By Will Baxley on SwimSwam
2025 World Aquatics Open Water Swimming World Cup – Stop 4
- 10/10-10/11/25
- Golfo Aranci, Sardinia, Italy
- Full Men’s 10k Results
Capping off a successful year, David Betlehem roared home to win the 10k on the final stop of the 2025 Open Water World Cup. Logan Fontaine, who scored silver, topped the Cup’s overall standings.
Not allowing the sudden heavy rain mid-race to shake his psyche, Betlehem had the fastest final lap by splitting from the pack by taking a different line than previously. This, coupled with a surge in the final hundred meters, let the Hungarian to a three-second victory in 1:53:28.20.
Betlehem, who recently turned 22, has been a top name in open water swimming for a couple years now, particularly in shorter distances. Lately, however, he has found a winning stride in the 10k distance. The NC State Swimmer won the distance in the European Open Water Cup for the first time in September. Today, he added a World Cup title to his belt. Bethlehem enters 2026 a bigger contender in the distance than ever before.
With this swim, he also ascends to #1 on the world rankings, surpassing Florian Wellbrock.
For a second time in this year’s World Cup series, Logan Fontaine earned the 10k silver. This placing put him at the top of the overall standings. Fontaine keeps the trophy in France’s possession, as Marc Antoine Olivier won the title in 2024. Antoine-Olivier sits in second overall, with Italy’s Dario Verani in third.
With a home crowd cheering them on, Italy impressively occupied five of the top ten spots. Verani led the charge for his country, earning himself a bronze medal. His countrymates, Andrea Filadelli, Marcello Guidi, Domenico Acerenza, and Giuseppe Ilario.
China’s Ziyang Zhang stood as the lone non-European in yesterday’s top ten, coming in at 8th.
Antoine-Olivier, last year’s overall world cup winner, faded to 14th after taking a lead early in the race. Kristof Rasovszky, the reigning European Champion in the event, finished 44th, over three minutes behind his country mate Betlehem.
The entire 10k podium from the World Championships in Singapore – Florian Wellbrock, Gregorio Paltrinieri, and Kyle Lee – did not compete.
Video:
Read the full story on SwimSwam: David Betlehem Claims Open Water World Cup 10k Gold In Italy; Fontaine Gets Overall High Point
