HONOLULU, Hawai, November 4: Australia's Pan Pacific 25km champion, Mark Saliba today described the Fina World 25km Open Water Swimming Championship off Honolulu's Duke Kahanomku Beach, Waikiki, as the fastest in history.

The 25km event brought to a close the week long Fina Open Water festival here, which could see the 10km event springboard into the 2004 Olympics in Athens.

The standard of competition has certainly been worthy of a world championship, with today's racing, the fastest it has ever been in an international mens event and with three girls side by side for the finish of the womens event.

Saliba, the 20-year-old swimming instructor from Campbelltown in NSW was the best of the four Australians in the gruelling event, finishing ninth from 24 starters in the mens event, with Queensland's Josh Santacaterina (Brothers), 15th in only his second 25km race and his first international appearance.

In the women's event, the experienced World Cup campaigner Shelley Clark (Gosford, NSW) and newcomer Melissa Irwin (Redcliffe Leagues Lawnton, Qld) were 12th and 13th respectively and certainly showed their enormous potential in bthe sport.

Saliba, coached by Alan Thompson at Campbelltown and Australia's most celebrated open water swimmer in recent years completed the course in 5hrs 00mins:15.12 seconds - an average of 1 minute 12 seconds pace for every 100 metres.

Race winner Iouri Koudinov from Russia clocked one of the fastest times ever recorded for a 25-km course - taking 4hours 55 minutes 51.12 secs, with Spain's David Meca taking silver in 4:56:11.42 and 1998 World Champion from Perth, Russia's Alexi Alkatiev the bronze in 4:57:03.12.

The final six-km lap saw the Europeans take charge with the lead chopping and changing several times as swimmers manoeuvred themselves for a final burst to the finish.

"That's the fastest pace I've ever experienced in a 25 kilometre race and I would have to say the fastest race ever," said Saliba, who's father John roared encouragement to Mark from the handlers boat for the entire race. (Each swimmer in the 25km race is allowed a support boat, and the "handler" is in charge of feeding the swimmers food and drink and also ensuring they swim the best possible course.)

"I contested the World Championships in Perth in 1998, where I finished 11th and almost all of the top ten backed up here. But there are some newcomers and they have added another level of pace to this event.

"Because of the speed it was also the toughest race mentally I have ever experienced and if you know you haven't done the work then it's quite easy to quit."

Santacaterina was 12 minutes behind in 5hrs 12mins 21.08 secs, an outstanding time, and the boy from Brothers in Brisbane said he felt like he could "sleep for a week" after the race.

"I felt really good until the third six-km leg and the pace was really on but I just couldn't keep it up. I suppose it was pretty good for only my second attempt at 25km. I'll be back."

Santacaterina had the benefit of noted open water handler, John Young, in his corner for the whole race and the pair embraced when they were reunited on dry land in the middle of the Duke Kahanomoku Park - named after the famous four-time Hawaiian Olympian and surfing legend.

The womens event proved to be a double success for Dutchwoman Edith Van Dyk, who added the 25km gold medal nto the gold medal she won in the 10km and her close-up fourth in the 5km on day one.

Van Dyk won the gold in 5hrs 30 mins 04.07 secs with the silver going to Italy's 5klm bronze medallist Viola Valli (5:30.06.06) and the bronze to Germany's Angela Maurer (5:30:08.06).

The race also developed into a mind-game for the Australian champion Clark, who set a cracking pace through the first half of the race, so much so that her handler and co-coach Peter Clark (no relation), thought she would struggle to keep going.

"I'm very proud of the way Shelley kept going, she's a tough kid and we're learning all the time," said Clark.

Despite the pain of a 25km race (which took Shelley Clark 6hrs07:28.28 to complete) the girl from Gosford, was quick to describe the Open Water Championship in Hawaii as "the most beautiful race in the world, in the most beautiful place in the world (apart from Australia of course).

"I actually really enjoyed it and it was a strong field and the conditions were absolutely perfect."

Melissa Irwin, swimming ony her second ever 25km race and her first internationally, was close behind her team mate, clocking 6hrs 07 .28.28 seconds to finish 12th, despite an elbow problem which occured early in the race.

"It was very hard mentally and believe you me I was the happiest and most relieved girl in the world when I crossed that finish line," said Melissa, who's handler Tamara Bruce used all her experience and knowledge to get her swimmer to the line.

"I'm very proud of Melissa, who could easily have pulled out early on but she kept going and was actually catching the field in the second half of the race." said Bruce.

"That was one tough race out there today and I have not doubt she willl have some outstanding results in the future."

Men's 25k 
 1 Yuri Koudinov (Russia) 4:55:51.12 
 2 David Meca (Spain) 4:56:11.42 
 3 Alexei Akatiev (Russia) 4:57:03.12 
 4 Claudio Gargaro (Italy) 4:57:18.36 
 5 Stephane Gomez (France) 4:57:23.34 
 6 Fabio Fusi (Italy) 4:58:09.26 
 7 Gabriel Chaillou (Argentina) 4:58:25.79 
 8 Stephane Lecat (France) 4:59:49.51 

Women's 25k 
 1 Edith Van Dyk (Netherlands) 5:30:04.07 
 2 Viola Valli (Italy) 5:30:06.06 
 3 Angela Maurer (Germany) 5:30:08.06 
 4 Natalia Pankina (Russia) 5:31:25.25 
 5 Valeria Casprini (Italy) 5:32:01.82 
 6 Regan Scheiber (U.S.) 5:32:11.15 
 7 Britta Kamrau (Germany) 5:33:13.91 
 8 Olga Gousseva (Russia) 5:33:53.62 

OVERALL TEAM STANDINGS

Overall team awards, one for male and one for female, shall be based on the total cumulative point score over all races (5K, 10K, 25K) according to the following point distribution: 1st to 12th places: 18 points, 16, 14, 12, 10, 8, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.

Men's overall team standings:
First place: Russia
Second place: Spain
Third place: Italy
Women's overall team standings:
First place: Italy
Second place: German
Third place: Netherlands