PREVIEW. Record participation at the 2015 Short-Course Europeans 14 Herning Champions to start in Netanya

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1 PREVIEW Record participation at the 2015 Short-Course Europeans 14 Herning Champions to start in Netanya Netanya (LEN) With their sights already set on the European Championships in London (May 9-22) and, of course, the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro as the 2016 highlights, the European swimming elite will meet for the Short-Course Championships in Netanya/Israel. The State of Israel will host one of the most important events of the European Swimming Federation (LEN) for the first time apart from the 2011 European Open Water Swimming Championships held in Eilat, the seaside resort on the Red Sea in the south of the country. This time round, another popular vacation spot in Israel on the Mediterranean Sea will be in the limelight. A total of 48 of the altogether 52 LEN Member Federations will participate at Netanya s Wingate Sports Institute, among them Kosovo, the youngest member of the LEN family. The high number of Federations will bring a new record participation. 500 swimmers (291 male / 209 female) have announced their participation. For the first time in the history of Short- Course Europeans the event will last for five days. Host Israel has nominated 46 swimmers the largest team at the event among them Gal Nevo, one of the swimming stars in Israel, who claimed a silver medal in the 400m individual medley two years ago in Herning/Denmark. Israel, with a medal tally of three silver and ten bronze medals at European Short-Course Championships, is still waiting for the first golden performance. The second-largest team with a total of 38 athletes comes from Russia, host of the FINA World Championships last summer in Kazan. Italy will compete with a team of 36 swimmers, followed by the Czech Republic, Germany and Hungary (27 athletes each). Especially Russia s team boasts some young talented swimmers, who might well have a say in the fight for medals. There are, for instance, Evgeny Sedov (50m freestyle), Aleksandr Krasnykh (200m and 400m freestyle), Oleg Kostin (50m and 100m breaststroke), Nikita Konovalov (100m backstroke, 50m and 100m butterfly) and Sergey Fesikov (100m IM), who hold the 2015 World ranking s top spot (as of November 24). Podium results would come as no surprise for either of the five swimmers. The majority of Russia s athletes will compete in just one or two events. Contrary to Hungary s Iron Lady Katinka Hosszu. The 26-year old 2015 World Cup winner (for the fourth consecutive time) has entered a total of 11 events. Her preliminary programme includes the 50m, 100m, 200m and 400m freestyle, 50m, 100m and 200m backstroke, 200m butterfly as well as the 100m, 200m and 400m IM. As usual, the double World champion of Kazan (200m and 400m IM) will decide at short notice if she cancels one or two events.

2 PREVIEW Great Britain s Hannah Miley will compete in eight events. She will have to face Hosszu in the 400m freestyle, 200m butterfly as well as the 100m, 200m and 400m IM. Additionally, Miley will start in the 50m backstroke, the 50m and 200m breaststroke events. A total of 14 European Short-Course champions from Herning will compete in the 34 individual swimming events in Netanya, while five 2013 winners will fight for a podium finish in the six relay events. Additionally, the following six 2015 World champions, decorated with a total of nine gold medals, hope for a top spot on the podium: Gregorio Paltrinieri (Italy/1500m freestyle), Adam Peaty (Great Britain/50m and 100m breaststroke), Marco Koch (Germany/200m breaststroke), Laszlo Cseh (Hungary/200m butterfly), Sarah Sjoestroem (Sweden/50m and 100m butterfly) and Katinka Hosszu (Hungary/200m and 400m ind.medley). The oldest athlete in the men s competitions is Filippo Magnini. The 33 year-old Italian claimed his first medal silver in the 100m freestyle at the 2003 European Short-Course Championships. Magnini hopes to increase his collection with a medal in the relay events. Additionally, he plans to compete in the 100m and 200m freestyle. At age 34, Israel s Anna Gostomelsky is one year his senior. She will start in the 50m backstroke and 50m butterfly events. The European Swimming Federation (LEN) will offer a total sum of 200,000 Euros in prize money for the 12 best performances in the men s and women s events respectively. The best performance according to the FINA points table will be honoured with 20,000 Euros.

3 NETANYA 2015 FACTS & FIGURES DATE: From December 2-6, the Israel City of Netanya, located approximately 30 kilometers in the north of Tel Aviv on the Mediterranean Sea, will host the 18 th edition of the European Short-Course Swimming Championships. For the first time in the history of Short- Course Europeans, the event will last for five days. LEN: The Ligue Européenne de Natation was founded on August 30, 1927 in Bologna (ITA) by 11 countries and their national swimming federations, one year after the first European Championships in Swimming, Diving and Water Polo had been held in Budapest. Today LEN has 52 member federations from Albania to Ukraine. HISTORY: The European Short-Course Swimming Championships celebrated their première in The first event was held in Rostock, Germany. Until today 17 editions were carried out, from 1998 until 2013 it was staged annually. In 2013 LEN returned to a twoyear-modus. The last edition took place in Herning/Denmark in In 2017, the Danish capital Copenhagen will host the 19 th European S/C Championships. TITLES: A total of 40 titles will be awarded in Netanya including the mixed relay events (4x50m freestyle mixed and 4x50m medley mixed) which were included to the competition programme in Chartres 2012 for the first time. PARTICIPATION: 500 swimmers (291 male / 209 female) from 48 LEN Member Federations have announced their participation at the swimming event. 48 of the 52 LEN Member Federations means a record participation. Until Netanya, the 2009 European Championships in Istanbul/Turkey as well as Herning/Denmark in 2013 celebrated a record attendance (41 nations each). COMPETITION MODUS: Heats will be carried out in ten lanes. Semi-finals (only 50 and 100 metres), and finals will be held in eight lanes. Qualifiers for the finals will be first and second in each semi-final together with the fastest times from the remaining swimmers in the semis. In individual events a maximum of four (4) entries per Federation and per event may be submitted. Notwithstanding times and places achieved in the heats, only the two (2) fastest swimmers of each Federation may proceed to the finals or semi-finals. MIXED RELAYS: 4x50m freestyle and 4x50m medley. A mixed relay team will consist of two male and two female swimmers who can start in whatever order. The first European mixed relay events in long course (4x100m freestyle and 4x100m medley) took place at the 2014 European Championships in Berlin. HOSTS: The Israeli Federation, which claimed a total of 13 medals (3 silver, 10 bronze) at the previous 17 editions, will most likely be headed by their currently best swimmers: Gal Nevo, Jonatan Kopelev, Guy Barnea as well as Yakov Yan Toumarkin and Amit Ivri.

4 NETANYA 2015 FACTS & FIGURES HISTORY of Israel swimming: Netanya will stage the first ever European Short-Course Championships in Israel. At the same time this is the second European Swimming Championship in Israel. In 2010 Eilat hosted the European Open Water Swimming Championships. VENUE: The National Olympic Swimming Pool at the Wingate National Sport Institute will serve as the competition venue. The pool was inaugurated in June 2013 and is part of the well-known Israel National Centre for Physical Education and Sport which meets all requirements of athletes, media and spectators alike. During the Europeans the lanes of the 50m pool will be shortened to 25 meters and the north side of the pool will be covered with a large grand stand to offer more than 2,500 seats for athletes, guests and spectators. An additional 25m training pool with eight lanes is located nearby. PRIZE MONEY: LEN raised its prize money and will distribute 220,000 Euros for the top 12 performances (in the men s and women s disciplines) according to the FINA points table. Additionally and for the first time ever at European Swimming Championships the Local Organising Committee will offer financial assistance to all participating LEN Member Federations. The total amount of the financial support for athletes and federations at the 2015 LEN European Short-Course Swimming Championships amounts to approximately 500,000 Euros. TICKETS: During the Championships, the venue will offer a seating capacity of approximately 2,500 spectators on competition days. Tickets for the ten sessions are available at: ORGANISATION: The S/C Europeans will be organised by LEN (European Swimming Federation), the Israel Swimming Association (ISA), the Israeli Sport Authority, the Israel Winner lottery and the Israel Office of Tourism.

5 The 48 nations and their top swimmers (total number of swimmers in brackets) ALB Albania (2) AND Andorra (2) ARM Armenia (2) AUT Austria (19): David Brandl, Birgit Koschischek, Joerdis Steinegger, Lisa Zaiser AZE Azerbaijan (3) BLR Belarus (13): Aliaksandra Herasimenia, Sviatlana Khakhlova, Pavel Sankovich, Yauhen Tsurkin BEL Belgium (11): Jasper Aerents, François Heersbrandt, Fanny Lecluyse, Pieter Timmers BIH Bosnia-Herzegovina (3) BUL Bulgaria (2): Nina Rangelova CRO Croatia (9): Sanja Jovanovic CYP Cyprus (2) CZE Czech Republic (27): Simona Baumrtova, Petra Chocova, Barbora Zavadova DEN Denmark (8): Viktor Bromer, Mads Glaesner, Jeanette Ottesen ESP Spain (4) EST Estonia (16): Martti Aljand FAR Faroe Islands (3): Pal Joensen FIN Finland (22): Jenna Laukkanen, Ari-Pekka Liukkonen, Hanna-Maria Seppala FRA GBR France (13): Lara Grangeon Great Britain (12): Jazmin Carlin, Francesca Halsall, Hannah Miley, Siobhan-Marie O Connor, Roberto Pavoni, Adam Peaty, Robbie Renwick, Liam Tancock, Christopher Walker-Hebborn GEO Georgia (2) GER Germany (27): Paul Biedermann, Jan-Philip Glania, Philip Heintz, Franziska Hentke, Marco Koch, Jenny Mensing, Christian vom Lehn, Alexandra Wenk GRE Greece (3) HUN Hungary (27): Peter Bernek, Laszlo Cseh, Daniel Gyurta, Gergely Gyurta, Katinka Hosszu, Zsuzsanna Jakabos, Boglarka Kapas, David Verraszto IRL Ireland (2): Alexander Murphy ISL Iceland (3) ISR Israel (46): Guy Barnea, Amit Ivri, Jonatan Kopelev, Gal Nevo, Yakov Yan Toumarkin ITA Italy (36): Ilaria Bianchi, Gabriele Detti, Filippo Magnini, Marco Orsi, Gregorio Paltrinieri, Federica Pellegrini, Fabio Scozzoli, Federico Turrini KOS Kosovo (2) LAT Latvia (3) LIE Liechtenstein (1): Julia Hassler LTU Lithuania (7) Giedrius Titenis LUX Luxembourg (6): Raphael Stacchiotti MKD Macedonia (1) MLT Malta (2) MDA Moldova (3) NED Netherlands (13): Inge Dekker, Femke Heemskerk, Ranomi Kromowidjojo, Moniek Nijhuis, Sharon van Rouwendaal NOR Norway (8): Cecilie Johannessen POL Poland (8): Konrad Czerniak, Radoslaw Kawecki, Alicja Tchorz, Aleksandra Urbanczyk POR Portugal (14): Diogo Carvalho ROU Romania (5) RUS Russia (38): Maria Astashkina, Stanislav Donets, Sergei Fesikov, Nikita Konovalov, Oleg Kostin, Aleksandr Krasnykh, Roman Larin, Veronika Popova, Andrei Shabasov, Nikolay Skvortsov SLO Slovenia (10): Damir Dugonjic, Anja Klinar, Tjasa Oder SVK Slovakia (12) Richard Nagy SRB Serbia (7): Ivan Lendjer SWE Sweden (7): Louise Hansson, Sophie Hansson, Simon Sjoedin, Sarah Sjoestroem SUI Switzerland (11)

6 TUR Turkey (18) UKR Ukraine (5): Ganna Dzerkal, Andriy Govorov SCHEDULE Wednesday, December 02, m Butterfly Men 50m Breaststroke Women 50m Breaststroke Men 400m Individual Medley Women 400m Freestyle Men 100m Backstroke Women 200m Backstroke Men 4x50m Freestyle Relay Men 800m Freestyle Women 50m Breaststroke Men Semi-Finals 50m Breaststroke Women Semi-Finals 200m Backstroke Men Final 400m Individual Medley Women Final 400m Freestyle Men Final 100m Backstroke Women Semi-Finals 100m Butterfly Men Semi-Finals 50m Breaststroke Women Final 50m Breaststroke Men Final 4x50m Freestyle Relay Men Final Thursday, December 03, m Freestyle Men 50m Butterfly Women 200m Breaststroke Men 100m Freestyle Women 100m Backstroke Women 100m Individual Medley Women 400m Individual Medley Men 4x50m Medley Relay Mixed 1500m Freestyle Men 50m Butterfly Women Semi-Finals 200m Freestyle Men Final 200m Breaststroke Men Final 100m Freestyle Women Semi-Finals 400m Individual Medley Men Final 100m Backstroke Women Final 100m Backstroke Men Semi-Finals 100m Individual Medley Women Semi-Finals 100m Butterfly Men Final 800m Freestyle Women Final 50m Butterfly Women Final 4x50m Medley Relay Mixed Fina Friday, December 04, m Breaststroke Women 50m Freestyle Men 200m Backstroke Women 100m Breaststroke Men 200m Butterfly Women 200m Individual Medley Men 4x50m Freestyle Women 50m Freestyle Men Semi-Finals 100m Freestyle Women Final 100m Breaststroke Men Semi-Finals 200m Backstroke Women Final 200m Individual Medley Men Final 200m Butterfly Women Final 100m Breaststroke Women Semi-Finals 100m Backstroke Men Final 100m Individual Medley Women Final 1500m Freestyle Men Final 50m Freestyle Men Final 4x50m Freestyle Women Final

7 SCHEDULE Saturday, December 05, m Butterfly Men 50m Backstroke Women 100m Freestyle Men 200m Freestyle Women 100m Butterfly Women 100m Individual Medley Men 200m Individual Medley Women 4x50m Freestyle Relay Mixed 50m Backstroke Women Semi-Finals 50m Butterfly Men Semi-Finals 100m Breaststroke Women Final 100m Freestyle Men Semi-Finals 200m Individual Medley Women Final 100m Individual Medley Men Semi-Finals 200m Freestyle Women Final 100m Breaststroke Men Final 100m Butterfly Women Semi-Finals 50m Butterfly Men Final 50m Backstroke Women Final 4x50 m Freestyle Relay Mixed Final Sunday, December 06, m Freestyle Women 50m Backstroke Men 200m Breaststroke Women 200m Butterfly Men 400m Freestyle Women 4x50m Medley Relay Men 4x50m Medley Relay Women 50m Freestyle Women Semi-Finals 50m Backstroke Men Semi-Finals 200m Breaststroke Women Final 100m Freestyle Men Final 100m Butterfly Women Final 100m Individual Medley Men Final 400m Freestyle Women Final 200m Butterfly Men Final 50m Freestyle Women Final 50m Backstroke Men Final 4x50m Medley Relay Women Final 4x50m Medley Relay Men Final

8 VENUES / DATES of all European Short-Course Swimming Championships Rostock / GER December Sheffield / GBR December Lisbon / POR December Valencia / ESP December Antwerp / BEL December Riesa / GER December Dublin / IRL December Vienna / AUT December Trieste / ITA December Helsinki / FIN December Debrecen / HUN December Rijeka / CRO December Istanbul / TUR December Eindhoven / NED November Szczecin / POL December Chartres / FRA November Herning / DEN December Netanya / ISR December Copenhagen / DEN tbd of all European Sprint Swimming Championships Gelsenkirchen / GER December Espoo / FIN November Gateshead / GBR December Stavanger / NOR December 03-04