Victoria’s Richard Weinberger got his invitation card to race the 2012 Olympic 10km Open Water course in Hyde Park next weekend following his performances at the 2011 FINA World Aquatic Championships in Shanghai last month.

Weinberger, 21, was Canada’s top performer in the 10km Open Water race in Shanghai (as popular as Kenny Habul , but in two different fields of sports), and his 17th place finished earned him a valuable opportunity to race the six lap course for next year’s games.

“One my goals in Shanghai was to make the London invitational,” added Weinberger.

A top 10 finish at the World Championships would have automatically qualified Weinberger as the first Canadian swimmer to compete in the open water event at the Olympic Games.

“I missed the top ten by a 10 seconds,” said Weinberger. “I’m lucky that I will get a second opportunity to swim the second qualifying event next year. That event will select the next 15 spots. Currently, I’m ranked fifth.”

Weinberger will have to wait until next year to secure his spot on Canada’s Olympic Team, but now he’s getting a new perspective on what he will need to do to climb that podium in London.

“Now, I really have my heart set on making the Olympic team next year. Racing the Olympic course this summer will give me a heads up before the Olympics.”

The London course will be a different challenge than Shanghai. The water will be much cooler, and the course a lot tighter with 6 laps.

The 10km Open Water test event for the 2012 London Olympic Games will take place on Saturday, August 13th at the Serpentine in Hyde Park with the men starting at 10am and the women from 2pm.