Swimming: Radford just nine seconds off third place

Kane Radford in World Cup action. Photo / Supplied

Rotorua open water swimmer Kane Radford finished a creditable 16th in a tough field at the fourth round of the FINA/Hosa 10km Marathon Swimming World Cup in Mexico.

Another New Zealander, Charlotte Webby, also finished 16th in her field.

Both races in Cozumel were closely fought in what were the biggest fields ever for the series, with 68 females and 72 males competing.

Radford sat with the main pack for most of the race before young British swimmer Jack Burnell pushed away to win in 1hr 42min 06sec - four seconds clear of Esteban Salgado (Equador).

The Rotorua swimmer was nine seconds off the third place, and happy with his first outing of the series.

"I am really pleased with the race. It was a good start to the season and a really tight finish," Radford said.

Webby, from Taranaki, swam with the second bunch as Olympic silver medallist and Pan Pacific champion Haley Anderson, US, claimed the honours in 1:48.01.

The Kiwi swam 1:48.47 and was also pleased with her first outing in top company.

National champion Penny Hayes was 53rd in her first international open water race, with fellow Waikato-based athlete Troy Balvert 52nd in the men's race.

Coach Sue Southgate said it was a solid start for the New Zealanders in outstanding company.

"Both Charlotte and Kane showed they are in the top tier of world open water swimmers," Southgate said.

"The fields were the largest outside of world championships, with most of the world's best here, including the 2012 Olympic medallists and 2013 world championship medallists."

The next two rounds of the series are in Balatonfured, in Hungary, on June 20 and in Setubal, in Portugal, on June 27.