USA Swimming has published qualifying standards for the 2025 U.S. Open Water National and Junior National Championships – which will double as both the U.S. and the Canadian selection meets for the 2025 World Aquatics Championships in Singapore.
The 2025 National Championships will be held in Nathan Benderson Park in Sarasota, Florida from April 4-6.
Standards
There are a couple of ways for swimmers to qualify for this meet. One way is to have finished high enough at other open water races.
5K Qualification:
- Finished in the top 5 at the 2024 CSCAA 5K National Championships; or
- Finished in the top 3 at the 2024 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation 5K Open Water Championship
Junior National 7.5K Qualification (for 16-17s, by December 31 age):
- Finished at the top 10 at the 2024 USA Swimming 5K Open Water Zone Championships (Open Division Only)
Junior National 5K Qualification (for 15 & Unders, by December 31 age):
- Finished in the top 15 at the 2024 USA Swimming 5K Open Water Zone Championships (Open Division Only).
Swimmers can also qualify with times from pool swims times.
Internationals are able to participate in the open races but not in the Junior National or age group races.
Senior Standards
Junior Standards
The qualification period is January 1, 2024 through the entry deadline.
Canadian Selections
Swimming Canada has partnered with USA Swimming to co-opt this meet as their selection event too. Because it is still cold in Canada during the time of year where these selection meets are usually held, Canada has held most of their selection meets abroad – including most recently in the Cayman Islands.
In 2023 in Grand Cayman, Canada had 12 men compete in the 5k and 15 in the 10k; 15 in the women’s 5k, and 15 in the women’s 10k.
Only 28 men and 15 women are qualified based on their pool swimming times.
| Men | Women | |
| 800 Cut | 21 | 12 |
| 1500 Cut | 20 | 5 |
| Total Qualified | 28 | 15 |
At the Olympics, Emma Finlin finished 23rd in the women’s 10km race, while no Canadian men were qualified.
