Black Line Fever

The champions held, but the field underneath them is moving. In warm, choppy, near-cyclonic conditions at Playa Langosta, Moesha Johnson and Florian Wellbrock opened the 2026-27 World Aquatics Open Water World Cup exactly where they finished the last one, on top, and in two completely different ways.

On this episode of Black Line Fever, Alice Dearing and I break down every race from Stop 1 in Cancún: the swims, the storylines and the silvers nobody saw coming, as open water’s first race back in Mexico since 2015 kicks off an Olympic qualifying season.

From Johnson’s most professional win yet to Wellbrock’s grind-it-out double, the Italian wall in the men’s 10k and two breakthrough medals for Japan, we unpack a weekend of attrition and what it tells us heading toward Budapest 2027.

In This Episode:
🏊‍♂️ Men’s 10km: Wellbrock edges a street fight by 2.7 seconds, Acerenza storms back from elbow surgery for silver, and five Italians land in the top eight.
🏊‍♀️ Women’s 10km: Johnson’s calculated sit-and-strike, Airi Ebina’s gutsy first World Cup podium, and a brutal run of withdrawals in the heat.
🥇 3km Knockout: Wellbrock completes the double, Kajimoto pushes Johnson to the touch, and Lisa Pou’s redemption after withdrawing a day earlier.
🌊 Conditions: 29-degree water, heavy chop and the attrition that shaped the weekend.
🌏 What’s Next: Somabay in March, plus the Australian Open Water Championships and Oceanman on the horizon.

🎧 Tune in for inside analysis, broadcast insight and a full look at how the 2026-27 World Aquatics Open Water World Cup kicked off in Cancún.

Subscribe to Black Line Fever for all the open water storylines that matter and the voices that bring them to life.

The World Cup season begins somewhere new, and for the first time ever, it begins in November. Cancún, Mexico, hosts the opening stop of the 2026-27 World Aquatics Open Water World Cup, launching an Olympic qualifying year that runs all the way to Budapest 2027, with 50,000 US dollars waiting for the overall champion.

On this episode of Black Line Fever, Alice Dearing and I preview the opener: warm, non-wetsuit Caribbean racing, the fields that have made the trip, and the storylines that will shape the season ahead.

From Florian Wellbrock chasing the one title that has eluded him to Moesha Johnson’s bid for back-to-back series glory, we break down who is in form, who has stayed home and why, and what a November start really tells us with four months until the next stop.

In This Episode:
🏊‍♂️ Men’s 10km: Wellbrock hunts a first series title against three of the last four world champions in Betlehem, Olivier and Fontaine, with a stacked Italian pack behind them.
🏊‍♀️ Women’s 10km: Johnson headlines and chases history, with Taddeucci, Lea Boy and Ichika Kajimoto all in the mix.
🌊 Warm Water, New Tactics: non-wetsuit Caribbean racing, the opening sprint lap and backing up for the knockout.
🇲🇽 Home Hero: Paulo Strehlke Delgado carries a nation into the water in Cancún.
💰 What’s at Stake: 50,000 dollars, an Olympic qualifying season and the first points on the board toward Budapest 2027.
🥇 Podium Picks: our completely unprompted predictions for both races.

🎧 Tune in for sharp analysis, broadcast insight and a full look at how the 2026-27 World Aquatics Open Water World Cup kicks off in Cancún.

Subscribe to Black Line Fever for all the open water storylines that matter and the voices that bring them to life.

The 2025 World Aquatics Open Water World Cup season ends in style - sunshine, calm seas, and two deserving champions crowned in Golfo Aranci, Italy.

On this episode of Black Line Fever, Alice Dearing and I look back on the season finale: the defining races, the title twists, and the stories that shaped the year.

From Logan Fontaine’s last-gasp championship win to Ginevra Taddeucci’s emotional home-water triumph, we break down every moment - plus, we revisit our predictions, bring back Sink or Swim, and celebrate the athletes who made 2025 unforgettable.

In This Episode:

🏊‍♂️ Men’s 10km: Fontaine steals the title, Betlehem dominates, Verani delivers on home water.

🏊‍♀️ Women’s 10km: Taddeucci’s control, Johnson’s fight, Martinez Guillen’s consistency.

🌍 World Rankings: Betlehem and Johnson finish the year as World No.1s.

💬 Prediction Review: Who got it right (and who really didn’t).

⚖️ Sink or Swim: One last round for 2025.

🎧 Tune in for race analysis, inside commentary, and a full wrap on an unforgettable season of open-water racing.

Subscribe to Black Line Fever for the stories, rivalries, and voices that make open-water swimming come alive.

The World Cup season ends where it began, in the Mediterranean. Golfo Aranci, Italy, hosts the 2025 World Aquatics Open Water World Cup finale, and with both overall titles still up for grabs, everything is on the line.

On this episode of Black Line Fever, Alice Dearing and I preview the final stop of the year: the course, the contenders, and the championship scenarios that will decide the season.

From Marc-Antoine Olivier’s narrow points lead to Ginevra Taddeucci’s home-water advantage, we break down who can still win, how the world rankings have shifted, and what to expect when 120 of the best hit the water for one last 10km.

In This Episode:

🏊‍♂️ Men’s 10km: France holds the advantage but Italy has home momentum. Olivier, Fontaine and Verani all have something to prove.

🏊‍♀️ Women’s 10km: Taddeucci defends on home soil against Moesha Johnson’s surge and Angela Martinez Guillen’s consistency.

🌍 World Rankings: Betlehem and Johnson climb to World No. 1, shifting the balance of power in open water swimming.

💰 What’s at Stake: $50,000, season titles and a year’s worth of bragging rights.

🥇 Podium Picks: Our final predictions for the men’s and women’s races.

🎧 Tune in for sharp analysis, broadcast insight and a full look at how the 2025 World Aquatics Open Water World Cup season comes to a close in Golfo Aranci.

Subscribe to Black Line Fever for all the open water storylines that matter and the voices that bring them to life.

The World Cup gets cold, tidal, and tactical in Setúbal—where Olympic hopefuls made their final statements before the World Championships.

On this episode of Black Line Fever, Alice Dearing and I break down all four races from Stop 3 of the 2025 World Aquatics Open Water World Cup. From Moesha Johnson’s second win of the season to Marc-Antoine Olivier’s masterclass in patience and positioning, Setúbal delivered moments that will shape how we view the race to Singapore.

We unpack what mattered most: the breakthroughs, the blow-ups, and the athletes putting it all together at the right time.

In This Episode:
🏊‍♀️ Women’s 10km: Moesha Johnson dominates again, but the podium tells a bigger story about Europe’s rising depth.
🏊‍♂️ Men’s 10km: Olivier times it perfectly. Rasovszky gambles and loses. Klemet flies under the radar—again.
⚡ 3km Knockout Sprints: Hungary’s David Betlehem and Japan’s Ichika Kajimoto step into the spotlight.
📊 Predictions Check-In: Alice pulls ahead. Will tries to stay relevant. Ibiza haunts us both.
🚨 Sink or Swim: The final feed, the French surge, and the form line heading into Worlds.

🎧 Tune in for expert analysis, inside-the-booth perspective, and context you won’t find anywhere else.

Subscribe to Black Line Fever for all the open water storylines that matter as we build toward Singapore 2025.

The 2025 World Aquatics Open Water World Cup heads to Setúbal—one of the most iconic and tactical stops on the circuit. With just weeks to go until the World Championships in Singapore, this race looms large in the season narrative.

On this episode of Black Line Fever, Alice Dearing and I preview all the key storylines heading into Setúbal, from Germany’s World Cup dominance to the resurgence of French stars like Marc-Antoine Olivier and Caroline Jouisse. We break down who’s rising, who’s resting, and who’s at risk of being left behind.

In This Episode:

🏊‍♀️ Women’s 10km: Can Moesha Johnson maintain her flawless World Cup streak, or will France’s Jouisse carry her national championship momentum to the top step?

🏊‍♂️ Men’s 10km: With Wellbrock back in the mix, we ask whether anyone can stop the German machine—or if Marc-Antoine Olivier has one more ace up his sleeve.

⚡ 3km Knockout Sprint: Tactical chaos meets raw speed. Who’s built for the back-to-back rounds, and who’s risking burnout before the final?

🇭🇺 Hungarian Dominance: After five golds at the European Championships, we discuss whether Hungary’s momentum will carry into Setúbal.

📈 Power Rankings & Implications: What’s at stake for national selections, World Cup standings, and pre-Worlds confidence?

🎧 Tune in for your complete guide to the Setúbal World Cup, packed with insights, predictions, and the kind of commentary you won’t get on the livestream.

Subscribe to Black Line Fever for expert open water swimming analysis, behind-the-scenes access, and all the major storylines leading to Singapore 2025.

The 2025 World Aquatics Open Water World Cup in Ibiza was a spectacle of strategy, speed, and surprises. With the debut of the 3km Knockout Sprint and unexpected podium finishes, the Mediterranean waters set the stage for a thrilling competition.

This week on Black Line Fever, Alice Dearing and I dissect the races, offering insights into the tactics and performances that defined the event. Thanks to detailed lap split data provided by the Brazilian Sporting Club, we delve deeper into how the races unfolded lap by lap.

In This Episode:

• 🏊‍♀️ Women's 10km: Angela Martínez's triumphant home victory, Celine Rieder's impressive chase, and Viktória Mihályvári-Farkas's strategic moves.

• 🏊‍♂️ Men's 10km: A surprising Italian sweep with Andrea Filadelli, Dario Verani, and Giuseppe Ilario leading the charge.

• ⚡ 3km Knockout Sprint: Lea Boy and Oliver Klemet showcase their sprinting prowess in the inaugural event.

• 📊 Lap Split Analysis: A detailed breakdown of each lap's dynamics, highlighting how the races evolved. Check out all the stats here https://open-water-charts.github.io/oo/oo-ibiza-m-10k.html & https://open-water-charts.github.io/oo/oo-ibiza-w-10k.html

• 🔮 Looking Ahead: What these results mean for the upcoming races in Setúbal and the World Championships.

🎧 Tune in for an in-depth analysis of the Ibiza races, enriched by exclusive data insights.

Subscribe to Black Line Fever for the latest in open water swimming, athlete interviews, and expert race breakdowns.

The World Aquatics Open Water World Cup rolls into Ibiza for Stop #2 of the 2025 season - and with a few big names missing, the door is wide open. Cooler waters, a stunning new venue, and the debut of the 3km Knockout Sprint make this one of the most anticipated races of the year.

This week, Alice Dearing is back on the podcast to preview every angle: the contenders, the conditions, and who might steal the show in Spain. From Olympic medallists like Kristof Rasovszky, Marc-Antoine Olivier and Ana Marcela Cunha, to rising stars like Sacha Velly and Angela Martínez, we break down the names to know and the battles to watch.

💥 In This Episode:🏊‍♂️ Men’s 10km: Rasovszky, Fontaine, Olivier, and Klemet eye the top step - with Betlehem, Pardoe, and Velly ready to disrupt the script.🏊‍♀️ Women’s 10km: With Moesha Johnson out, can Taddeucci take over? Cunha looks to bounce back, and Spain’s Martínez has a home crowd edge.⚡ 3km Knockout Sprint: Fast, furious, and totally unpredictable. Who’s got the speed - and stamina - to win this new format?🌊 Ibiza Insights: Mediterranean conditions, Spanish Nationals crossover, and what’s at stake before Setúbal and Worlds.🎧 Tune in and join the convo - who’s your pick to win in Ibiza? Could a dark horse shake up the standings?

Subscribe to Black Line Fever for open water swimming’s best stories, sharpest insights, and boldest predictions - all season long.

The opening leg of the 2024 World Aquatics Open Water World Cup in Soma Bay delivered everything we love about open water swimming—dominance, drama, and disqualifications. With 19°C water, relentless wind, and high salinity, conditions were brutal, and only the toughest survived.

This week, Alice Dearing joins the podcast as we break down every key moment from the Men’s, Women’s, and Relay races, analyzing who made a statement and who’s got work to do before Worlds.

💥 In This Episode:
🏊 Men’s 10km: Florian Wellbrock in a league of his own, while chaos erupts behind him. Five disqualifications, a wild Money Lap, and some unexpected names in the top 10.
🏊 Women’s 10km: Moesha Johnson dominates, Ana Marcela Cunha misses the move, and Ginevra Taddeucci proves she’s the real deal.
🏊 Mixed Relay: Germany & Australia set the standard—but who else looks dangerous for Worlds?
🔮 What’s Next? Ibiza, Worlds, and the road to Paris—what these results tell us about the year ahead.

🎧 Listen now and join the conversation! What surprised you most in Soma Bay? Who’s looking unbeatable, and who has work to do? Drop us a message and let us know your take!

Subscribe to Black Line Fever for the latest open water swimming insights, race analysis, and exclusive conversations with the athletes and coaches shaping the sport.

An absolute pleasure to have Alice Dearing back on Black Line Fever as we break down everything you need to know ahead of the upcoming World Aquatics Open Water World Cup!

We dive into what to expect from the race, the big names to watch, and the rising stars making waves in the sport. Plus, we take a deep dive into Moesha Johnson’s meteoric rise over the past couple of years and what this event means for the year ahead in open water swimming.

Black Line Fever is your go-to podcast for all things Open Water Swimming! Stay tuned for the latest news, in-depth analysis, and exclusive conversations with the athletes, coaches, and decision-makers shaping the sport.