USA Swimming Announces Five-Member Roster For LEN Open Water Cup – Barcelona

USA Swimming announced the five junior athletes who will represent Team USA at the LEN Open Water Cup in Barcelona, Spain, this Saturday. 

The athletes were selected for the team based on their performances at Open Water Nationals this spring in the 10k and junior 7.5k event. This year is an off year for World Junior Open Water Championships, meaning this event serves as the international opportunity for junior open water swimmers. 

U.S. swimmers will not be eligible for awards or prize money with this being a LEN event.

2023 LEN Open Water Cup Athletes 

• Claire Stuhlmacher (Clermont, Fla./Nova of Virigina)  
• Lolly Milbaum (Sarasota, Fla./Sarasota Sharks) 
• Luke Whitlock (Noblesville, Ind./Fishers Area Swimming Tigers)  
• Ryan Erisman (Windermere, Fla./Laker Swim)  
• Gabriel Manteufel (Las Vegas, Nev./Sandpipers of Nevada) 

Claire Stuhlmacher of Nova of Virginia and Lolly Milbaum from the Sarasota Sharks will represent the U.S. in the women’s 10k race. Stuhlmacher took 14th in the 10k at Open Water Nationals, as well as was the runner-up finisher in the junior 7.5k event. Milbaum was 3rd in the junior 7.5k event, finishing about 20 seconds back from Stuhlmacher.

The boy’s roster includes Fishers Area’s Luke Whitlock, Laker Swim’s Ryan Erisman, and the Sandpipers’ Gabriel Manteufel. Whitlock placed 14th in the 10k event at Open Water Nationals, and was 2nd behind Erisman in the 7.5k. Manteufel was 4th in the 7.5k and 17th in the 10k.

Whitlock and Erisman are coming off strong performances at the World Junior Championships in Israel. Erisman won gold as a member of the 4x200m freestyle relay (1:51.51), while Whitlock secured 5th in the 400m free (3:50.46) and 800m free (7:55.00). 

The stop in Barcelona is the sixth and final leg of the LEN Open Water Cup series this year. Racing kicks off on Saturday at 9:30am local time (3:30am ET), and can be streamed here.