The FINA World Open Water Swimming Championships, or more commonly "Open Water Worlds", was a bi-annual FINA (now World Aquatics) championship for open water swimming held in even years from 2000 to 2010, inclusive. Race distances were 5, 10, and 25 kilometers (also known as 5K, 10K, and 25K). The 10 km race at the 2008 edition served as the main qualifying event for the 2008 Olympics 10 km event.

Editions

Twelve editions were part of the World Aquatics Championships and six edition were held stand alone editions. Starting in 2011, the biannual event was merged to the World Aquatics Championships. {{legend|khaki|stand alone edition}}

Stand alone editions

Starting in 2000, the FINA Open Water World Championiships were held in the years between the World Aquatics Championships, providing an annual championships for Open Water Swimming. At its January 2010 meeting, the FINA Bureau decided to replace this event with a junior (18 and under) championships, making the 2010 Open Water Worlds the last edition of these championships, and 2012 seeing the first of a Junior Open Water Worlds.

Events

Open water swimming events have been competed since the sixth edition of the championships in 1991. From 2000 to 2010, FINA organized in even years specific championships for open water swimming events, being the FINA World Open Water Swimming Championships.

All-time medal table

Multiple medalists

The best swimmers:

Men

Women