Italian Open Water Swimming Championships – Absolute and Category

Italian open water swimming in Piombino

The Italian Open Water Swimming Championships – Absolute and Category is the premier event awarding national titles in open water swimming, organized by the Italian Swimming Federation (FIN). In 2026, the event took place in the waters of Piombino, in the province of Livorno, at the northern tip of the Etruscan Coast in Tuscany. The headquarters and the start/finish area were set up in the waters facing the iconic Piazza Bovio, a famous terrace shaped like a ship's prow extending into the Tyrrhenian Sea, with the Gulf of Baratti serving as an alternative venue in case of adverse weather conditions.

A week of sea racing

The event spans several days, showcasing the various facets of Italian open water swimming. Alongside the Absolute races, the program features Category championships for young swimmers and the Regional Trophy, where regional committee teams compete against one another. The scheduled distances include:

• the 10 km, the flagship Olympic event;
• the 5 km;
• the knockout sprint, a spectacular elimination format over short distances;
• the 2.5 km and events reserved for youth categories.

Races are held in the early morning, with athlete gatherings between 7:00 and 8:00 AM, when the sea is generally calmer—a choice that also provides a particularly striking view of the gulf.

Champions in the water

Piombino has attracted the best of Italian open water swimming. Key figures of the edition included superstar Gregorio Paltrinieri, who won the men's 10km, and Linda Caponi, who was crowned Italian champion in the women's race. The men's 10km podium also featured Marcello Guidi and Domenico Acerenza, confirming the depth of the national movement, while the Gruppo Sportivo Fiamme Oro dominated the team rankings. The presence of top-tier athletes, many of whom are involved in qualifying for international events, makes this competition a major highlight in the Italian swimming calendar.

Piombino and the Etruscan Sea

Hosting the national open water championships is also an opportunity to showcase the Piombino coastline and the entire Etruscan Coast. From the terrace of Piazza Bovio, the view sweeps across the Tuscan Archipelago, with the Island of Elba just a few kilometers away, while the nearby Gulf of Baratti, with its crescent-shaped beach and the Archaeological Park of Populonia, tells the story of the territory's Etruscan heritage. Open water sports thus become a driver for coastal tourism in the province of Livorno and for the Tuscan seaside.