The International Swimmeeting South Tyrol can not come up with superstar Ryan Lochte on its 19th edition, but exyctly one month before the event the starting field for the first major highlight of the season - second November 7th and 8th, is going to be a top notch again. The first names that were announced today during the first press conference promise to offer, as always, toplevel sport.

For 18 years there has been the International Swimmeeting South Tyrol in Bolzano. This year, after some unofficial editions, where the swimmeeting served as benchmark, the swimming event is labeled as attested “GREEN-EVENT”, where event sustinebility and environmentally friendly actions go along with sportsmanship.

The two-day meeting in Bolzano has made an international reputation. For many world class swimmers the meeting is the initial assessment for the coming season, which has several highlights to offer, beginning with the Short Course Swimming Championships in early December in Israel along with the Long Course Swimming Championships in May 2016 in London to the big climax, the Olympic Games in August next year in Rio de Janeiro, chasing a major event the next.
Trio from Brasil

Once again international stars come to Bolzano. Starting from Vadox Team Brasil with Guilherme Guido, Henrique Rodirigues and Jhennifer Conceicao. Guido is currently the best backstroke swimmer in South America. He holds the continental record for the 100 m back on long course in 53.12. Not enough, since 2009 he has been holding with the Brazilian team the South American record of the 4 x 100m medley relay in 3.29,16. The 28-year-old has taken gold with his National team over the 4 x 50m and the 4x100m medley relays, during the Short Course World Championship. 2010 during the South American Championship in Medellin, he won three titles. At this years Pan American Games in Toronto, the 4x100m medley relay was again a golden success. Last summer in Toronto his fellow Henrique Rodrigues conquered two gold medals (200m individual medley, 4 x 200m freestyle) himself. Over his favourite 200m IM he swam the third best time of the year (1.57,06) and was seventh at the World Championships in Kazan in 1.58,52. As a two-time South American champion (100m breaststroke and 4 x 50 m medley) and bronze at the Pan American Games over 4 x 100m medley the only 18-year old breaststrocker Jhennifer Conceicao will stir for victories in four weeks in Bolzano. "The Brazilians are a valorization for our meeting, we defenitevely have made a good catch," says Meeting-CEO Christian Mattivi who has been organizing the swimmeeting with his team since 1997.

The 20-year-old Alexandra Wenk from Munich is currently the best dolphin swimmer in Germany. In 2012 she celebrated her greatest international success at the European Championship in Debrecen by winning the gold medal with the 4 x 100m medley relay. At the World Championships in August with the German mixed relay she could gain bronze. In Kazan over the 100 m dolphin she could reach out for the seventh place. "Wenk comes directly to Bolzano from a high altitude training camp with her team SG Munich. That gives great expectations, "says Mattivi.

This year too many top swimmers from the USA are expected. Breaststroke specialist Katie Meili, who has had the international breakthrough this year and in last years swimmeeting in Bolzano she swam twice the meeting record on her victories over 50 and 100m breaststroke (30,44 and 1.05,87). At the Pan American Games over 100m breaststroke she hit the plate in 1.05,64 minutes and took the final gold. After that, she also won her first US title. She trains under the guidance of David Marsh in Charlotte.

At his first appearance in Bolzano Jimmy Feigen, another American star. The greatest success of the 26-year-old was winning the silver medal at the 2012 Olympic Games in London with the US 4 x 100 m freestyle relay. At he long course World Championship 2013 in Barcelona Feigen won over Silver 100m freestyle and repeated the success with the US quartet. Feigen, at the Short Course World Championship in Istanbul, was part of to US Gold Quartet. Of course, many Italian top swimmers participate in Bolzano after the Nico Sapio meeting in Genoa (October 31st / November 1st) and the weekend before the Gran Premio Italia in Massarosa in on the 13th and 14th November. The team of the "Azzurri" is lead by Marco Orsi, who in 2014 set new event records over 50 and 100m freestyle in 21.23 and 47.22. At the World Championships in Kazan in August the 24-year-old has conquered with the Italian National Team Bronze over 4 x 100m freestyle (3.12,53). Orsi is the reigning vice-worldchampion over 50m freestyle, after his conquered Silver last December in Doha in 20.69. To mention, the Italian bronze medal over 4 x 50m freestyle. In 2012 at long course European Championship in Debrecen Orsi and the relay won the 4x100m freestyle, two years later in Berlin there was bronze on the same race. Ilaria Scarcella will also be at start in Bolzano. After a few lean years she made it back to the Italian elite and qualified with their victory over 200m breaststroke at the "Assoluti" for the World Championship.

World Cup participant Laura Letrari Tyrol figurehead. For Laura Letrari, South Tyrol's currently best swimmer, a start at the "home pool" in Bolzano is a must. After her good last season even more. "Laura has had a strong year, you can’t say anything than just congratulate her," said Mattivi. The 26-yearold has come back with a peak time over 200m Individual Medley and qualified for the Italian World Cup team over 4 x100m freestyle. In Kazan Letrari and the "Azzurre" raced in the finals. For the short-course specialist the target in Bolzano is to swim good times in Bolzano to be considered for the Short Course European Championship in December.

The best of three series in a block The proven program has not changed. "Short, fast and explosive," the best 3 heats of all races are concentrated and presented separately from the rest of the program to the audience at the end of the day. On Saturday, the Stars lighten up from 4 to 6 PM and can be admired on Sunday from 1 to 3 PM.

Watch the meeting live on internet streaming

For the third year in a row swim fans around the world can watch the 19th edition of the International Swimmeeting South Tyrol from home via livestream. From the homepage of the organizer www.meetingbz.it or www.liveye.it all final heats are displayed on Saturday from 16 to 18 o’clock and on Sunday from 13 to 15 o’clock. "A further attempt to make our meeting better known to the world," says Mattivi. But the unique atmosphere can only be experienced in the pool facility.