15th FINA World Championships – Barcelona 2013

Will the Old Guard (swimmers over 30 years old like Thomas Lurz and Angela Maurer) be able to hold the Newcomers (like Richard Weinberger and Becca Mann) at the 15th FINA World Championships in Barcelona, Spain?

We will soon see if the hunger of youth can out-duel the wisdom of veterans. It will be especially interesting in the interesting courses that are set up in Barcelona.

This is the schedule:

July 19th: Technical Meeting for 5 km, 10 km & 5 km Team Pursuit events
July 20th: Women’s and men’s 5 km race
July 21st: Rest day July 22nd: 10 km men’s race
July 23rd: 10 km women’s race
July 24th: Open Water Swimming Promoters Meeting
July 25th: 5 km Team Pursuit
July 26th: Technical Meeting for 25 km
July 27th: Women’s and men’s 25 km race

July 27th is also the same day as the FINA Open Water Swimming Grand Prix event in lac St-Jean, the Traversée internationale du lac St-Jean in Quebec, Canada.

Copyright © 2013 by Open Water Swimming

Captain Tim Johnson's View From The Water

When Captain Tim Johnson considers how best to advise an open water swimmer cross a channel, complete a circumnavigation, or compete in an open water swimming competition, he has a unique viewpoint on how best to plot a course.

The life-long swimmer and Professor at Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston defines an open water swimmer as a self-contained marine vessel that is human powered with a top speed of approximately 3 mph with low visibility.

In flat water conditions, the swimmer can see his immediate surroundings, but relies on a herding strategy if swimming in a group and/or their coach if accompanied by an escort boat/kayak.

We will present more useful and unique perspectives from the author of History of Open-Water Marathon Swimming over the next several days.

Copyright © 2013 by Open Water Swimming

Get A Taste Of Nutrition Science Initiative

There is arguably no open water swimmer who possesses a greater potential for positive change in America than Dr. Peter Attia, president and co-founder of the Nutrition Science Initiative.

Dr Attia's recent TedMed talk in Washington D.C. was an outstanding success. Here is a little taste of what the remarkable doctor has to say.



Dr Attia's full TedMed presentation will be available in early June.

Copyright © 2013 by Open Water Swimming

Shark Caged In The Ocean

Susie Maroney used one nearly 200 km from Cuba to Florida across the Straits of Florida, but Chloë McCardel is going without during her upcoming attempt.

Skip Storch used a shark cage in his Cuba-to-America attempt, but he found it less useful than a jellyfish cage. "The jellyfish got caught inside the cage which definitely did not help things," recalled the marathon swimmer.

"Storch's cage worked rather well being supported by pontoons, a design he inherited (and improved upon) from Chris Green who swam across the Strait of Gibraltar in what he called a wash tub," explained Captain Tim Johnson.

"Fibber McGee was the welder who made the improvements to Chris' shark cage that used inflatable flotation fenders. The improvement Fibber made were the addition of the pontoons whose height was adjustable allowing the cage to drop into the water or raised for towing. Ben Huggard also did a swim in these waters but, sadly, he too was no better than Walter Poenisch.

Susie Maroney's cage was similar to Skip's, but only larger. It was fixed to create a draft just behind the leading edge with plexiglas so it wouldn't show that it literally could suck her along at 2 knots while she was eating and treading water during her first swim. Subsequent swims found a different cage directly behind and attached to the boat so she drafted off the boat. Fidel Castro is said to have participated in that cage's design."

Photos courtesy of Captain Tim Johnson of the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame.

Copyright © 2013 by Open Water Swimming

From Long Ago, Penguins Preferred To Swim Rather Than Fly

Eons ago, the ancestors of penguins could both fly through the air and swim. But evolution led to changes in the penguins mode of preferred transportation and penguin gave up flight.

Why?

Scientists believe penguins do not fly because the species would rather swim.

The research looked at the amount of energy necessary to move through the air and the water by the murre that lives in Canada.

Kyle Elliott of the University of Manitoba who contributed to the study found that murres "beat their wings really, really fast, and they're horrible at landing." Elliott and his colleagues outfitted the murres with sensors to learn how deep they dove and how much time they spent in air, underwater, and on land.

Murres are much more efficient moving in the water. Their predecessor penguins evidently choose to grow larger, dive deeper, swim faster, and stay underwater longer, enabling them to feed on larger and more numerous prey.

Air or water. The penguins choose the aquatic environment.

We would do the same, given a choice.

Copyright © 2013 by Open Water Swimming

Neptune Rises - Tune In, Tune Out While Swimming

FINIS announced the launch of its new Neptune MP3 Player.

The Neptune, the next generation of the popular SwiMP3® player, uses Bone Conduction technology to transmit clear audio through the cheekbone and directly into your inner ear. The yellow-themed MP3 player allows swimmers and aquatic enthusiasts to listen to music, audio books, and podcasts while working out in the pool or open water.

FINIS has upgraded the Neptune with an integrated display and increased memory. The waterproof Neptune now has 4GB of storage and an improved file transfer compatibility with iTunes®. "The Neptune, with its Bone Conduction technology is one of the coolest products I have ever used,” said Jason Dunford, an 2008 Olympic finalist from Nairobi, Kenya. “Long aerobic workouts are made that much more enjoyable when I can listen to my favorite tunes.”

"When I go on 3-6 mile swims around Naples Island or in Sunset Beach, it helps to listen to some upbeat music," explains Lexie Kelly, a Californian marathon swimmer. "Sometimes I just want to zone out when I am out in the ocean or a lake, but with music, I feel more engaged in my workout and less apt to lose my focus. But what is interesting is that I can still hear the sounds of the ocean - especially a boat - because the music is not blasting in my ear drum."

John Mix, founder of FINIS, describes the new 3-piece design.

"The Neptune includes 2 side speakers that rest on the cheekbones and attach to any goggle strap, and a high contrast OLED screen that sits comfortably on the back of the head. Most importantly, the Neptune’s hydrodynamic design does not use earbuds, creating a comfortable experience in the water. By keeping the ears free from obstruction, swimmers can still hear others around them when outside the water. The Neptune MP3 Player has already been awarded the prestigious “red dot award: product design 2013” for high design quality. The new speaker quality of the Neptune is unlike anything out there in the market and the Neptune holds approximately 1000 songs or 60 hours of playback."

The FINIS Neptune is available here.

Marathon swimmers have already started to share their comments on the new FINIS product and its competitors here.

Copyright © 2013 by Open Water Swimming

Swimming On The Atlantic Side Of Panamá

Sandwiched between the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea in Central America, Panama has a unique choice of waterways.

The Vuelta Acuática Internacional a Colón is an annual 5 km open water swim held in May. The 58th annual event takes place in the Colon Province on the Caribbean Sea.

Back in 1954, workers of the former Panama Canal Zone established the race that now attracts an average of 70 swimmers.

Every year from Panama, Guatemala, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Colombia, Bolivia, Peru, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, and Honduras.

Scarlet Pinillos of Peru defended her title at the 2013 event in a time of 1 hour 17 minutes while Enderika Santiago Salgado of Ecuador won overall in 1 hours 8 minutes.





Copyright © 2013 by Open Water Swimming

Leonel Medina On Swimming In Panama

Leonel Medina is a 33-year-old open water swimmer from Panama City and the Inspector Nautico en Autoridad Marítima de Panamá in the Republic of Panama.

When he was 7 years old, his injury ultimately led him to a world of aquatics. He had an arthroscopic operation on his left knee and started to swim for rehabilitation. He started training with a personal coach to improve his swimming and got used to the aquatic lifestyle of regularly scheduled swim practices. .

Later he got very interested in open waters swimming. He entered two events in 2011: a 3 km race in Varadero Beach in Havana, Cuba and the 3 km Pan American Masters Championships in Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

We asked him about his own swimming and about swimming in Central America.

Daily News of Open Water Swimming: Why do you love swimming?
Medina: I like swimming because it is a complete sport in which you can exercise the whole body. At the same time, swimming gives you the opportunity to get fit via a low-impact sport on the joints compared to jogging or cycling. Besides, the feeling of the whole body to move and to slip into the water is a wonderful thing.

Daily News of Open Water Swimming: Where do you swim now?
Medina: Currently I practice swimming in a pool that is located near my office, called Albrook swimming pool. Occasionally I swam at the sea, because the beaches are great for swimming but they are far from the city, around two hours by car.

Daily News of Open Water Swimming: How many open water swimming competitions are there in Panama?
Medina: In Panama there is an open water event with a long history. It takes place every May called the Vuelta Acuatica a Colon. It is so called because it takes place in the Colon Province which is located on the Atlantic coast. The 5 km loop circuit was originally initiated by workers of the former Panama Canal Zone 58 years ago and attracts an average of 70 swimmers every year from Panama, Guatemala, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Colombia, Bolivia, Peru, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, and Honduras.

This year in June, there will be an inaugural competition in the Province of Cocle on the Pacific coast in the Playa Blanca. This is organized by a group of enthusiastic people from Costa Rica which will probably grow in the future. So there are only a total of two open waters events in Panama right now.

Daily News of Open Water Swimming: Do you go to other open water swimming events in Central America?
Medina: Although I am not able to attend other open water swimming events in Central America, I would like to do so in the future. Costa Rica would be a good place to start.

Daily News of Open Water Swimming: How many people can swim in Panama?
Medina: In Panama most of the population can swim. Many of us have learned when we were children swimming in rivers, lakes or the beach. Many more learning in the open water than in pools. Some private elementary and high schools have their own swimming pools and are an integral part of physical education for all their students. But most governmental schools do not have this benefit. The Panama Swimming Federation governs all disciplines of aquatics: pool swimming, diving, water polo, synchronized swimming, and open water swimming; together with several swimming clubs throughout the country.

Daily News of Open Water Swimming: How would you like to teach people in your country how to swim?
Medina: My main idea to teach swimming in Panama is to share the knowledge I have gained in recent years in relation to the open water as well as in relation to pool swimming. While in Panama most people swim, but not very common to find people who are skilled in all four swimming styles such as freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly. Likewise, I would like to spread the knowledge of swimming for people to know and what to practice and help them maintain good health and physical condition.

I would start teaching mainly young children in low-income areas, where there are not facilities to learn swimming. This is a challenge because most of these places do not have proper training facilities. Also I would like to teach swimming techniques to people who live in the city areas. One of the challenges with this idea is to make this project financially sustainable over time.

Daily News of Open Water Swimming: What are your future goals in swimming?
Medina: My future plans regarding swimming are able to continue learning from the experiences of other swimmers and continue to participate in open water events in different countries with the support from God.

Copyright © 2013 by Open Water Swimming

Craziest Swim Ever For Craig Dietz

Over the weekend, Craig Dietz swam with friend John Mix of FINIS at the Sharkfest Swim from Alcatraz Island to Aquatic Park in San Francisco Bay.

"It was the craziest swim I've ever done," recalled the Limbless Waterman.

"As if the 6-foot plunge off the ferry to start the swim and the 56ºF (13ºC) wasn't enough. The ebb tide getting into Aquatic Park was completely ridiculous, worse than the first year I did Chesapeake. Everybody get caught in it. I needed a little assistance from my buddy swimmer to get out of it.

Otherwise, I had a really strong swim, and finished in 54 minutes despite the tide difficulties...all and all, a really amazing day."

Dietz finished ahead of approximately 100 individuals with his powerful undulating kick that he does while navigating the currents on his back.

Copyright © 2013 by Open Water Swimming

What Stays In Las Vegas Gets Posted All Over

Members of the U.S. Masters Swimming clubs from Nevada, California, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, Washington, Texas, Florida, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Georgia, Idaho, Alabama, Hawaii, Arkansas, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Montana, North Carolina, Oregon, and Wyoming headed to Lake Mead in Las Vegas, stripped down to their swimsuits, and had a blast.

The T-shaped course, the post-race cupcakes, the in-the-water-sort-of feeding station, the warm tranquil water, and the camaraderie of adult swimmers from the ages of 18 to 70 made their trip well worth it. And nothing to hide.

The Swim Las Vegas-hosted event, designed by Paul Fritz and directed by Kara Miller, offered 3 races: a 1-mile, a 5 km, and a 10 km national USMS championship. Bill May (2:08:38) and Lexie Kelly (2:14:49) were the overall winners in the 10 km national championship. Ricardo Valdivia (2:14:41) and Yan Cardinau (2:15:00) filled out the men's side of the 10 km podium, with Kara Tracey (2:20:01) and Alexis Underwood (2:22:26) joining Kelly on the women's side of the equation.

Eric Marnoch (1:09:40), Erik Dailey (1:14:40), and Edward Waldron (1:19:00) took the top 3 places in the men's 5 km race, with Kari Adams (1:14:21), Denise Hearst (1;15:54), and Becky Cleavenger (1:17:00) finishing 1-2-3 in the women's 5 km.

In the 1-mile race, Kelsey Dickson (24:03), Susan Cushman (29:02), and Beth Rosenblum (33:38) were the fastest females, with James Huff (24:34), Tom Uslan (26:31), and Jeff Devins (27:18) finishing as the top men under warm, cloudless skies.

"We cannot thank Paul Fritz enough," explains race director Kara Miller. "There are no words to express our gratitude for the long long hours you put into facilitating this event and. From the course design, to the buoy set up, to the timing you are an incredibly generous and humble leader.

I also hope the swimmers relished in the desert landscape, the refreshing water, the near-perfect conditions, their pre- and post-race massages from Massage Envy, those delicious cupcakes from CAKED LAS VEGAS and their silicone swim caps from Dr. Donna Woo. You are all an inspiring group of people."

Copyright © 2013 by Open Water Swimming

Chloe McCardel Dreams Big In Bathers, Goggles, Cap

Chloë McCardel is rumored to have landed in Florida on her way to Cuba to attempt her swim from Cuba to Florida.

Here is one of her latest television interviews on her charity swim where she discusses financial support, sponsorship, sharks, and jellyfish.

But most impressive about her attempt is not the distance, crossing the Gulf Stream, or the possibility of sharks. Rather it is the possibility that the Australian marathon swimmer is willingly attempting the swim knowing she probably will encounter box jellyfish with only her bathers, cap and goggles.

That is scary tough.

The box jellyfish live deep below the surface of the Caribbean Sea during the day because they are photophobic, but they rise to the surface as the sun sets and their food sources come up from the depths. In a research project conducted by marine biologists and other scientists from Woods Hole on Diana Nyad's 2012 crossing, the vertical movement of the box jellyfish were monitored, photographed, and documented. As the sun went down, the extraordinarily venomous box jellyfish came up. We have been stung, and seen swimmers being stung, by various types of jellyfish from Oceania and Asia to North America and Europe, but nothing has frightened us more than the sting of a box jellyfish.

That is just plain dangerously scary.

Copyright © 2013 by Open Water Swimming

Don't Swallow The Water, Especially In A Pool

After reading this press release by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), our heartfelt appreciation for open water swimming received more than a little increase.

A study of public pools done during last summer’s swim season found that feces are frequently introduced into pool water by swimmers. CDC collected samples of water from pool filters from public pools and tested the samples for genetic material of multiple microbes.

The study found that 58% of the pool filter samples tested were positive for E. coli, bacteria normally found in the human gut and feces. The E. coli is a marker for fecal contamination. Finding a high percentage of E. coli-positive filters indicates swimmers frequently contaminate pool water when they have a fecal incident in the water or when feces rinse off of their bodies because they do not shower thoroughly before getting into the water.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which can cause skin rashes and ear infections, was detected in 59% of samples. Finding Pseudomonas aeruginosa in the water indicates natural environmental contamination or contamination introduced by swimmers. Cryptosporidium and Giardia, germs that are spread through feces and cause diarrhea, were found in less than 2% of samples. Indoor and outdoor public pools were sampled.

"Swimming is an excellent way to get the physical activity needed to stay healthy," said Michele Hlavsa, chief of CDC’s Healthy Swimming Program. “However, pool users should be aware of how to prevent infections while swimming. Remember, chlorine and other disinfectants don’t kill germs instantly. That’s why it’s important for swimmers to protect themselves by not swallowing the water they swim in and to protect others by keeping feces and germs out of the pool by taking a pre-swim shower and not swimming when ill with diarrhea.”

The study is presented in recognition of Recreational Water Illness and Injury Prevention Week, May 20–26th. The goal of the prevention week is to raise awareness about healthy swimming, including ways to prevent recreational water illnesses. Germs that cause these illnesses are spread by swallowing, breathing in the mists or aerosols from, or having contact with contaminated water in swimming pools, water parks, hot tubs, interactive fountains, water play areas, lakes, rivers, or oceans.

To view the report, please visit here.

Copyright © 2013 by Open Water Swimming

When Things Go On The Fritz

When stiff winds kick up the turn buoys, timing system tents, and the water in Lake Mead in Las Vegas, things get rough for the open water swimmers and triathletes, but nothing goes on the Fritz.

Because civil engineer and Swim Las Vegas coach Paul Fritz has thought of every contingency and every scenario well ahead of time.

Fritz is a former swimmer from Wisconsin who swam for University of Wisconsin- Eau Claire. He is currently the head coach for Swim Las Vegas. While he is a civil engineer by training and profession, his true love is competition and course design.

In addition to his swim coaching responsibilities, he is a triathlete who has competed in more than 125 of his own races. He has designed and certified many of the most memorable and difficult open water swimming and triathlon courses in the Las Vegas area including the 2013 U.S. Masters Swimming National 10 km Open Water Swimming Championships in Lake Mead, the Silverman, the Rage Triathlon, the Pumpkinman, and the Rock n Roll Marathon.

Copyright © 2013 by Open Water Swimming

Swimsuit, Goggles, Swim Cap...and Tape

When open water swimmers line up to the starting area, they are armed with a variety of equipment swimsuits, goggles, swim caps, gel packs, and ear plugs.

But an increasing number of elite athletes are also adding another bit of equipment to their tool kit: waterproof tape.

In the USA Swimming National Open Water Swimming Championships, many women used waterproof tape of all types to tie down their transponders on their wrists and to hold down their goggle straps to their swim caps.

Look closely and tape can be seen on the front, back and sides of the women's swim caps after the 5 km championship race.

Copyright © 2013 by Open Water Swimming

The Passion And Pressure Of The Coaches

You could see it in their eyes. You could hear it in their voice. You could read it in their body language.

Both Dave Kelsheimer (above) of Team Santa Monica in California and Alex Pussieldi (below) of the Davie Nadadores in Florida are two extraordinarily passionate, relatively young coaches on either side of America.

Both Kelsheimer and Pussieldi love distance swimming and open water swimming in particular. They study the sport and understand the tactics and techniques required to rise to the highest echelon.

What was great to see was how they never took their eyes off their athletes at last week's USA Swimming National Open Water Swimming Championships. Whether they were observing via their binoculars, cheering onshore, or watching the live webcast on their iPhones (shown on left), the two coaches were thoroughly and entirely engaged in the competition.

And when their athletes performed to their potential, their smiles are as wide as could be and their pride in their athletes is as palpable as can be.

Coaches Kelsheimer and Pussieldi are just outstanding coaching role models.

Copyright © 2013 by Open Water Swimming

The Man Behind The Voice Of USA Swimming

The ambiance of an open water swimming competition is always enhanced by both minor and major things.

Sam Kendricks enhances an event both in minor and major ways.

His authoritative voice eloquently booms over pool decks and open water venues when he announces at a USA Swimming event from coast to coast. He gets the crowd involved and he explains what is happening during the competition.

He did another great job at Castaic Lake in Southern California at last week's USA Swimming National Open Water Swimming Championships including a post-race interview with Olympic silver medalist Haley Anderson after the 5 km race (shown above).

Copyright © 2013 by Open Water Swimming

Becca Mann Keeps Getting Better And Better

15-year-old Becca Mann swam over 3 hours against the toughest fields in American female open water swimming history...and came within 3.2 seconds of winning both races.

In today's 5 km sprint in rough water conditions, Mann lost to Haley Anderson 1:00:36.51 vs. 1:00:38.04. In Friday's 10 km marathon, she lost to Christine Jennings 2:02:14.33 to 2:02:16.06.

Stroke-for-stroke, shoulder-to-shoulder, the Clearwater, Florida swimmer kept her composure throughout the tactical races. She clearly has a mental aptitude for the sport and her physical skills are without question as the high school freshman now turns her sights to the pool.

"I going to go back to the pool and train for the 400m, 800m and 1500m freestyles at the [USA Swimming] World Championship [pool] qualifiers. I am also looking at the 400 IM and 200 butterfly. I really like swimming more events, not just one. I recover pretty well and like them all."

She acknowledges her advantage with the profound wisdom of an experienced, well-spoken veteran. "I am still young, but last week, I was really tired. I was at a pool competition, but then just started to relax for about 5 days [leading up to the USA Swimming National Open Water Swimming Championships]. I was doing some hard training, but just needed to relax.

And I really like the energy of this venue [Castaic Lake]. I really liked both races [the 5 km and 10 km]. The weather is great, the water is warm, the surrounding mountains are pretty. It really is just perfect."

Spoken like an athlete with a clear path to success.

Photo of Becca Mann taken minutes after the tough 5 km race was over with an untouched gel pack still tucked under her swimsuit on her right leg. "I didn't need to take it."

Copyright © 2013 by Open Water Swimming

Déja Vu With A Twist In The USA Women's 5K Champs

Ashley Twichell, Eva Fabian, Christian Jennings, Haley Anderson, Becca Mann, Emily Brunemann: the stars were out when the 2013 USA Swimming National Open Water Swimming Championships was held.

And so were the upstarts. At one point, Tristin Baxter sprinted into the lead going into the third and final loop in Castaic Lake.

It was like a heavyweight championship fight with each athlete getting in their own body blows. “Tristin moves into the lead...now Anderson has forged into the front...Fabian has a great line...Jennings is picking up where she left off in the 10K...Twichell is making a break for it...Fabian is making it a go with her...Brunemann has come up on their side...Becca Mann is on their tail...Haley is charging now…”

Back and forth, the athletes kept upping the ante and pushing the pace as they charged into the wind and came screaming downstream with the currents. Lead changes kept coming without stop. Lap 1, lap 2, lap 3. Without a doubt, it was anyone's game. The pace was relentless and punishing as they fought each other and collectively against the elements.

On the last loop, the leaders kept taking body blows by the rest of the field. No one could pull away and no one was giving an inch.

But 6-time Olympic coach Jon Urbanchek predicted the winner as they came around the last turn buoy with 150 meters to go. "Haley was attacking. She was pissed [about the outcome of Friday's 10 km race]. The whole way, she took it to the field."

"The race was hard," explained Becca Mann of Florida. "I was in a bad place and had to move around."

As did everyone as they all chased Anderson over the last 150 meters when the recent USC graduate opened up an ever slight lead. "I felt strong going into the wind and gained confidence after the Olympics. I really got back into it during this race."

And things look very good for the American team heading into the 2013 World Championships after two extremely hard-fought races among the top 8 athletes. "There is plenty of room for improvement," said Coach Urbanchek who assists Dave Salo and Catherine Vogt who are Anderson's coaches at Trojan Swim Club. "She is about 85% with everything going on during her senior year."

And her post-graduate activities look to be very promising.

1 Haley Anderson (Trojan Swim Club-CA) 1:00:36.51
2 Becca Mann (Clearwater Aquatic Club-FL) 1:00:38.04
3 Emily Brunemann (Club Wolverine-MI) 1:00:38.38
4 Christine Jennings (RallySport Aquatics Club-CO) 1:00:40.14
5 Tristin Baxter (Clovis Swim Club-CC) 1:00:40.27
6 Eva Fabian (Greenwood Swimming-NE) 1:00:41.12
7 Ashley Twichell (Mission Viejo Nadadores-CA) 1:00:42.41
8 Lindsey Clary (FAST Swim Team-CA) 1:01:51.86
9 Brooke Lorentzen (Mission Viejo Nadadores-CA) 1:01:58.41
10 Megan Rankin (Unattached-CA) 1:02:09.83
11 Liliana Casso (Team Santa Monica-CA) 1:02:10.93
12 Regan Kology (Somerset Hills YMCA-NJ) 1:04:20.81
13 Amanda Richey (Boulder Swimming-CO) 1:04:21.81
14 Megan Viohl (Eagle Swim Team-MD) 1:04:37.20
15 Natalie Ward (Tucson Ford Dealers Aquatics-AZ) 1:04:41.76
16 Gwen Walter (FAST Swim Team-CA) 1:05:31.46
17 Rachel Knowles (Pleasanton Seahawks-PC) 1:05:34.93
18 Raselle Chetwynd (Mission Viejo Nadadores-CA) 1:05:37.60
19 Ashlyn Butkowski (Unattached-NC) 1:05:41.24
20 Kaitlin Pawlowicz (Nation's Capital Swim Club-PV) 1:06:02.82
21 Kathryn Babbin (Lake Erie Silver Dolphins-LE) 1:06:03.09
22 Brittney Beetcher (Boulder Swimming-CO) 1:06:23.94
23 Jamie Dodd (Team Santa Monica-CA) 1:06:25.01
24 Caitlin Daday (Parkland Aquatic Club-MA) 1:07:14.93
25 Jodi Turk (Lake Erie Silver Dolphins-LE) 1:07:33.97
26 Courtney Sheehan (Fresno State Bulldog Swimming-CC) 1:07:36.28
27 Sydney Franzen (Mission Viejo Nadadores-CA) 1:07:38.59
28 Nicole Antoniuk (Unattached-CA) 1:08:04.25
29 Mandy Barnes (Mission Viejo Nadadores-CA) 1:09:13.22
30 Kendal Guy (Mission Viejo Nadadores-CA) 1:09:23.52
31 Sarah Gibson (Alamo Area Aquatics-ST) 1:09:31.33
32 Hannah Vester (Tribe Aquatics-VA) 1:09:36.59
33 Megan Pierce (Shawmut Aquatic Club-NE) 1:09:38.30
34 Isabel Whited (Unattached-AZ) 1:10:11.29
35 Abbey Erwin (Boise YMCA Swim Team-SR) 1:10:16.94
36 Maia Brundage (Scottsdale Aquatic Club-AZ) 1:10:19.82

Copyright © 2013 by Open Water Swimming

USA Championships Too Close To Call For 23 Minutes

For 57 minutes the men in the 2013 USA Swimming National 5 km Open Water Swimming Championships had battled each other and the rough water elements in Castaic Lake. After barreling in the finish chute in two parallel 5-wides, the men slapped the finish pontoon with some loud slaps. The crowd gave a collective gasp…and then waited.

No one knew who won. Not the official nor the athletes. Not the coaches nor the parents. But the one thing that was obvious was the championships were treated to a truly entertaining and exciting race webcast live by USA Swimming.

For 23 minutes the swimmers, coaches, parents, and teammates stood by the officials tent waiting for the final results. No one was making predictions; the race was simply too close to call. Using a high-resolution camera, the race officials had to review the finish over and over to get the results right.

Finally, race announcer Sam Kendricks made the announcement. “Andrew Gemmell is the 2013 USA Swimming national 5 km champion.”

“Sean [Ryan] and Jordan [Wilimovsky] were pushing the pace early in the race,” recalled the University of Georgia senior-to-be Gemmell. “I tried to make a move two times, especially going into the waves. It is easy to get lost in the waves, but it is also harder. I could feel the spray of the waves, but we all had to deal with it.”

Unlike the conditions during the 10 km race two days ago, the winds whipped up a fury on Castaic Lake. Going down the backstretch, the field was flying fast with the currents and winds pushing them faster than many of them had ever swum in the open water. But coming back the men faced a relentless series of random waves and surface chop, slapping them around like socks in a dryer.

“When I pushed the pace twice, I had to fall back both times [into the pack]. With 800 meters to go, the lead pack slowed down. I had to fight back into position, but I got boxed in the middle of the pack. So I moved closest to the shore as I fought my way to the far left coming into the finish.

I breathe to that side so I wanted to be in a position to look at the field.”

And Gemmell will next swim a 5 km at the 2013 World Championships in Barcelona, Spain. After his disappointing third-place finish in the 10 km, Gemmell recouped his energies and regained his focus. “After the 10K, I recovered pretty well. I put [the 10 km finish] in the back of my head. I have done multiple open water races before, so I was ready.”

Ready he was and ready he will be.

On the last day of the championships, we were also impressed with Sean Ryan's aggressiveness in pushing the pace, Jordan Wilimovsky's courage in competing with older rivals, Joey Pedraza's closing kick that nearly pushed him to victory, and the officiating crew led by Chip Carrigan.

The official results:

1 Andrew Gemmell (Nation's Capital Swim Club-PV) 57:22.07
2 Joey Pedraza (Davie Nadadores Swim Team-FG) 57:22.68
3 Sean Ryan (Club Wolverine-MI) 57:22.75
4 Jordan Wilimovsky (Team Santa Monica-CA) 57:23.24
5 Janardan Burns (Mission Viejo Nadadores-CA) 57:24.07
6 Brendan Casey (Team Santa Monica-CA) 57:25.14
7 David Heron (Mission Viejo Nadadores-CA) 57:25.35
8 Chip Peterson (North Carolina Aquatics Club-NC) 57:25.90
9 Daniel O'Connor (Mission Viejo Nadadores-CA) 57:27.18
10 Arthur Frayler (Germantown Academy Aquatic Club-MA) 57:27.33
11 Shawn Parkhurst (Unattached-NI) 57:29.26
12 Sam Petersen (University of Tennessee-SE) 57:30.96
13 Drew Ledwith (Greenwood Swimming-NE) 57:31.65
14 Riley Mita (Navy Swimming-MD) 57:31.86
15 Steve Sholdra (Fordham Swimming-MR) 57:33.28
16 Ryan Feeley (Club Wolverine-MI) 58:02.21
17 Bradley Phillips (Nation's Capital Swim Club-PV) 58:04.84
18 Nick Norman (Mission Viejo Nadadores-CA) 59:19.10
19 Joe Szczupakiewicz (Southwest Aquatic Team-WI) 59:35.97
20 Cory Mayfield (La Mirada Armada-CA) 59:48.10
21 Bobby Yribarren (Tiger Aquatics-PC) 59:48.26
22 Ryan Kao (La Mirada Armada-CA) 59:49.09
23 Jerad Kaskawal (FAST Swim Team-CA) 59:51.60
24 Scott Simmer (Team Santa Monica-CA) 1:00:40.38
25 Bryce Bevier (University of Tennessee-SE) 1:01:48.32
26 Nathan Pawlowicz (Nation's Capital Swim Club-PV) 1:02:12.85
27 Dirk Bell (LTP Racing Club-SC) 1:02:25.59
28 Simon Lamar (FAST Swim Team-CA) 1:02:26.84
29 Nicholas DeVito (Team Santa Monica-CA) 1:02:27.31
30 Nick Vargas (Buenaventura Swim Club-CA) 1:02:30.67
31 Mitchell Huxhold (Unattached-CC) 1:02:33.32
32 Alex Palumbo (Unattached-PN) 1:02:34.33
33 Peter Kalibat (Eastern Express Swim Team-NJ) 1:02:36.19
34 Noah Johnston (Lakeside Swim Team-KY) 1:02:39.39
35 Brandon Goldstein (Nation's Capital Swim Club-PV) 1:02:39.51
36 Brian Phillips (Nation's Capital Swim Club-PV) 1:02:59.02
37 Weston Miller (Scottsdale Aquatic Club-AZ) 1:03:11.09
38 Chris Yeager (First Colony Swim Team-GU) 1:03:13.58
39 Alex Nickell (Navy Swimming-MD) 1:03:13.58
40 Michael McGean (Shawmut Aquatic Club-NE) 1:03:15.87
41 Evan Munaretto (FAST Swim Team-CA) 1:03:32.60
42 Kyle Kemp (Y-Spartaquatics Swim Club-SC) 1:03:48.70
43 Noah Martin (Navy Swimming-MD) 1:03:49.28
44 Conor Cudahy (Nation's Capital Swim Club-PV) 1:04:54.24
45 Michael Caputo (Eastern Express Swim Team-NJ) 1:07:31.67
46 Christoph Grimmett-Norris (Nation's Capital Swim Club-PV) 1:08:28.79
47 Parker Greene (Scottsdale Aquatic Club-AZ) 1:12:15.55

Copyright © 2013 by Open Water Swimming

Alex Meyer To Step Aside In Today's 5K

The men's field is stacked for today's USA Swimming National Open Water Swimming Championships 5K, but with one obvious absence: Alex Meyer.

But Meyer solidified his position on the USA Swimming national team with his dominant and strategic victory in Friday's 10K national championship. With his victory, Meyer has a choice to swim the 5, 10, and 25 km races at the 2013 World Championships in Barcelona. Given his background as the 2010 world 25 km champion, it will be interesting to see what 2 or 3 events he chooses to swim.

In today's race in Meyer's absence, look out for Sean Ryan, Andrew Gemmell, Chip Peterson, Arthur Frayler, and Joey Pedraza, but the contingents from the Mission Viejo Nadadores, Nation's Capital Swim Club, and Team Santa Monica will also poke around the lead pack.

Undoubtedly, the race will come down to the final few hundred meter sprint. The 2013 USA Swimming National Open Water Swimming Championships 5 km race competitors include the following athletes (listed with their entered times):

1. Andrew Gemmell (22) Nation's Capital Swim Club (14:59.05 1500m)
2. Sean Ryan (20) Club Wolverine (15:20.79 1500m)
3. Jordan Wilimovsky (19) Team Santa Monica (15:23.01 1500m)
4. Ryan Feeley (21) Club Wolverine (15:24.28 1500m)
5. David Heron (18) Mission Viejo Nadadores (15:28.50 1500m)
6. Janardan Burns (17) Mission Viejo Nadadores (15:30.40 1500m)
7. Daniel O'Connor (21) Mission Viejo Nadadores (15:34.62 1500m)
8. Nick Norman (16) Mission Viejo Nadadores (15:41.62 1500m)
9. Scott Simmer (17) Team Santa Monica (15:49.36 1500m)
10. Ryan Kao (17) La Mirada Armada (15:56.42 1500m)
11. Chip Peterson (25) North Carolina Aquatics Club (15:56.98 1500m)
12. Joey Pedraza (25) Davie Nadadores Swim Team (15:57.74 1500m)
13. Drew Ledwith (20) Greenwood Swimming (16:00.25 1500m)
14. Ben Miller (18) Marlins of Raleigh (16:02.89 1500m)
15. Brendan Casey (16) Team Santa Monica (16:07.25 1500m)
16. Bobby Yribarren (27) Tiger Aquatics (16:13.06 1500m)
17. Christoph Grimmett‐Norris (18) Nation's Capital Swim Club (16:13.77 1500m)
18. Nicholas DeVito (17) Team Santa Monica (16:13.96 1500m)
19. Cory Mayfield (19) La Mirada Armada (16:18.40 1500m)
20. Alex Palumbo (20) Unattached (16:24.50 1500m)
21. Jerad Kaskawal (17) FAST Swim Team (16:32.28 1500m)
22. Conor Cudahy (18) Nation's Capital Swim Club (16:34.22 1500m)
23. Arthur Frayler (19) Germantown Academy Aquatic Club (14:49.88 1650y)
24. Bradley Phillips (20) Nation's Capital Swim Club (14:58.21 1650y)
25. Mitchell Huxhold (19) Unattached (15:08.61 1650y)
26. Sam Petersen (21) University of Tennessee (15:11.21 1650y)
27. Brennan Jacobsen (20) Unattached (15:22.12 1650y)
28. Bryce Bevier (20) University of Tennessee (15:22.62 1650y)
29. Alex Nickell (19) Navy Swimming (15:26.77 1650y)
30. Riley Mita (19) Navy Swimming (15:30.41) 1650y)
31. Noah Martin (18) Navy Swimming (15:35.45) 1650y)
32. Brandon Goldstein (16) Nation's Capital Swim Club (15:41.16 1650y)
33. Brian Phillips (19) Nation's Capital Swim Club (15:45.71 1650y)
34. Michael Caputo (22) Eastern Express Swim Team (15:50.34 1650y)
35. Noah Johnston (16) Lakeside Swim Team (15:50.69 1650y)
36. Nathan Pawlowicz (16) Nation's Capital Swim Club (15:51.88 1650y)
37. Ian Wheeler (21) Golden West Swim Club (15:55.15 1650y)
38. Evan Munaretto (15) FAST Swim Team (16:00.51 1650y)
39. Michael McGean (18) Shawmut Aquatic Club (16:02.28 1650y)
40. Lamar Simon (13) FAST Swim Team (16:03.65 1650y)
41. Dirk Bell (17) LTP Racing Club (9:08.65 1000y)
42. Shawn Parkhurst (21) Town of Tonawanda Titans Swim Team (9:19.62 1000y)
43. Weston Miller (17) Scottsdale Aquatic Club (9:20.45 1000y)
44. Chris Yeager (14) First Colony Swim Team (9:31.03 1000y)
45. Kyle Kemp (18) Y‐Spartaquatics Swim Club SC 60 8:26.14 800m)
46. Joe Szczupakiewicz (16) Southwest Aquatic Team (8:26.35 800m)
47. Steve Sholdra (19) unattached (8:27.49 800m)
48. Peter Kalibat (17) Eastern Express Swim Team (8:31.44 800m)
49. Nick Vargas (17) Buenaventura Swim Club (8:33.67 800m)
50. Parker Greene (17) Scottsdale Aquatic Club (8:34.45 800m)
51. Matthew Johnson (17) Canyons Aquatic Club (15:37.88 1650y)

Copyright © 2013 by Open Water Swimming

Observation Of High Stepping, Dolphining In The Open Water

We often read and watch triathlon coaches and elite athletes teach high-stepping and dolphining to their triathlete colleagues, friends and teammates.

While we understand how the elite professionals and aggressive amateur triathletes (and open water swimmers) have the desire and need to high-step and dolphin both in and out of the water, we often observe how few triathletes and open water swimmers actually do high-stepping and dolphining in competition.

In particular, we see a lot less high-stepping and dolphining at the end of a triathlon swim leg and open water swim finish than is performed at the start of the race. We wonder why?

Are people nervous high-stepping and dolphining in and out of the water? Is it difficult aerobically? Do triathletes and swimmer practice these techniques? Are conditions too crowded to do so safely? Is it frankly even necessary for the newbie or average triathlete or swimmer? We suspect these are all reasons why most non-elite, non-professional triathletes and open water swimmers high-step and dolphin in and out of the water.

Just an observation.




Copyright © 2013 by Open Water Swimming

American Women Heading To Another (5K) Battle

The women's 10K 2013 USA Swimming National Open Water Swimming Championships culminated in a great finish where every athlete gave it their best and laid it all down on the line.

USA Swimming captured the event with a camera onboard its media boat. With 400 meters to go, there were eight young women giving it everything they had. The eight women were eight possible candidates to represent America at the upcoming World Championships.

Christine Jennings bolted into the lead and 15-year-old Becca Mann willed her way on the open water national team with a late-breaking sprint.

The official final results of the fastest 8 shown in the video below:

1. Christine Jennings 2:02:14.33
2. Becca Mann 2:02:16.06
3. Eva Fabian2:02:16.35
4. Emily Brunemann 2:02:16.50
5. Ashley Twichell 2:02:17.14
6. Tristin Baxter 2:02:17.81
7. Rachel Zilinskas 2:02:19.05
8. Haley Anderson 2:02:21.01



And now this morning, the women will go right back at it in the 2013 USA Swimming National Open Water Swimming Championships 5 km. One more spot on the national team going to the upcoming world championships is available. It will be another rumble in the Castaic jungle today:

1. Eva Fabian (19) Greenwood Swimming (16:42.03 1500m)
2. Amanda Richey (16) Boulder Swimming (16:57.65 1500m)
3. Liliana Casso (18) Team Santa Monica (17:19.88 1500m)
4. Megan Viohl (18) Eagle Swim Team (17:20.19 1500m)
5. Sarah Gibson (18) Alamo Area Aquatics (17:28.09 1500m)
6. Natalie Ward (14) Tucson Ford Dealers Aquatics (17:33.00 1500m)
7. Jamie Dodd (15) Team Santa Monica (17:34.25 1500m)
8. Brittney Beetcher (14) Boulder Swimming (17:34.49 1500m)
9. Mandy Barnes (15) Mission Viejo Nadadores (17:37.39 1500m)
10. Kaitlin Pawlowicz (20) Nation's Capital Swim Club (16:09.96 1650y)
11. Christine Jennings (26) RallySport Aquatics Club (16:16.56 1650y)
12. Hannah Vester (18) Tribe Aquatics (16:52.88 1650y)
13. Regan Kology (16) Somerset Hills YMCA (16:56.21 1650y)
14. Caitlin Daday (17) Parkland Aquatic Club (17:00.31 1650y)
15. Megan Pierce (17) Shawmut Aquatic Club (17:02.75 1650y)
16. Rachel Knowles (16) Pleasanton Seahawks (17:04.49 1650y)
17. Abbey Erwin (14) Boise YMCA Swim Team (17:08.22 1650y)
18. Courtney Sheehan (19) Fresno State Bulldog Swimming (17:10.68 1650y)
19. Ashlyn Butkowski (14) Unattached (17:13.02 1650y)
20. Raselle Chetwynd (15) Mission Viejo Nadadores (17:13.49 1650y)
21. Haley Anderson (21) Trojan Swim Club (9:37.67 1000y)
22. Maia Brundage (17) Scottsdale Aquatic Club (10:06.60 1000y)
23. Gwen Walter (18) FAST Swim Team (10:12.11 1000y)
24. Kathryn Babbin (18) Lake Erie Silver Dolphins (10:12.14 1000y)
25. Kendal Guy (15) Mission Viejo Nadadores (10:13.24 1000y)
26. Becca Mann (15) Clearwater Aquatic Club (8:27.37 800m)
27. Ashley Twichell (23) Mission Viejo Nadadores (8:34.56 800m)
28. Tristin Baxter (21) Clovis Swim Club (8:39.70 800m)
29. Brooke Lorentzen (17) Mission Viejo Nadadores (8:43.92 800m)
30. Emily Brunemann (26) Club Wolverine (8:46.95 800m), shown above
31. Isabel Whited (15) Unattached (8:56.94 800m)
32. Lindsey Clary (17) FAST Swim Team (9:00.05 800m)
33. Jodi Turk (19) Lake Erie Silver Dolphins (9:04.27 800m)
34. Nicole Antoniuk (18) Unattached (9:07.68 800m)
35. Sydney Franzen (15) Mission Viejo Nadadores (9:07.70 800m)

Copyright © 2013 by Open Water Swimming

Craig Dietz To Face A Sharkfest In San Francisco

"Are there sharks out there?" Craig Dietz asked before he entered the Swim Across America event in Long Beach, California back in 2012. "I have never really faced sharks before."

That was then, and now is different. Dietz, a frequent keynote speaker at events from the Midmar Mile in South Africa to the Global Open Water Swimming Conference in California, is now heading to San Francisco Bay to compete in today's Sharkfest Swim.

His friend John Mix of FINIS explains, "Craig is an extraordinary athlete. His story is unique in that he does not share the same loping swimming stroke pattern as many of his competitors; he does not drive towards the finish line with a roaring six-beat freestyle kick. Despite these differences, Craig continues to swim and does so in a manner that is easily recognizable from the shore. Deitz trains and competes laying flat on his back, one large fin attached to a portion of his leg, his hips and core undulating to provide propulsion.

Despite being a late bloomer when he fell in love with open water swimming at age 34 when he competed in his first 1500m swim event at the Pittsburg Triathlon in 2008, he now trains over 5000m a day. Simply put, Craig loves swimming."

Dietz was born without limbs, but embodies effort and positivity. In a message that hits every naysayer and individual with a negative outlook on life smack in the chest, Deitz chooses to face adversity head on and to do what he enjoys. This is what separates him from many. But his message is that everyone can be remarkable and every individual is capable of extraordinary feats.

Today, Deitz will tackle the coldest waters he has faced yet and will swim 1.5 miles from Alcatraz to Aquatic Park. No hands, no feet. No arms, no legs. No problem, all guts.

Copyright © 2013 by Open Water Swimming

Health Opportunity - Exposing The Skin

In light of the research done by Dr. Richard Weller of Edinburgh University about the benefits of sun exposure, we note that Exposure Scientific has developed skincare products that are formulated to permit the body to synthesize vitamin D while blocking the harmful, unwanted rays of light. The skincare products include sunscreens, daily-use moisturizers, lotions and other products with SPF factors.

Vitamin D is made in large quantities by the human body when certain wavelengths light penetrate the skin. Traditional sunscreens with SPF factors, however, have been shown in studies to seriously impair the cutaneous production of vitamin D.

Problem Number 1: An alarmingly high percentage of people in Australia, Canada, European Union, Japan, New Zealand and the United States suffer from vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency.

The problem is a result of living indoors, behind glass and wearing long clothing. Before buildings and an indoor lifestyle became commonplace, humans got the vast majority of their vitamin D by exposure to sunshine. To compound matters the only chance many working people and students get to make vitamin D in their skin is during their outdoor weekend activities – but this is just the time when they impair their skin’s ability to make vitamin D by coating it with traditional sunscreens and products with SPF factors.

Problem Number 2: Dermatologists often warn of the danger of harmful rays of light penetrating the skin, with wrinkles, photo-aging and skin cancers resulting from excessive exposure.

The solution: Reducing the harmful rays of the sun, but allowing the body to synthesize the vitamin D with Exposure Scientific's RadianD.

Copyright © 2013 by Open Water Swimming

Nitric Oxide Release Is Good For The Body

There is no sport in the world - nothing - that exposes the human body to the elements like open water swimming.

Mountain climbing, scuba diving, marathon running, surfing, skydiving, or orienteering get you outdoors, but open water swimming fully envelopes and engages you in Mother Nature's totality like swimming in oceans, lakes, and rivers.

Nearly naked to the elements, swimmer's every pore and every tactile sensation is alive and employed while swimming.

Whether the swim is difficult or easy, salt or fresh, dynamic or tranquil, the open water positively stresses the body in innumerable ways.

And now scientists have uncovered another health benefit to open water swimming. Research conducted at Edinburgh University indicates that sun exposure may far outweigh the risk of developing skin cancer. The UV rays of the sun were found to release nitric oxide the human body that reduce blood pressure, cutting heart attack and stroke risks. "Dietary vitamin D supplements alone will not be able to compensate for lack of sunlight," explains Dr Richard Weller of Edinburgh University. "We suspect that the benefits to heart health of sunlight will outweigh the risk of skin cancer." Dr. Weller studied the blood pressure of 24 volunteers under two different scenarios. In one session, the volunteers were exposed to both UV rays and the heat of the lamps. In another session, UV rays were blocked so that only the heat affected the skin. The results showed that while the vitamin D levels of the volunteers remained the same, their blood pressure dropped significantly for an hour after exposure to UV rays, but not after the heat-only sessions.

More good news on the open water front.

Photo shows Bill May who swam a little more 2 hours under the warm Las Vegas sun yesterday while winning the 2013 U.S. Masters Swimming national 10 km open water swimming championships.

Copyright © 2013 by Open Water Swimming