Alexander Studzinski

• first at the 2004 and 2006 16 km Faros Marathon Swim in Croatia
• fourth at the 2004 FINA World Championships 25 km
• 17th at the 2005 FINA World Championships 25K
• fifth at the 2005 36 km Maratona del Golfo Capri-Napoli FINA Open Water Swimming Grand Prix race
• second in the 2005 16 km Faros Marathon Swim in Croatia
• fourth in the 2006 88 km FINA Open Water Swimming Grand Prix in Hernandarias-Parana, Argentina
• fourth in the 2006 57 km FINA Open Water Swimming Grand Prix from Santa Fe to Coronda in Argentina
• third in the 2006 30 km FINA Open Water Swimming Grand Prix in Lake Ohrid in Macedonia
• first in the 2006 10 km European Cup in London
• first in the 2006 10 km FINA 10K Marathon Swimming World Cup in Shantou, China
• first in the 2006 FINA 10K Marathon Swimming World Cup in Singapore
• first in the 2007 36 km FINA Open Water Swimming Grand Prix in Capri-Napoli, Italy
• second in the 2007 88 km FINA Open Water Swimming Grand Prix in Hernandaria-Parana
• third in the 2007 19 km FINA Open Water Swimming Grand Prix in Sabac, Serbia
• first in the 2009 FINA Open Water Swimming Grand Prix in Rosario, Argentina
• first in the FINA 10K Marathon Swimming World Cup in Lac St-Jean, Canada
• first in the 2009 16 km Faros Marathon Swim with a new record of 3:01:55
• second in the 2009 15 km FINA Open Water Swimming Grand Prix in Viedma, Argentina
• second in the 2009 30 km FINA Open Water Swimming Grand Prix in Lake Ohrid, Macedonia
• second in the 2009 10 km Traversée internationale du Lac Mégantic in Quebec, Canada
• second in 2009 the 1-mile Great North Swim in Great Britain
• third in the 2009 34 km FINA Open Water Swimming Grand Prix in Lac Memphrémagog, Quebec, Canada.
• first in the 2014 Great Scottish Swim in Loch Lomond, Scotland
• third in the 2015 Maratón Internacional Aguas Abiertas Villa Urquiza - Paraná
• fifth in the 2017 63rd Traversée internationale du lac St-Jean in Roberval, Quebec, Canada
• he won the 33 km FINA Open Water Swimming Grand Prix race in Lake Ohrid, Macedonia on 19 August 2017 (Ohrid Lake Marathon Swim).
• he finished 5th in the 16 km Maratona del Golfo Capri-Napoli on the FINA Open Water Swimming Grand Prix circuit on 3 September 2017.
• he finished 4th overall in the 2017 FINA Open Water Swimming Grand Prix professional marathon swimming circuit.
• he finished 6th in the 2018 FINA/HOSA Marathon Swim World Series race in Lac St-Jean, Quebec, Canada on 26 July 2018.
• He finished 3rd in the 32 km Traversée internationale du lac St-Jean in Lac St-Jean, Quebec, Canada in 7:10:59.00 on 28 July 2018.

The Gentleman Competitor

Studzinski, is a gentlemanly understated, but fiercely competitive, professional marathon swimmer from Germany. Often overshadowed in the media by his countryman Thomas Lurz, Studzinski is stars of the pro marathon swimming circuit.

Daily News of Open Water Swimming Interview

Studzinski talked about his career that took a seven-month hiatus because of a shoulder surgery in 2008:

Daily News: What was your most difficult race?

Studzinski: There are a number of difficult races. Some are tough because they are just so long, like the 88 km (54.6-mile) swim in Parana, Argentina. When did it for the first time back in 2006, I didn't know what to expect. I can say I was a bit scared. It's was a really long race. It took me 9 hours and 34 minutes to finish and I was fourth in that year. One year later I was second in 8:51 just 49 seconds behind the winner Damian Blaum and 20 minutes in front of Petar Stoychev. This race is crazy, because you are not allowed to swim in a pack like in all other races. After 10 minutes, the referees split the pack and you have to swim all the way alone. This is tough for your mind. You only see the dirty water, your boat and some trees. And all that for about 9 hours. Then there are races, like Traversée du Lac St-Jean, which are hard because they are so cold. I don´t like cold water. I did this swim three times and I finished only two times. But my body temperature was 29°C. I had some blackouts after the race. I did not know how I got out of the water and walked to the medical tent. I just woke up there under some blankets. But the medical treatment in Roberval is very good. They always take care of you. My worst race was in Chiapas, Mexico in the Canyon Sumidero. It was not long, it's a 15 km swim, about 3:30. But in 2007 when I did that race, I was sick before the race but I needed to finish well because I had the chance to get the third place in the overall FINA ranking. So I started the race anyway. But after one hour of swimming, my stomach hurt so much and I started to vomit. And after almost two hours, I was really hurting. It was such a bad experience. Finally I finished, but I was ninth and finished only fourth in the overall FINA ranking. This was a big disappointment for me.

Daily News: What was your most enjoyable race?

Studzinski: The most beautiful race for me is in Lac Memphrémagog in Quebec, Canada. I have done this swim three times and last year I was third. I like all the people there so much. They are so friendly. The race itself is a big big 34K loop. So you always know where you are and how much more you have to swim. The lake is very nice and every time I swam there the weather was almost perfect.

Daily News:. What is your most memorable race?

Studzinski: My most memorable race was the 2004 FINA World Open Water Swimming championships in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. I swam the 25 km there. The first and second place finishers (Brendan Capell and Yuri Kudinov) were far away [at the end]. But I was swimming at the front of the pack at the last 5 km loop. With just 100 meters to go I was third, but at the finish sprint Evgeny Koshkarov of Russia beat me by three seconds. This were my first world championships and I was ended up in fourth. So I liked that race very much.