Cool Swim Meeting Merano
The premier international swimming meet in the Olympic-sized pool at the Merano Lido
About Cool Swim Meeting
An international meet in the heart of Merano
The Cool Swim Meeting is an international swimming event held annually at the Merano Lido in the municipality of Merano/Meran, in the province of Bolzano (Trentino-South Tyrol). Established in 2016 through a collaboration between local swimming clubs, the meeting has grown with each edition to become one of the most significant events of the Italian and European summer, attracting elite athletes from numerous nations.
The fastest pool in the Alps
At the heart of the event is the 50-meter Olympic pool at the Merano Lido, inaugurated in 2014 and designed to be one of the fastest pools in the world. The quality of the facility, combined with the alpine backdrop of the spa town, explains why so many champions choose Merano to prepare for the season's international competitions; it is here that meeting records and top-tier performances are regularly set.
Race format and fast heats
The program spans three days (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday) divided into four sessions. The format includes heats in the morning and afternoon, with the highly anticipated fast heats at the end of each day, where the top swimmers compete before the crowd. The opening ceremony takes place after Friday's fast heats. The prize pool and awards for best performances and meeting records contribute to making the races particularly competitive.
Champions and the National Team in training
The Cool Swim Meeting is included in the LEN calendar (European Swimming League) and hosts the Italian National Team, which chooses Merano as a training base ahead of major summer competitions. Over the years, the Merano pool has seen Olympic and World champions in action, with the participation of clubs and athletes from various European and international nations.
A televised event
The importance of the event is highlighted by the live television broadcast on Raisport HD and RaiPlay Sport 2, which covers the evening sessions and fast heats, bringing the swimming action from Merano into homes across Italy. Certified as a Green Event, the meeting combines high-level sports, environmental awareness, and the vibrant summer atmosphere of the Merano Lido.
Cool Swim Meeting — edition 2026
The tenth edition of the Cool Swim Meeting
From June 19 to 21, 2026, the Merano Lido hosted the tenth edition of the Cool Swim Meeting, a historic milestone that solidified the event's position as one of the most important on the Italian and European swimming calendar. For the second year in a row, the event was included in the LEN calendar.
Numbers and participants
The edition recorded approximately 800 entries representing around sixty clubs and eight nations — Italy, San Marino, Germany, Austria, Brazil, Switzerland, Bahrain, and Spain. The Italian National Team once again chose Merano for its training camp, led by 100m breaststroke world champion Simone Cerasuolo and Lisa Angiolini, with the presence of Carlos D'Ambrosio, Manuel Frigo, Leonardo Deplano, Paolo Conte Bonin, and Anita Gastaldi, among others.
Program and live coverage
The races were held over four sessions (one on Friday, two on Saturday, one on Sunday), with fast heats at the end of each day. The evening sessions and fast finals were broadcast live on Raisport HD and RaiPlay Sport 2, with commentary by Tommaso Mecarozzi and technical analysis by Luca Sacchi.
Programme Cool Swim Meeting 2026
Race sessions
- Friday, June 19 — Session 1: 50m freestyle, 200m backstroke, 100m breaststroke, 200m butterfly. Session 2: 50m backstroke, 400m freestyle. Followed by the opening ceremony.
- Saturday, June 20 — Session 3: 200m freestyle, 50m butterfly, 400m individual medley, 50m breaststroke. Session 4: 1500m freestyle, 100m freestyle, 4x50m medley relay.
- Sunday, June 21 — Session 5: 200m breaststroke, 100m backstroke, 200m individual medley, 100m butterfly, 800m freestyle, 4x50m freestyle relay.
- Fast heats at the end of each day.
Highlights Cool Swim Meeting 2026
Prices Cool Swim Meeting 2026
Practical information — Cool Swim Meeting
Getting there
The Merano Lido is located at Via Lido 38, about a 5-minute walk from the central Merano train station. By car, it can be reached from Bolzano via the MeBo expressway (Bolzano-Merano).
Admission
Access to the Lido to watch the races is included with the facility's standard entry ticket (approx. €7.40 for adults, available at the Lido ticket office). No reservation is required.
Information
Cool Swim Meeting Organizing Committee — [email protected] — www.coolswim.it. Evening sessions are broadcast live on Raisport HD and RaiPlay Sport 2.
Festival-goer photos
No photos yet. Share yours!
Share your photos
5 photos max, 5 MB per photo (JPG, PNG, WebP)
Noticed an error or missing information?
Help us keep this listing up to date. Every proposal is verified by our team before publication.
Festival-goer reviews
No rating yet — be the first!
No comments yet. Be the first!
Were you there?
Share your experience with the community.
Where does it take place — Cool Swim Meeting
Lido di Merano
Via Lido 38, 39012 Merano/Meran