The 2025 Open Water Season Crowns New Champions, But Who Deserves the Top Spot?
As the final waves of the Open Water World Cup lapped against the shores of Italy this weekend, the 2025 elite international competition season drew to a close, leaving us with a thrilling conclusion to a year of remarkable performances. With the season’s end, the highly anticipated final rankings were unveiled, marking the first year World Aquatics has officially tracked open water swimmers’ global standings. But here's where it gets controversial: Is the ranking system truly fair, or does it favor consistency over breakthrough moments? Let’s dive in.
The rankings, derived from a complex mathematical formula, consider athletes’ performances over a rolling 24-month period across the Olympics, World Championships, and World Cups, weighted by competition level. For a deeper dive into the methodology, check out the details here (https://swimswam.com/world-aquatics-unveils-brand-new-open-water-world-ranking-system/).
At the pinnacle of this year’s rankings stand Hungary’s David Betlehem (https://swimswam.com/tag/david-betlehem/) and Australia’s Moesha Johnson (https://swimswam.com/tag/moesha-johnson/), who claimed the #1 spots in the men’s and women’s categories, respectively. And this is the part most people miss: While their achievements are undeniable, the journey to the top was anything but straightforward.
Moesha Johnson, 28, has been nothing short of a phenomenon in the past two years. Her silver medal in the women’s 10k at the Paris Olympics marked her arrival on the global stage. But it was her performance in Singapore this summer that solidified her dominance, with double gold in the 5k and 10k, plus a bronze in the inaugural 3k sprint. Johnson’s World Cup victories in Riyadh 2024, Somabay 2025, and Setubal 2025 further cemented her position, even after an 11th-place finish in Italy. Meanwhile, Ginevra Taddeucci (https://swimswam.com/bio/ginevra-taddeucci/) surged to #2 with a standout victory, raising questions: Should a single event’s outcome overshadow a year of consistent excellence?
On the men’s side, David Betlehem’s rise to the top was equally compelling. The 22-year-old’s first-ever World Cup 10k win propelled him past Florian Wellbrock (https://swimswam.com/bio/florian-wellbrock/), who had held the #1 spot. Betlehem’s silver in the 3k knockout sprint in Singapore and bronze in the 10k at the Paris Olympics, coupled with four top-ten finishes at the 2025 Singapore and 2024 Doha World Championships, showcased his versatility and determination. But here’s a thought-provoking question: Does Betlehem’s late surge make him more deserving than Wellbrock’s consistent dominance earlier in the season?
Below, you’ll find the top ten rankings for both men and women, along with their position changes from the start of 2025. Take a look and decide for yourself who you think deserves the spotlight.
Men’s Top Ten
| Rank | Swimmer | Nation | Age | +/- From Start of 2025 |
|------|-----------------------------|--------------|-----|------------------------|
| 1 | David Betlehem (https://swimswam.com/tag/david-betlehem/) | Hungary | 22 | +2 |
| 2 | Florian Wellbrock (https://swimswam.com/bio/florian-wellbrock/) | Germany | 28 | +7 |
| 3 | Kristof Rasovszky | Hungary | 28 | -2 |
| 4 | Oliver Klemet | Germany | 23 | = |
| 5 | Gregorio Paltrinieri | Italy | 31 | +3 |
| 6 | Marc-Antoine Olivier | France | 29 | +1 |
| 7 | Kyle Lee | Australia | 23 | NEW |
| 8 | Martin Straka | Czech Republic | 24 | NEW |
| 9 | Athonasios Kynigakis | Greece | 27 | NEW |
| 10 | Logan Fontaine | France | 26 | -5 |
Women’s Top Ten
| Rank | Swimmer | Nation | Age | +/- From Start of 2025 |
|------|-----------------------------|--------------|-----|------------------------|
| 1 | Moesha Johnson (https://swimswam.com/tag/moesha-johnson/) | Australia | 28 | NEW |
| 2 | Ginevra Taddeucci (https://swimswam.com/bio/ginevra-taddeucci/) | Italy | 28 | +6 |
| 3 | Ana Marcela Cunha | Brazil | 33 | = |
| 4 | Maria de Valdes | Spain | 26 | NEW |
| 5 | Lisa Pou | Monaco | 26 | NEW |
| 6 | Bettina Fabian | Hungary | 20 | = |
| 7 | Ichika Kajimoto | Japan | 21 | NEW |
| 8 | Caroline Laure Jouisse | France | 31 | +1 |
| 9 | Mariah Denigan | United States | 22 | -5 |
| 10 | Viviane Jungblut | Brazil | 29 | -3 |
For the full rankings, visit:
- Men’s Rankings: (https://www.worldaquatics.com/open-water/rankings?gender=M&countryId=)
- Women’s Rankings: (https://www.worldaquatics.com/open-water/rankings?gender=F&countryId=)
Now, we want to hear from you: Do you think the current ranking system accurately reflects the best open water swimmers, or does it need adjustments? Should consistency or peak performances carry more weight? Share your thoughts in the comments below—let’s spark a debate!
