The next big date circled on the European swimming calendar is the upcoming Mare Nostrum series, which takes athletes to 3 major Mediterranean meets in 9 days as a major benchmarker ahead of the upcoming European Championships.
This year’s series starts in Canet, France, before moving on to Barcelona and then Monaco.
2018 Mare Nostrum Tour Stops: June 9th-10th: Canet en Roussillon, France June 13th-14th: Barcelona, Spain June 16th-17th: Monaco
When the tour kicks off in Canet, the meet will have a new setting thanks to the new Europa complex.
Among the names being touted for participation in the series opener in Canet (official psych sheets still to come): 5-time World breaststroke champion and former World Record holder Yulia Efimova World Record holder (50LCM, 100LCM breaststroke), 2016 Olympic Champion, Adam Peaty 2017 Worlds 50 free silver medalist Bruno Fratus Jeremy Stravius, Medhy Metella, and new National 100 free Record holder Charlotte Bonnet from France
Organizers also are hyping a roster of swimmers from 29 countries counted among the 400+ participants in Canet: Germany, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, Croatia, Denmark, Scotland, Spain, France, Great Britain, Hong Kong, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Japan, Lithuania, Norway, Kyrgystan, Uzbekistan, USA, Brazil, Paraguay, Russia, Sweden, Ukraine and Zambia.
The Americans will be represented by a USA Swimming-supported junior team: Michael Andrew Grace Ariola Zoe Bartel Cassidy Bayer Brooke Forde Daniel Krueger Bryce Mefford Kieran Smith Erica Sullivan Alex Sumner
RECENT COMMENT