced by Hungarian pair Razovszky and Betlehem with Filadelli and Olivier eighth and 11th respectively.
Paris Olympic champion Rasovszky remained in pole position as Wellbrock swam back into contention with Betlehem third and Velly sixth and the two overall series leaders dropping further back with Filadelli 11th and Olivier 14th.
While Rasovszky continued at the head of the field closely followed by Gregorio Paltrinieri, the battle for the overall title was unfolding behind him as Olivier made his way up to sixth, one place behind Velly, with Filadelli back in 13th.
Velly then made his move, picking his way past his rivals to take the lead. 1.60secs ahead of Olivier with Filadelli now moving through the field into sixth, 3.90secs adrift of the leader and 2.30secs behind Olivier going into the final lap.
It was a thriller with the destination of the overall title coming down to the last lap of the last race of the series.
Betlehem struck for home, picking off his rivals to touch the board in 1:43:23.70, just ahead of Velly (1:43:24.00) with Olivier third in 1:43:28.90 in a race down the finishing chute with Rasovszky (1:43:29.00) and Filadelli (1:43:29.10).
