Funchal 2016 date change confirmed

IPC Swimming has announced that the dates for the 2016 IPC Swimming European Open Championships in Funchal, Portugal, have changed to 30 April - 7 May to avoid overlapping with the LEN European Aquatics Championships.

Around 450 athletes from 50 countries are expected to compete at Funchal 2016, which is being run as an Open Championships to ensure swimmers have as many opportunities as possible to qualify for Rio 2016.

It will also be the last major gathering of athletes ahead of the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.

Agnes Szilak, IPC Swimming Sport Manager, said: “We want to ensure that the eyes of the world are on para-swimmers during the European Open, and that fans and the media can enjoy Funchal 2016 without having to choose between our event and other major international swimming competitions happening at the time.

“The Portuguese Swimming Federation have been working hard to ensure we can meet this aspiration, and we are delighted and grateful that they were able to be flexible with the dates.”

The fully accessible EUR 25-million Complexo Olimpico de Piscinas da Penteada, which will host the competition, was opened in 2004 in the heart of Funchal. The complex is set over an impressive five floors and includes an Olympic-size competition pool, a diving pool, a 25m pool and a training pool.

The Opening Ceremony will take place on 30 April, before competition gets underway from 1-7 May.

The 2014 IPC Swimming European Championships were held in Eindhoven, the Netherlands, where Ukraine finished top of the medals table with 37 gold, 29 silver and 28 bronze medals. Russia were second with 34 golds, 32 silver and 29 bronze, whilst Great Britain finished third with 30 golds, 27 silver and 16 bronze.

In just under one week, more than 580 swimmers from 70 countries will compete at the 2015 IPC Swimming World Championships in Glasgow, Great Britain, between 13-19 July.

More information can be found at Glasgow2015.com.