Dario Verani and Louna Kasvio Claim 10km Titles at European Open Water Cup Opener in Tenero

The European open water season finally has its opening statement. After a weather-induced delay wiped out the spring calendar, the European Aquatics Open Water Swimming Cup hit the water on September 6 in Tenero, Switzerland. Racing on the pristine, flat surface of Lake Maggiore, Italy's Dario Verani and Finland's Louna Kasvio emerged as the 10km champions, navigating a grueling six-lap course that demanded tactical patience before exploding into a pair of chaotic finishes.[1][2]

For 31-year-old Italian distance ace Verani, the 2022 world champion in the 25km, the victory came down to flawless race management. The veteran remained tucked inside the top four at every checkpoint, conserving energy in the draft while the lead pack traded blows. On the final lap, Verani dropped the hammer, pulling away from the field to touch the board in 1:47:19.51.[1][2][4]

Behind Verani, the battle for the podium was an absolute dogfight. A staggering 14.53 seconds separated the top ten finishers after nearly two hours of racing. Poland's 19-year-old rising star Bartosz Kapala claimed second place, finishing 6.52 seconds behind Verani, while Estonia's Jaan Pasko rounded out the podium in 1:47:27.71, securing his country's first-ever medal in the European Cup series.[1][5]

"Today was a perfect day because the water was totally flat and the water temperature was perfect," Verani told European Aquatics following his victory. "I'm happy to do the race in this condition and it's a good way to start the new season. My tactic was to stay back and improve my speed down the final lap, and I'm glad it paid off."[1][2]

The women's 10km event delivered an even tighter climax, culminating in a photo finish that gave 20-year-old Kasvio her first major senior international victory. Kasvio found herself locked in a five-swimmer lead pack for the entirety of the race, trading the lead and fighting for water with Poland's Klaudia Tarasiewicz.[1][2]

In the final meters, Kasvio and Tarasiewicz went stroke for stroke, with the Finnish swimmer hitting the board in 1:56:01.51—a razor-thin 0.06 seconds ahead of her Polish rival. Italy's Iris Menchini secured the bronze medal, finishing 8.58 seconds off the winning pace in 1:56:10.09.[2][4][6]

"It means a lot and I'm super happy with the whole race," said Kasvio, whose father Antti won Olympic bronze in the 200m freestyle at the 1992 Barcelona Games. "It wasn't really my plan to lead for about the whole two hours, but it was still nice and I think it's a good experience to have this kind of race also. I knew I'm maybe in a better shape in this part of the season because I didn't have that much vacation."[2]

The Tenero event officially served as the second stop of the 2026 circuit, but it acted as the de facto season opener after the scheduled April leg in Protaras, Cyprus, was canceled due to severe weather. With the first points now on the board, the European Cup field shifts its focus to the Adriatic Sea, with the next race scheduled for September 26 in Razanac, Croatia, before the October 3 finale in Barcelona.[1][4][6]