JINSHAN CITY, China (AP) — Hot water has played havoc with the 25-kilometer races at the open water world championships, forcing most of the American team and veteran Thomas Lurz of Germany to withdraw and the defending champion to quit hours into the race.
The men’s and women’s races were moved to a 6 a.m. start Saturday in an attempt to run them in cooler conditions. But the water temperature then was already 87 degrees, just under the suggested “unsafe” point of 88.
The water temperature reached 88 later in the morning.
U.S. coach Jack Roach asked his team not to compete, Lurz pulled out and defending champion Balerio Cleri withdrew after four hours, saying it was “too hot and too dangerous” to continue.
