Italy's Simone Ruffini won the men's race at the final FINA Marathon Swimming World Cup event of the season in Hong Kong ©Getty Images

Italian duo Simone Ruffini and Rachele Bruni won the men's and women's races respectively at the season-ending International Swimming Federation (FINA) Marathon Swimming World Cup leg in Hong Kong, with both securing the overall titles in the process.

Around 60 swimmers, 36 in the men's competition and 26 in the women's, were competing today, with world champion Ruffini touching home first in the men's 25 kilometre race in 2 hours 10min 15.8sec.

Chips Peterson of the United States claimed the silver medal in a time of 2 hours 10min 29.1sec, while Germany's Rob Muffels crossed the line in 2 hours 10min 29.3sec to narrowly miss out on second and take the bronze.

It meant that Ruffini went ahead of Germany's Andreas Waschburger, who had led at the start of the day, to claim the overall World Cup crown after seven races.

The German was only sixth today and subsequently slipped off the summit of the rankings.

Rachele Bruni won the women's race in Hong Kong and the overall title ©Getty Images
Rachele Bruni won the women's race in Hong Kong and the overall title ©Getty Images

In the women's race, Italy's star Bruni, who won the Balatonfured race in Hungary back in June as well as the Viedma event in Argentina, clinched gold in 2 hours 17min 12.7sec.

Bruni's compatriot Arianna Bridi, who was the winner of the World Cup stage in Canada and finished third last time out in Chun'an, came second in 2 hours 17min 28.2sec.

Brazil's Poliana Okimoto finished third on the podium, posting the same time as Bridi.

Bruni was already the overall World Cup leader and ensured she could not be caught at the top with her victory.

The 2017 season will begin in February.