Category Archives: Seychelles

President Wavel Ramkalawan and his closest associates are in-focus as a landmark corruption investigation in the Seychelles gathers steam. Nearly two decades after the alleged offences took place, the Seychelles, in December 2021, charged ex-President France-Albert Rens wife and son, together with several economic advisors to then-President Ren, with a range of corruption and anti-money laundering offenses. Weapons possession and terrorism offences followed closely thereafter in February 2022.

The case however, appears to be bogged down amidst new evidence that implicates President Wavel Ramkalawans inner circle in the alleged abuses. This includes Vice President Ahmed Afif and former-President James Michel, accused of receiving the stolen state funds and pinning the charges on the ex-Presidents family members and public servants.

The corruption case relates to the disappearance of 50 million US dollars gifted by the United Arab Emirates to the Seychelles people in 2002 at a time of economic crisis.

The accused read like a whos who of the previous government. This includes former President Rens wife Sarah Ren; President Rens son Leslie Benoiton, a senior military officer; Mukesh Valabhji, one of the island nations most prominent businessmen and former director of a government development agency; Valabhjis wife Laura, who was legal counsel to several of Ramkalawan and Afifs rivals; Maurice Loustau-Lalanne, a senior government official and vice-presidential candidate who was widely expected to challenge Ramkalawan for the presidency and Lekha Nair, a former public servant and right-hand to ex-President James Michel. Most recently Fahreen Rajan, an accountant who managed Vlabhjis hotels and finances was included in the list of suspects. Two further suspects arrested on weapons charges are 75 year old Antoine Leopold Payet, retired Chief of the Seychelles Defense Forces, and 81 year old Frank Marie, the former head of the Presidential Guard and the closest security official to ex-President Ren.

The case drew headlines in December and January when the government of the Seychelles indicted the accused soon after the Pandora Papers thrust the Seychelles into the limelight and Ramkalawans government came under public pressure from the European Union (EU) and the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) to take action against endemic corruption in the country. Suffering from a severe economic downturn brought on by the Covid -19 pandemic and a sharp loss in electoral support, the Seychelles government was initially thought to be shoring up its public image at home and abroad with the indictments. A statement of support from the European Union, and even the countrys removal from the EU tax haven black list, were quick to follow.

Sources close to the investigation claim to have new evidence that implicates ex-President James Michel and Vice President Ahmed Afif in the theft of the Emirati grant, throwing the governments case into disarray. Documentary evidence submitted by the governments own investigators has shown that the bulk of the disappeared funds were spent on fuel and food at the height of the 2002 economic slump. Additional sums were actually paid into companies under the control of associates of James Michel and Ahmed Afif.

Michel, who served as Minister of Finance at the time and fled nearly a decade ago to Abu Dhabi, would have needed to sign off on each transfer from the trouble-plagued Seychelles Marketing Board, the receiving entity of the Emirati funds. Afif, who served at the time in an executive capacity at the Central Bank and is now the countrys Vice President, would also have signed off on any transfers, legitimate or otherwise.

The case is further complicated by the discussed weapons charges, characterized by lawyers at Kobre & Kim, the Washington-based law firm, as a show trial, founded on a politically motivated prosecution case riddled with errors of fact and procedural defects.

Brigadier Payet and Lieutenant Colonel Marie, ex-President Rens closest military advisors, are charged with importing weapons for the Seychelles Defense Forces and Presidential Guard, despite the fact that when taken, these actions were within their professional duties and even approved by the government. Attorney Jonathan Huth of Kobre & Kim labeled the case the arbitrary application of law, with the Seychelles government, judges and prosecution acting as if driven by one and the same political motivation, ungoverned by any notion of the rule of law.

Public sentiment on the island nation is deeply divided by the governments conduct in the controversial case, which has put behind bars a popular first lady and some of the countrys best known security and economic figures. The leading candidate to replace Ramkalawan has also been incarcerated, cutting him off from his political supporters and undermining his growing popular base. A debate over defendants rights has also erupted, with the accused allegedly denied access to counsel and held in degrading conditions. Petitions have been lodged by the defendants at the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights and the Supreme Court of Seychelles.

The governments case is being prosecuted by May De Silva of the Seychelles Anti-Corruption Commission and Steven Powles QC of Doughty Chambers in London, interestingly enough a lawyer whose expertise is human rights.

Mounting anomalies in the evidence and conduct of the prosecution are understood to have thrown the case into disarray, with one informed source stating, The case fell apart on day one, once the evidence was revealed. As Ramkalawan seeks international legitimacy and to shore-up Seychelles banking standards, the case may prove more challenging than anticipated for the new government.

*Kate Flask is an American freelancer and digital nomad who studied creative writing in the UK. She has a personal & professional interest in East Africa & Indian Ocean Islands and is the managing director of Seychelles Watch. Follow her work on Twitter.

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Seychelles: President Ramkalawan Gets More Than He Bargained For In Ongoing Corruption Trial OpEd - Eurasia Review

One of the world's smallest capital cities

(Image credit: seychelles view/Alamy Stock Photo)

Built on land reclaimed from the sea, Seychelles' tiny capital city can't get any bigger but with a vibrant culture and fascinating history, it doesn't need to.

O

One minute I was out over a seemingly endless ocean en route to Seychelles. The next, dark granite cliffs filled the plane's window, swirling in and out of the clouds with all the dark mystery of ships lost at sea. I became convinced that the plane was about to land on the water or crash into a mountain, so little space did there seem to be between the two.

The Seychelles is an archipelago of 115 islands, a sublime meeting of sea and land beneath a sky of impossible blues. Everything here, from the towering volcanic spine on the largest island of Mah to the 1,800 kilometres of ocean that separate Mah from mainland Africa, seems to happen on a grand scale.

Everything, that is, except Victoria, Seychelles' tiny capital city.

There are other capitals around the world with smaller populations: San Marino or Vatican City, for example; or a handful of tiny Pacific Island cities. Even so, Victoria's population of around 30,000 is modest by the standards of most seats of national power.

With a population of around 30,000, Victoria is relatively small for a capital city (Credit: imageBROKER/Alamy Stock Photo)

If there seems to be little space along Mah's narrow coastal strip for an international airport, there's equally little room for a capital city. Mah measures just 20 sq km; it would take barely 10 minutes to walk around the perimeter of the centre's tight grid of streets. Houses climb the surrounding hills until the terrain becomes too steep.

That Victoria could even make it to this size owes much to past geographical engineering.

"Half of Victoria is reclaimed land," said George Camille, one of Seychelles' best-known artists who was born in Victoria and has spent much of his life here. "The sea was where the taxi stand now is."

For such a small city, Victoria does a good job of telling the story of modern Seychelles through its buildings and its tightly concentrated clamour. It is an antidote to the popular Seychelles image of beaches and palm trees and a life far from the world and its noise.

Busy, urban Victoria shows visitors another side of Seychelles (Credit: imageBROKER/Alamy Stock Photo)

Victoria has surprisingly deep roots in its narrow plot of soil. The French founded the city in 1778, a time when the American Revolutionary War was raging, the penal colony of Australia was still just an idea and much of Africa remained untouched by Europeans. The new settlement which was by all accounts a modest place of timber-and-granite houses, an army barracks and pens for keeping tortoises was named, rather more grandly, L'tablissement du Roi (the Kings establishment).

Little was done to grow the new city, either by the French who first built it or the British who took it over in 1811. It was a harbour, a port, a convenient waystation en route to elsewhere. So small and unimportant was it that it took the British 30 years to change the name to Victoria; they did so in 1841 to commemorate the queen's royal marriage to Prince Albert.

Its history was, for the most part, a minor affair for much of the 19th Century. After heavy rains, an avalanche of mud and granite rained down upon the city on 12 October 1862; many were killed. In 1890, the Swiss-owned Hotel Equateur opened, a precursor to the deluge of tourist business that would one day come to define Seychelles.

Women stop for a chat in front of an image of Lieutenant Charles Routier de Romainville, founder of the city of Victoria (Credit: Hemis/Alamy Stock Photo)

Perhaps the oldest extant building in Victoria is now, appropriately, the National Museum of History. With its engaging mix of written information panels and wall-to-ceiling displays, it tells the story of earliest colonial times, the freeing of slaves and the resulting history of Creole culture. Many established histories of the city speak of Victoria's (and Seychelles') colonial history, understandably so as it was the French and the British who would leave behind the architectural landmarks. But on 1 February 1835, 6,521 slaves were set free on Seychelles. The entire population at the time was just 7,500; nearly 90% of these were freed slaves and they would become the foundation upon which a Creole nation was established.

Originally built in 1885, formerly the building of the Supreme Court of Seychelles, the museum was restored in 2018 and remains a light and airy structure of wooden shutters and soaring ceilings surrounded by a palm-filled garden. It occupies the corner of Independence Avenue and Francis Rachel Street.

In the heart of this intersection and visible from the museum grounds is one of Victoria's more curious monuments: a miniature replica of the clocktower known as Little Ben that stands on Vauxhall Bridge Road in London. It was brought to Victoria in 1903 and serves as a suitably diminutive signpost for a city that can never grow any bigger.

Shoppers queue at the Sir Selwyn Selwyn-Clarke Market (Credit: economic images/Alamy Stock Photo)

Inside the closely packed streets and lanes that comprise Victoria's true centre, the "city" is a tight tangle of cars and people, horns and bright fabrics. Around the covered Sir Selwyn Selwyn-Clarke Market, the city becomes a mix of shouting fishmongers and fresh produce that ranges from coconuts and plantains to vanilla pods and chillies. Along Albert Street, old-school wooden trading warehouses in fading pastels share street frontage with a glass-walled casino. Nearby, there's the extravagant balconied facade of the Domus (a residence for the church hierarchy, built in 1934). Over on Quincy Street, the Hindu Sri Navasakthi Vinyagar Temple rises amid the modern buildings.

Victorias Hindu Sri Navasakthi Vinyagar Temple rises from the city (Credit: mauritius images GmbH/Alamy Stock Photo)

"People think Seychelles is all about beaches," said Connie Patel, local trader, amateur historian and lifelong Victorian. "And, of course, the beaches are important. But everything from Seychelles is here. There aren't many roads here on Mah; nearly all of them pass through Victoria. If you want to see where ordinary Seychellois come to do business away from tourism, Victoria is where it happens. It's an essential part of the Seychelles story."

Resident Geetika Patel, agreed: "Victoria is a window on the real Seychelles. It can be loud and messy and we all complain about the traffic. But this is modern Seychelles. Look around you. It's a melting pot of faces and architecture that tells you a lot about who we are. Listen, and you'll hear everyone talking in Creole. You can't say you understand Seychelles unless you've been here."

Up the hill, above the city and off Revolution Avenue, Marie-Antoinette Restaurant occupies an old home where, in the 1870s, Welsh-American journalist and explorer Henry Morton Stanley stayed for a month on his way back from Africa and his celebrated encounter with Dr David Livingstone. Stanley had been sent by a US newspaper to find Livingstone, who had lost contact with the outside world years earlier; it was at their first meeting on this trip that Stanley uttered the now-famous words, "Dr Livingstone, I presume?". Upon his arrival in Seychelles on his way home, Stanley missed a French postal ship by a day and was marooned in Seychelles for a month while he waited for passage back to Europe. Built entirely of wood, sporting towers and turrets, the building is yet another signpost to a little-known past.

George Camille, one of Victorias best-known artists, wants to turn Victoria into a capital of Creole culture (Credit: Anthony Ham)

Just down the hill, artist Camille, who dreams of turning Victoria into a regional capital of Creole culture, has restored a traditional home built of casuarina, mahogany and other hardwoods, turning it into an exhibition space and art gallery known as Kaz Zanana for his confronting artworks. "This is what the houses of Victoria once looked like," said Camille. "It's a relic of a disappearing world."

It was dusk as I left Kaz Zanana and wandered down into the city centre. Lost in thought, I found myself outside the market. The day's heat had gone, as had the market traders. There was no traffic. The streets had fallen silent. In that moment, Victoria felt, perhaps, like the village it once was, and never really outgrew.

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One of the world's smallest capital cities - BBC.com

The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) is likely to get land property in Victoria, the capital of Seychelles, if the proposal received to this effect materialises.

Business Network Cabinet (BNC) group Vice-President and TTD board member S. Shankar recently met a group of business leaders and NRIs at Chennai along with Tirupati MP M. Gurumoorthy, seeking their support for the development of Tirupati and TTD.

Ramakrishna Pillai, an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) settled at Seychelles, reportedly agreed to donate his four acres of land worth 5 crore in Victoria city to the TTD for building a temple for Sri Venkateswara.

At a meeting held in Tirupati on Sunday, TTD Additional Executive Officer A.V. Dharma Reddy appreciated Mr. Pillai for his generous offer and promised to get back after taking the boards approval as well as referring to the land procurement policies in Seychelles. This is the first land donation proposal coming to us from abroad, he said.

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TTD likely to get land in Seychelles - The Hindu

Thoothukudi MP and DMK leader Kanimozhi has assured a delegation from the International Fishermen Development Trust (INFIDET) that she will take efforts for the release of five captains and their boats detained in Seychelles.

According to P. Justin Antony, president of INFIDET, a voluntary service team based in Kanniyakumari met Ms. Kanimozhi in Chennai on Saturday and submitted a memorandum. The MP promised to take up the issue with officials concerned in New Delhi and help in securing the release of the captains and their five boats.

As many as 61 fishermen and five boatswere detained betSeychelle authorities ween March 7 and 9. INFIDET had sent representations to the Central and State governments and to the Indian Embassy in Seychelles, whose timely efforts resulted in the release of 56 fishermen, except the five captains of the vessels, without any penaltyon March 22 . The next hearing of their case was scheduled for April 19, Mr. Antony added.

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Fishermen team meets Kanimozhi for release of five captains from Seychelles - The Hindu

In Tulip Trading Ltd (TTL) v Bitcoin Association for BSV, the High Court determined that TTL had not established a serious issue to be tried on the merits of its claim. Further, it held that, as a result, the order from the lower court granting permission to serve a claim form out of the jurisdiction and service of the claim form were to be set aside.

The High Court also assessed the lex situs (location) of crypto assets when a corporate entity is concerned.

The Claim

TTL, a Seychelles company, alleged that it had suffered a hack that caused the loss of a significant amount of digital currency assets. As a result of the hack, private keys and information that would allow access to the keys were removed from the computer systems of Dr Wright (who asserts that he is Satoshi Nakamoto, who developed bitcoin). These private keys would allow dealings in the crypto assets.

TTL claimed $4.5 billion from 16 developers, alleging that they owed fiduciary and common law duties under English law. Furthermore, it was argued that the developers should be required to write and apply a patch to the blockchain network in order that it could be transferred to a new Bitcoin address for the benefit of the claimant.

The defendants in this action were the core developers and/or otherwise control the software in respect of four relevant digital asset networks, namely:

None of the defendants are in the jurisdiction.

TTL claimed that the defendants owed TTL fiduciary and/or tortious duties, effectively meaning that they should assist TTL in regaining control and use of its assets. Specifically, TTL requested:

In relation to point 2 above, TTL indicated that it would not be technically difficult for the defendant to write and implement the software patch enabling TTL to regain control of the assets.

There was also a question as to the location of the assets and TTL. TTL claimed that the assets were in the jurisdiction, namely England. But the defendants argued that the assets were in the jurisdiction that the company was domiciled in, namely the Seychelles.

Judgement

The court determined that there was no good or arguable case that open source Bitcoin developers (the defendants), whose code is widely adopted and used, do not owe fiduciary duties or a common law duty of care to those who use that code to trade or store their crypto assets.

Furthermore, the court also considered that there was sufficient information to amount to a good arguable case that (a) TTL is resident in the jurisdiction; and (b) that the property is located here.

The court determined the lex situs (location) of the bitcoin held by corporate entities, with Mrs Justice Falk stating that a company is resident where its central management and control is located, that being where its real business is carried on.

Please see link to the full judgementhttps://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Ch/2022/667.html

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Cryptocurrency and Jurisdiction - Lexology

Seychelles is beach lovers dream vacation destination. A fun-filled beach day is all you need. Travellers can visit pristine beaches, participate in outdoor activities like hikes and treks, island excursion and all-time favourite, sailing. Travellers can also enjoy an indoor day at beautiful hotels with picturesque view.Also Read - 'Don't Travel to Jammu And Kashmir': US Issues New Travel Advisory

The beaches of Seychelles draw visitors from all over the world. Whether seeking lively or secluded beaches, long never-ending stretches of sand or tiny half-moon patches fringed by trademark boulders, visitors are sure to find their signature style of beach. Also Read - Surajkund Mela : 12 Quirky Items to Buy From The International Crafts Mela Under Rs 200

Did you know that the typical summer vacation months in India, April and May, coincide with one of the best times to visit Seychelles? Travelers can expect especially calm waters at this point. Also Read - Planning a Trip to Qatar? Top 10 Unique Day Trips From Qatars Capital

Seychelles is a 115-island archipelago. Even on a long vacation, you will struggle to cover all of them. Excursions by boat can introduce you to the refreshingly unique landscape that can be found on various islands.

Seychelles has something for everyone, whether you want to wander through bustling markets, take enviable photos around colonial-style mansions, or explore coastal mangrove forests and unspoiled nature reserves. Nature lovers will thrive in this reincarnated Eden, which is home to over fifty endemic plants and trees, including the rare coco de mer palm.

People all over the world have rediscovered their love of the great outdoors in the last two years, and there is no better place to get your fix. Take a leisurely stroll along a nature trail or put yourself to the test by ascending a steep mountain path. Indulge in bird-watching or simply enjoy the sensation of life slowing down as you take a deep breath in natures lap.

Some visitors enjoy the overall summer vibe, the vibrant colours that everything takes on in the brilliant sunlight, and, of course, the fact that children are off from school, but would rather enjoy a pristine beach from the comfort of a restaurant, spa, yacht, or hotel room with a view. Spend the day relaxing in your luxurious hotel room, which offers 360-degree views of azure waters and powder-white beaches lined with palm trees. Step outside to savour sumptuous Creole cuisine. On a sheltered boat ride, you can get a dose of both vitamin sea and adrenaline. Relax in a relaxing spa session and let your stress melt away. Whatever you do, ocean views are almost always present.

The last two years have made everyone more conscious of their personal space than ever before. Seychelles is an exclusive holiday destination with a very small population, allowing visitors to enjoy just the right level of seclusion and ease.

(With IANS inputs)

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Here Are 3 Reasons Why You Should Visit Seychelles This Summer

Those following the high-profile case of the group that has been coined the Seychelles 9 were taken by surprise on February 11 when weapons charges were added to the range of accusations already filed against the defendants. The nine arrested include former President France-Albert Renes widow and son, a former chief of staff of the defense forces, a retired presidential chief security officer, a prominent businessman and his attorney wife along with a reportedly future presidential candidate. The suspects have been accused of aiding and abetting in the theft of $50 million in a case which goes back to 2002.

It is a well-known fact that the Seychellois government has been trying hard to rebrand the islands public perception. Often associated with those seeking to hide funds, sometimes with illicit intentions, the Seychelles Islands featured prominently in the Pandora Papers. Despite this expose, the island nations efforts to stem laundering and instill adequate regulation led the European Union to announce its intention to remove the Seychelles from its official blacklist of tax havens in October 2021.

And although progress has seemingly been made on the international front, the relatively new government of President Wavel Ramkalawan feels it still has a lot to prove regarding the way it handles corruption and laundering. It would appear that the president is most concerned with creating a sense of daylight between the old government, which was more closely associated with Rene, and his own governments efforts.

It is this sense of urgency that has encouraged what has become the most invasive witch-hunt the East African nation has known to date. Indeed, it is a witch-hunt because all suspects have an association, either personal, professional, or political, with the government of former President Rene. More often than not, when weapons charges surface out of the blue, it is a good indication that something is amiss in paradise.

Those familiar with the archipelagos history will know that the country has a long record of attempted coup dtats. This was first seen in June 1977 when supporters of Rene, who would become president, overthrew President James Mancham when he was in London. Those seeking to restore Manchams government attempted a (failed) counter-coup in November 1981, also known as Operation Angela. 1986 saw Operation Distant Lash, a further coup attempt against Rene, while 1987 saw yet another unsuccessful attempt to overthrow Renes government.

All of this is important because it was exactly this lack of political stability that led Renes government to seek supporters willing to stash weapons for use in case of future attempts at sowing instability. One such supporter was the arrested businessman Mukesh Valabhji. According to his defense team, Valabhji, out of both a sense of patriotism and a personal interest he had in maintaining stability on the island, allowed the Seychelles Peoples Defence Force to stash these weapons in his home.

This defense claim begins to make sense when one considers the extent of weapons found. According to court records, this included seventy-two Draco guns, AK assault rifles, and Makarov pistols, 122 assault rifle magazines as well as 43,416 bullets. All these weapons have serial numbers which show they were imported by the Seychelles Peoples Defence Force under official government licenses. The weapons were stored behind a large cement wall in the house of the accused, which also gives credence to the theory that it was a government military weapons stash to be employed in case of another coup attempt.

Further questions, highlighted by the organization Seychelles Justice, must be raised when taking into account the way in which the government has been treating the suspects. International law firm Kobre and Kim, representing some of the accused, has publicly accused the government of employing intimidation tactics against its lawyers, alongside leaving the accused without representation. The defendants have also been held incommunicado and, according to the lawyers, in inhumane conditions. One must question what it is the government might be trying to hide.

A government trying to distinguish itself from the authoritarian rule of a former president would be smart to consider the implications of such attempts to run a kangaroo court trial. Although seemingly doing a good job combatting corruption, politically motivated trials and false accusations with national security implications do not bode well with the international human rights community and national ratings agencies. They also dont bode well with those considering doing business on the island.

A true test of the governments intentions will be the March 25 bail hearing for Laura Valabhji, the businessman Mukesh Valabhjis wife. Having worked with the attorney general in the past in her capacity as a lawyer alongside reportedly weak evidence of her complicity in the alleged crimes and her not being a flight risk, it will be seen if some semblance of justice can indeed be attained in a Seychellois court.

If all it takes to rid the country of political enemies are accusations of corruption and weapons possession, without any due process, the government cannot expect the international business community to view it as an attractive destination for investing their money. This becomes even more concerning, when the crusade is being led by the Anti-Corruption Commission of Seychelles (ACCS), an organization whose sole purpose is combatting corruption. One would, perhaps naively, assume this includes political corruption, among which false charges being levied against political enemies should be top of the list.

Jean Baptiste is a French freelance writer who studied cinema and audiovisual writing. He is currently the editor of the newly launched Indian Ocean Economic Times.

Image: Reuters.

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Ongoing Corruption Trial in the Seychelles Spells Trouble ...

There is a welcome and wonderful sight appearing on beaches in the Seychelles.

The endangered green turtle is making a comeback here, after several decades of protection and close monitoring. Turtle hunting was banned in the Seychelles, an archipelago of 115 islands off the coast of East Africa, in 1968, but it was a slow recovery. In the early 1980s, researchers would find just one or two turtle tracks on a beach, but by the mid-1990s, there would be 10 to 20.

It's only been up from there. This month, a new study was published in Endangered Species Research about the Aldabra Atoll in the Seychelles. Researchers found that in the late 1960s, the annual number of green turtle clutches was in the 2,000 to 3,000 range, and that increased to more than 15,000 in the late 2010s.

"There's potential for this population to double, triple, we're not even sure," lead author Adam Pritchard from the University of Exeter told Popular Science. "This could just be the start. It's amazing that, after slower growth in the beginning, there's been this real explosion in recent years."

The Aldabra Atoll has one of the world's largest green turtle populations, and in addition to the hunting ban, the fact that the area was designated a UNESCO Heritage Site in 1982 has helped the species with its recovery. It takes at least 20 to 50 years for green turtles to reach sexual maturity and start reproducing, making long-term monitoring another important step in ensuring the population continues to grow.

Over the last five decades, hundreds of people have been recording data on the green turtles, collecting information from more than 50 beaches across Aldabra. "One thing that people have learned is protection works," Jeanne Mortimer, founder and chair of Turtle Action Group Seychelles, told Popular Science. "But you may need to be patient and wait for 35 years."

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In the Seychelles, conservation efforts are paying off for the endangered green turtle - The Week

2022 US Open Water National Championships

Though its April Fools, this is no joke! Katie Grimes (SAND) is your womens 10k National Champion. The Tokyo pool Olympian finished 6 laps around the Fort Meyers Beach course ahead of Mariah Denigan and Frances Carolina Jouisse.

The conditions appeared to be extremely rough as cloudy skies, high winds, and massive waves could be seen throughout the swimmers course.

It was actually Grimes Sandpipers and Olympic teammate Erica Sullivan who took the early lead over the entire field through the first 3 laps. Grimes was hanging onto the 2nd spot, and made her move heading into the 4th lap. Grimes would maintain her lead through the final 3 laps to win the event.

Sullivan, who won the womens 10k last year, faded out of the top 3 finishers.

The event will serve as a selection meet for the 2022 US Open Water National Team, as well as the perks and funding that go along with that status. The top 6 finishers in the 10k will automatically earn a spot on the National Team, which means that Grimes and Denigan have both qualified for the National Team. This is Grimes 1st Open Water National Team appearance.

This weeks meet also serves as a selection event for the 2022 World Junior Open Water Swimming Championships, set for September 1st-4th in Beau Vallon, Seychelles.

Grimes swim earns her a spot on both the 2022 US Open Water National Team and Junior Team, as well as a roster spot on the 2022 FINA World Junior Open Water Championships which will take place in Beau Vallon, Seychelles.

Well have to wait until the end of the meet for the selection of the 2022-2023 US Open Water National Team and 2022 World Championship Team, as these both follow a points-based system throughout the National Championships.

The 2022 Open Water National Championships didnt include the United States two female open water Olympians, Haley Anderson and Ashley Twitchell. Anderson announced her retirement yesterday, and Twitchell is expecting her first child in 2022. This wouldve been their 13th-consecutive appearance at the US Open Water Nationals.

Full results are not yet available, but we will update as they are published.

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2022 US Open Water Nationals: 15 Year-Old Olympian Katie Grimes Wins 10k - SwimSwam

With miles of bone-white sand, scalloped bays, coral-hooped lagoons and clotted-cream island specks lapped by liquid Hockney blues, the islands of the Indian Ocean have store cupboard ingredients baked in.

If you think that these island idylls are the preserve of honeymooners and luxe-seeking types, you may need to think again. A holiday to Mauritius, the Seychelles and the Maldives is never going to be a cheap proposition, but it can be affordable and packed with experiences. In fact, if you know where to look, you can find paradise for a song.

In both Mauritius and the Seychelles, many of the islands guest houses, self-catering chalets and three-star properties are a hop, skip and a jump from top-drawer strands of sand. Buses and speedy inter-island ferries will get you around and, if self-catering, there are daily markets and fishermen hauling in the days catch at beaches. In Mauritius follow your nose to the food trucks. A delicious dholl puri or a fragrant Creole rougaille (made with tomatoes, spices and sausage) washed down with a fresh sugar cane juice will cost just a couple of pounds.

Avoiding peak season (December to January and July to August in the Seychelles and mid-November to April in Mauritius) can also bring significant savings. Trailfinders, for example, currently offers a week at the five-star Hilton Seychelles Labriz Resort and Spa in November for 1,599pp (020 7084 6500; trailfinders.com), including flights and breakfast.

Unlike Asia and the Caribbean, where different islands adopted different restrictions, the Indian Ocean has been much more accessible to travellers throughout the pandemic. The Caribbean has been tricky due to fluctuations and island curfews, says Anna Hilley, long-haul trading manager at Travel Republic. The Maldives remained open throughout and we saw strong demand for Mauritius in November and December [when it reopened to visitors October 1]. Now were seeing lots of last-minute bookings and weeks in June, July and August are filling up fast.

The Indian Ocean isnt just a destination for fly-and-flop visitors, either. Now that many restrictions on travel have been lifted, those seeking adventure and a sabbatical (or both) are booking trips. Rich in marine life, the region offers extraordinary marine and wildlife conservation opportunities. In the Seychelles, for example, you can volunteer on Cousin a protected island reserve.

From Sri Lankas cultural heritage to an adventure break in Mauritius, diving in the Maldives and island hopping in the Seychelles, the Indian Ocean wont disappoint and its more affordable than you think. Here are 20 holidays to fit the bill.

For a fresh twist on the Indian Ocean, why not consider pairing Dubai with Sri Lanka? Youll go from a gregarious, cosmopolitan city to tuk-tuks, temples and Ayurvedic massage. Stay three nights at the family-friendly Hyatt Regency in Deira, on Dubais waterfront corniche, before taking a short flight and winding up at the stylish, understated Avani Bentota Resort and Spa, which overlooks one of Sri Lankas finest beaches. Yoga, two freshwater pools, watersports and beach volleyball its all here.

An 11-day Dubai and Sri Lanka holiday costs from 1,249pp with Travelbag (020 7001 4112; travelbag.co.uk) spending three nights in Dubai at the Hyatt Regency and seven nights at the Avani Bentota Resort and Spa on a half-board basis; includes flights.

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With a robust portfolio of hotels, tours and catamaran cruises across the region, family-run Tropical Sky is a reliable go-to for inspiration. Visit out of season to snap up an action-packed all-inclusive holiday at the five-star Maritim Resort and Spa, near Baklava, in Mauritius. Within its sprawling 25 acres there are tennis courts, an equestrian centre, a golf course and a Padi dive centre with the full complement of watersports activities. And if you just want to sit at the rooftop bar and gaze at the alabaster beach, thats OK, too.

Seven nights at Maritim Resort and Spa (01342 395475; tropicalsky.co.uk) costs from 1,549pp for rooms sleeping two adults and one child; includes flights.

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The luxurious Indian Ocean holidays that cost as little as 62 a day - The Telegraph