The 2008 FINA Open Water World Swimming Championships (3-8 May, 2008) kicked off today with the 10K open water race in Seville, Spain. The event served as a qualifier for the 2008 Olympic Games, with the top 10 finishers automatically qualifying to compete at the Olympics. This year will mark the first year the 10K race is swum at the Olympics.

Team USA's Kirsten Groome (Baltimore, Md.) maintained a position in the top 10 for three laps of the four-lap race. However, when the pace quickened on the final lap, Groome fell to 21st place with a time of 2:02.57.3, missing the automatic qualification requirement.

Competing in her first world championships, Micha Burden (Anchorage, Alaska) took 31st place in a time of 2:04:39.4. She will compete in the 25K on May 8th alongside ten-time National Champion Erica Rose (Cleveland, Ohio).

The top three finishers in the race were Russia's Larisa Ilchenko, Great Britain's Cassandra Patten and Spain's Yurema Requena. Their times were 2:02:02.7, 2:02:05.8 and 2:02:07.2, respectively.

America may still qualify a woman for the Olympics on May 31st at the Beijing Test Event. The U.S. is permitted to take two swimmers to the Test Event to try to qualify for the Olympic Games with one who will actually qualify for the Games.

Reigning National Champion in the 25K, Mark Warkentin (Santa Barbara, Calif.) and 2005 10K World Champion Chip Peterson (Chapel Hill, N.C.) will compete in the men's 10K race tomorrow to bid for a spot at the Olympic Games.