Episodes

Oct 18

The 2025 World Aquatics Open Water World Cup season ends in style - sunshine, calm seas, and two deserving champions crowned in Golfo Aranci, Italy. On this episode of Black Line Fever, Alice Dearing and I look back on the season finale: the defining races, the title twists, and the stories that shaped the year. From Logan Fontaine’s last-gasp championship win to Ginevra Taddeucci’s emotional home-water triumph, we break down every moment - plus, we revisit our predictions, bring back Sink or Swim, and celebrate the athletes who made 2025 unforgettable. In This Episode: 🏊‍♂️ Men’s 10km: Fontaine steals the title, Betlehem dominates, Verani delivers on home water. 🏊‍♀️ Women’s 10km: Taddeucci’s control, Johnson’s fight, Martinez Guillen’s consistency. 🌍 World Rankings: Betlehem and Johnson finish the year as World No.1s. 💬 Prediction Review: Who got it right (and who really didn’t). ⚖️ Sink or Swim: One last round for 2025. 🎧 Tune in for race analysis, inside commentary, and a full wrap on an unforgettable season of open-water racing. Subscribe to Black Line Fever for the stories, rivalries, and voices that make open-water swimming come alive.

Oct 9

The World Cup season ends where it began, in the Mediterranean. Golfo Aranci, Italy, hosts the 2025 World Aquatics Open Water World Cup finale, and with both overall titles still up for grabs, everything is on the line. On this episode of Black Line Fever, Alice Dearing and I preview the final stop of the year: the course, the contenders, and the championship scenarios that will decide the season. From Marc-Antoine Olivier’s narrow points lead to Ginevra Taddeucci’s home-water advantage, we break down who can still win, how the world rankings have shifted, and what to expect when 120 of the best hit the water for one last 10km. In This Episode: 🏊‍♂️ Men’s 10km: France holds the advantage but Italy has home momentum. Olivier, Fontaine and Verani all have something to prove. 🏊‍♀️ Women’s 10km: Taddeucci defends on home soil against Moesha Johnson’s surge and Angela Martinez Guillen’s consistency. 🌍 World Rankings: Betlehem and Johnson climb to World No. 1, shifting the balance of power in open water swimming. 💰 What’s at Stake: $50,000, season titles and a year’s worth of bragging rights. 🥇 Podium Picks: Our final predictions for the men’s and women’s races. 🎧 Tune in for sharp analysis, broadcast insight and a full look at how the 2025 World Aquatics Open Water World Cup season comes to a close in Golfo Aranci. Subscribe to Black Line Fever for all the open water storylines that matter and the voices that bring them to life.

Jun 19

The World Cup gets cold, tidal, and tactical in Setúbal—where Olympic hopefuls made their final statements before the World Championships. On this episode of Black Line Fever , Alice Dearing and I break down all four races from Stop 3 of the 2025 World Aquatics Open Water World Cup. From Moesha Johnson’s second win of the season to Marc-Antoine Olivier’s masterclass in patience and positioning, Setúbal delivered moments that will shape how we view the race to Singapore. We unpack what mattered most: the breakthroughs, the blow-ups, and the athletes putting it all together at the right time. In This Episode: 🏊‍♀️ Women’s 10km : Moesha Johnson dominates again, but the podium tells a bigger story about Europe’s rising depth. 🏊‍♂️ Men’s 10km : Olivier times it perfectly. Rasovszky gambles and loses. Klemet flies under the radar—again. ⚡ 3km Knockout Sprints : Hungary’s David Betlehem and Japan’s Ichika Kajimoto step into the spotlight. 📊 Predictions Check-In : Alice pulls ahead. Will tries to stay relevant. Ibiza haunts us both. 🚨 Sink or Swim : The final feed, the French surge, and the form line heading into Worlds. 🎧 Tune in for expert analysis, inside-the-booth perspective, and context you won’t find anywhere else. Subscribe to Black Line Fever for all the open water storylines that matter as we build toward Singapore 2025.

Jun 14

The 2025 World Aquatics Open Water World Cup heads to Setúbal—one of the most iconic and tactical stops on the circuit. With just weeks to go until the World Championships in Singapore, this race looms large in the season narrative. On this episode of Black Line Fever, Alice Dearing and I preview all the key storylines heading into Setúbal, from Germany’s World Cup dominance to the resurgence of French stars like Marc-Antoine Olivier and Caroline Jouisse. We break down who’s rising, who’s resting, and who’s at risk of being left behind. In This Episode: 🏊‍♀️ Women’s 10km: Can Moesha Johnson maintain her flawless World Cup streak, or will France’s Jouisse carry her national championship momentum to the top step? 🏊‍♂️ Men’s 10km: With Wellbrock back in the mix, we ask whether anyone can stop the German machine—or if Marc-Antoine Olivier has one more ace up his sleeve. ⚡ 3km Knockout Sprint: Tactical chaos meets raw speed. Who’s built for the back-to-back rounds, and who’s risking burnout before the final? 🇭🇺 Hungarian Dominance: After five golds at the European Championships, we discuss whether Hungary’s momentum will carry into Setúbal. 📈 Power Rankings & Implications: What’s at stake for national selections, World Cup standings, and pre-Worlds confidence? 🎧 Tune in for your complete guide to the Setúbal World Cup, packed with insights, predictions, and the kind of commentary you won’t get on the livestream. Subscribe to Black Line Fever for expert open water swimming analysis, behind-the-scenes access, and all the major storylines leading to Singapore 2025.

May 5

The 2025 World Aquatics Open Water World Cup in Ibiza was a spectacle of strategy, speed, and surprises. With the debut of the 3km Knockout Sprint and unexpected podium finishes, the Mediterranean waters set the stage for a thrilling competition. This week on Black Line Fever , Alice Dearing and I dissect the races, offering insights into the tactics and performances that defined the event. Thanks to detailed lap split data provided by the Brazilian Sporting Club, we delve deeper into how the races unfolded lap by lap. In This Episode: 🏊‍♀️ Women's 10km : Angela Martínez's triumphant home victory, Celine Rieder's impressive chase, and Viktória Mihályvári-Farkas's strategic moves. 🏊‍♂️ Men's 10km : A surprising Italian sweep with Andrea Filadelli, Dario Verani, and Giuseppe Ilario leading the charge. ⚡ 3km Knockout Sprint : Lea Boy and Oliver Klemet showcase their sprinting prowess in the inaugural event. 📊 Lap Split Analysis : A detailed breakdown of each lap's dynamics, highlighting how the races evolved. Check out all the stats here https://open-water-charts.github.io/oo/oo-ibiza-m-10k.html & https://open-water-charts.github.io/oo/oo-ibiza-w-10k.html 🔮 Looking Ahead : What these results mean for the upcoming races in Setúbal and the World Championships. 🎧 Tune in for an in-depth analysis of the Ibiza races, enriched by exclusive data insights. Subscribe to Black Line Fever for the latest in open water swimming, athlete interviews, and expert race breakdowns.

Apr 24

The World Aquatics Open Water World Cup rolls into Ibiza for Stop #2 of the 2025 season - and with a few big names missing, the door is wide open. Cooler waters, a stunning new venue, and the debut of the 3km Knockout Sprint make this one of the most anticipated races of the year. This week, Alice Dearing is back on the podcast to preview every angle: the contenders, the conditions, and who might steal the show in Spain. From Olympic medallists like Kristof Rasovszky, Marc-Antoine Olivier and Ana Marcela Cunha , to rising stars like Sacha Velly and Angela Martínez , we break down the names to know and the battles to watch. 💥 In This Episode:🏊‍♂️ Men’s 10km: Rasovszky, Fontaine, Olivier, and Klemet eye the top step - with Betlehem, Pardoe, and Velly ready to disrupt the script.🏊‍♀️ Women’s 10km: With Moesha Johnson out, can Taddeucci take over? Cunha looks to bounce back, and Spain’s Martínez has a home crowd edge.⚡ 3km Knockout Sprint: Fast, furious, and totally unpredictable. Who’s got the speed - and stamina - to win this new format?🌊 Ibiza Insights: Mediterranean conditions, Spanish Nationals crossover, and what’s at stake before Setúbal and Worlds.🎧 Tune in and join the convo - who’s your pick to win in Ibiza? Could a dark horse shake up the standings? Subscribe to Black Line Fever for open water swimming’s best stories, sharpest insights, and boldest predictions - all season long.

Mar 2

The opening leg of the 2024 World Aquatics Open Water World Cup in Soma Bay delivered everything we love about open water swimming— dominance, drama, and disqualifications . With 19°C water, relentless wind, and high salinity , conditions were brutal, and only the toughest survived. This week, Alice Dearing joins the podcast as we break down every key moment from the Men’s, Women’s, and Relay races , analyzing who made a statement and who’s got work to do before Worlds. 💥 In This Episode: 🏊 Men’s 10km: Florian Wellbrock in a league of his own, while chaos erupts behind him. Five disqualifications, a wild Money Lap, and some unexpected names in the top 10. 🏊 Women’s 10km: Moesha Johnson dominates , Ana Marcela Cunha misses the move, and Ginevra Taddeucci proves she’s the real deal. 🏊 Mixed Relay: Germany & Australia set the standard —but who else looks dangerous for Worlds? 🔮 What’s Next? Ibiza, Worlds, and the road to Paris—what these results tell us about the year ahead. 🎧 Listen now and join the conversation! What surprised you most in Soma Bay? Who’s looking unbeatable, and who has work to do? Drop us a message and let us know your take! Subscribe to Black Line Fever for the latest open water swimming insights, race analysis, and exclusive conversations with the athletes and coaches shaping the sport.

Feb 16

An absolute pleasure to have Alice Dearing back on Black Line Fever as we break down everything you need to know ahead of the upcoming World Aquatics Open Water World Cup! We dive into what to expect from the race, the big names to watch, and the rising stars making waves in the sport. Plus, we take a deep dive into Moesha Johnson’s meteoric rise over the past couple of years and what this event means for the year ahead in open water swimming. Black Line Fever is your go-to podcast for all things Open Water Swimming! Stay tuned for the latest news, in-depth analysis, and exclusive conversations with the athletes, coaches, and decision-makers shaping the sport.

Aug 2, 2023

A true honour to have the one and only, Chelsea Gubecka on Black Line Fever just weeks after claiming Silver at the 2023 World Champs and booking her ticket to Paris 2024! Thanks to Chelsea for jumping on the podcast and talking about her journey to the World Champs podium. We also talked about the current state of Open Water Swimming, the growth of the Aus Team, and her plans leading into Paris 2024. Unfortunately, our audio corrupted so we miss the last 20 mins of the episode, but looking forward to part 2! Black Line Fever is your one-stop shop for Open Water Swimming! This podcast focuses on all the breaking news, updates and moves in the OWS World as well as talking to the coaches, decision-makers and athletes making waves around the world.

Jul 21, 2023

What a week of racing! The 2023 World Aquatics World Champs truly was a great showing of all the good that comes with Open Water Swimming. With 6 swimmers punching their ticket to the 2024 Paris Olympics, 5 Gold Medals awarded and plenty of winners and losers throughout there was plenty to debrief. Joined by former champion, Nic Rollo, we broke down all the races, storylines & of course, the much loved, thinking mans top 5! Be sure to share the podcast with your friends and family to keep the OWS community growing! Until next time. Black Line Fever is your one stop shop for Open Water Swimming! This podcast focusses on all the breaking news, updates and moves in the OWS World as well as talking to the coaches, decision makers and athletes making waves around the world.

Jul 14, 2023

We are joined by Nic Rollo to discuss all thing World Champs ahead of the Women’s & Men’s 10km titles! With the first Olympic spots up for grabs, this weekend is set to be appointment viewing - tune in to get our insights & see how wrong we might get it 😂

Jul 6, 2023

The famous hometown heartthrob, Australian Dolphin & all round great bloke, Kyle Lee joins us on Black Line Fever ahead of his second World Champs! Thanks to Kyle for jumping on the podcast and talk about his journey through to the Australia Team. We also talked about his Aus Team Debut, racing under pressure and as always we got his predictions on this years World Champs podium. Plenty more to come from Kyle as he approaches a big season of international racing! Black Line Fever is your one stop shop for Open Water Swimming! This podcast focusses on all the breaking news, updates and moves in the OWS World as well as talking to the coaches, decision makers and athletes making waves around the world.

Jun 28, 2023

Australian Dolphin, Rotto Swim Record Holder, OWS's best moustache & all round great bloke, Bailey Armstrong joins us on Black Line Fever as our very first guest!!! Big shout out to Bailey for making time to talk through his journey to the Australian team, how he became best mates with the Hungarians and make his predictions on this years World Champs podium. Plenty more to come from Bailey as he approaches a big season of international racing! Black Line Fever is your one stop shop for Open Water Swimming! This podcast focusses on all the breaking news, updates and moves in the OWS World as well as talking to the coaches, decision makers and athletes making waves around the world.

Jun 6, 2023

The world's only Open Water Swimming podcast is back for episode 2 with a race recap from Setubal! We focus on all the talking points from Round 3 of the 2023 World Aquatics Open Water Swimming World Cup, in Setubal, Portugal, including the winners and losers, the wetsuit discussion and of course, the highly anticipated Thinking Man's Top 5! Black Line Fever is your one stop shop for Open Water Swimming! This podcast focusses on all the breaking news, updates and moves in the OWS World as well as talking to the coaches, decision makers and athletes making waves around the world.

May 23, 2023

The first episode of Black Line Fever, the world's only Open Water Swimming podcast focussing on all the breaking news, updates and moves in the OWS World as well as talking to the coaches, decision makers and athletes making waves around the world. This episode we take a look back to the weekend that was as Round 2 of the 2023 World Aquatics Open Water Swimming World Cup Series was swum in Golfo Aranci, Italy. With plenty of big results and a couple of whiffs, tune in to get my thoughts on the weekend and what is means going forwards into the 2023 World Champs!