Swimming Metro North West Your Area May 2008 – Number 1 Swimming Newsletter
President’s Note By Steve Williams
Welcome to the first newsletter for your new area. Just in case you are not aware your area is now known as “Swimming Metro North West Incorporated”
There is already a lot happening in your area.
Our first championships will be held at SOPAC over the Saturday and Sunday of the June long weekend. After the championships are over the program will be reviewed, and if necessary, developed further by the Competition Committee.
The Bronze development squad has its first session on May 17. Hopefully this is the next step in a long and successful swimming career for the members of this squad. At the end of the program the Development Committee will review the program with the aim of finetuning it to benefit swimmers even more.
A committee has been formed to help develop our colours and emblem. Details follow later in this newsletter on how everyone can be involved in designing an emblem. This emblem will then be used on newsletters, area tops and caps, stationery and the website. Don’t miss your chance to be involved.
The primary aim of your new area is to build on the strengths of the old Cumberland and Castlereagh districts and to grow into a new stronger area to benefit and support all our members. Thank you to those who are already putting in the time and effort to make this happen. Over the next few months we will be looking for feedback from members on what they want from the area. Again, don’t miss the opportunity to be involved. Everyone can have input and everyone can be involved in helping to develop our new area.
Steve Williams.
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Swimming Metro North West By Alex Warwar (to the best of my abilities!)
Frequent Asked Questions – FAQ (updated)
1. What are the Swimming Clubs on the new Area ?
AUBURN AQUABURN BARKER BLUEFINS SWIM TEAM CARRINGTON INDOOR AQUATIC CASTLE HILL RSL DOLPHINS EASTWOOD EPPING EPPING BULLETS FITNESS EDGE GALSTON HAWKESBURY HORNSBY MACQUARRIE NORTH WEST SWIMMING CLUB PARRA CITY PARRAMATTA MEMORIAL RIVERSTONE RIVERSTONE DOLPHINS RSL YOUTH RYDE CARLILE SOPAC SWIMWEST THE HILLS SWIMMING & LIFESAVING UNCLE JACK’S WINDSOR SWIM
2. So is Castlereagh gone?
Yes it is. On April, 21 st Castlereagh had an AGM to elect a new executive committee, change its name from Castlereagh to Swimming Metro North West Incorporated and adopt a new Constitution and by Laws where all new Clubs (as above) will be part of the area.
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Swimming Metro North West Your District May 2008 – Number 1 Swimming Newsletter
3. What will happen to the Castlereagh Winter Championship? It will be held on June 7 th and 8 th and the new name is Swimming Metro North West Winter Championship. Program and MM Files for e-entries are already available at the old Castlereagh Web Site http://www.castlereaghswimming.org.au/ Checks to be made for Swimming Metro North West Inc
4. What about the Area Development Squad Criteria?
The Bronze Squad with over 60 swimmers started at the Loreto/Aquaburn Pool on Saturday the 17 th . Free Style session was given by Galston Coach Eric Lobbe.
Silver and Gold Criteria are still to be decided by the new elected Development Committee for Swimming Metro North West.
5. Is this just a change of name? No. A new Constitution, a new elected executive committee. We will have new colours and a new logo. And for all swimmers reading this, a new record book will be opened for the new area.
6. What about the other Areas? Other 2 areas – South East and South West have already been incorporated as new Areas. The only one remaining unchanged is the North East Area which at this stage will still be the two Districts geographically located in the North East.
7. What about the Colours or Symbol of the New Metro North West Area? There is a committee working very hard on this and news on that hopefully by the time the Winter Championship is happening at Homebush on June 7 th and 8 th .
8. So is this the first Swimming Metro North West Newsletter? Yes. The New appointed Publicity Officer will be responsible to make the Metro North West Area Newsletter better, bigger and more famous!
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Swimming Metro North West Your District May 2008 – Number 1 Swimming Newsletter
Swimming Metro North West - AGM By Alex. Warwar based on the AGM Minutes
President Steve Williams
Vice Presidents Chris Evans David Hawke
Treasurer Graham Taylor
ALEC Ron Brettle
Secretary Wayne Wood
Competitions secretary Penny Bernard
Development Officer John McIntosh
Committee Members Gloria Wiegmann Terry Wilson Julie Mason
Auditor David Holloway
COMMITTEES
ALEC – ALEC and all referees. Competitions Committee – Competitions Secretary and a race secretary or representative from all clubs. Development committee – David Hawke, Steve Williams. John McIntosh, Graham Taylor, Alex Warwar, Shaun Scammel and Hayden Belshaw. Public Officer – Wayne Wood Webmaster – Frank Latta
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Swimming Metro North West Your District May 2008 – Number 1 Swimming Newsletter
Planning for Perfection NSW Swimming sponsorsponsoredededed Seminar for young swimmers and parents A one day seminar addressing the needs of swimmers and parents in their preparation to achieving perfection.
WHEN: Date: Sunday 22nd June 2008
Time: 9am - 5pm
Venue: NSWIS
Cost: $30 per person (including refreshments)
Topics covered include:
* Psychology with Paul Penna - the Sports Psychologist for the Australian Swim Team
* Drugs & Supplements, the Do's and Don'ts with ASADA Tester Alana Metikovec
* Life Skills
* Motivation
* Perfecting Starts & Turns
* Nutrition and much more!
There will be strictly limited numbers, as this year's workshop will include girls, boys and parents on the one day.
Form and information please go to: https://www.clubsonline.com.au/console/news/attachments/Registration%20Form.pdf
Registrations are closing soon.
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Swimming Metro North West Your District May 2008 – Number 1 Swimming Newsletter
Official's Corner
ALEC REPORT By Ron Brettle
National Technical Official Accreditation Cards By now all SMNW qualified officials should have received their accreditation cards from Swimming Australia. If you haven’t received your card (or you forgot to apply), there is an application form on the Swimming NSW website, www.nswswimming.com.au. Go to ‘Resources’ then ‘Technical’ and scroll down to ‘Technical Official Credential Cards’, and click on here. Simply complete the form and forward it to Swimming NSW.
Technical Officials (TO) Recently eight of our experienced TOs have achieved their accreditation as ‘Inspector of Turns’ and are now training for the position of ‘Judge of Stroke’. Subsequently they will be attempting to qualify as Referees. In addition, over the last three weeks a total 19 people from various clubs have attended training as Timekeepers and are now finalising arrangements for their practical assessments.
In late May a number of our senior officials will undertake training as Presenters and Assessors. This will allow the Area to run more training and accredit more TOs. We need more TOs to share the load and to ensure that we continue to offer high standard, well run carnivals. I urge everyone to support their children’s swimming and seek accreditation as a TO.
Both the Swimming NSW and the Swimming Australia websites carry detailed explanations of what you need to do to become an accredited TO. A brief summary of the process is set out below.
Becoming an accredited Technical Official If you want to become a TO then talk to your Club Secretary. The Secretary will contact the Area ALEC Convenor and arrangements will be made for you to receive training. Please remember that you must be a registered member of a swimming club to be eligible to become a TO.
Training for all TO positions is a self managed process. Candidates for all TO position will be required to:
Complete a Training Exercise quiz - Obtain the relevant ‘Training Notes’ and ‘Training Exercise’ from the Swimming NSW website by selecting ‘Resources’ then ‘Technical’. Scroll down to ‘Training Notes’ and download the required notes (e.g. Starter) then scroll down to ‘Training Exercises’ and download the required exercise. Using the notes fully complete the Training Exercise.
Attend a formal training presentation - Bring the completed Training Exercise quiz and the Training Notes to the presentation. The Presenter will go through your answers, discussing any pertinent points.
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Swimming Metro North West Your District May 2008 – Number 1 Swimming Newsletter
You will then be taken through the relevant SAL Learner Guide, completing a number of training exercises. (The Guide is provided by the presenter – it is not available on the net).
Undertake a competency assessment - Arrangements will be made for you to be assessed for the required competencies for TO. The assessment will be arranged for a time and place acceptable to both yourself and the assessor. It can be done during club swimming if the assessor is satisfied that this is suitable.
New officials (i.e. those are not already Technical Officials) must first undertake training and assessment in ‘General Principles of Swimming Officiating’. They can then be trained in a specific role.
Remember without our Technical Officials we can’t run carnivals. Have a go – you will find it both interesting and rewarding.
Yours in swimming
Ron Brettle
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Swimming Metro North West Your District May 2008 – Number 1 Swimming Newsletter
Fat Bellies, Fat Head By [email protected]
Fat bellies? Fat heads ...
If you ever wanted an example of how bad the meeja can be, then look no further than what they did this week to Grant Hackett. The fat belly episode was an appalling display of a pack savaging a lame sheep. It was a display of aggressive ignorance, of intellectual sloth and professional sloppiness. And we can say that, because we've been one of them and we know how they operate. Raised a hack, we know how sloppy and lazy the meeja can be. And this took the cake.
Maybe they all felt jilted, the meeja, after they'd spent the previous few weeks fawning over Hackett, who was attempting to complete his transition from the pool to open water by inclusion in the 10km open water at the Beijing Olympics. Hell hath no greater fury than a hack scorned ...
Like most, when we saw the images of Hackett emerging from the pond in Seville after his 10km failure earlier in the week, we, too, thought, "Goodness, look at the belly ..." And we said so to our Queen, Mrs Sparkle, sitting beside us. But, unlike the meeja, we like to think we kept a reasonably open mind. It was invonceivable that Hackett would not have been in tip-top condition for this event. His credibility rested on it. He couldn't go through with this 10km caper without a full commitment. And he is a "professional".
Now, we have a plant inside the Stray'n open water team in Seville, so we had access to some better, more objective, timely and realistic information. It was about how well Hackett had fitted in with the rest of the OW team in Seville, about how well he'd been training, etc, etc. Our plant told us about the 3 litres of water, which is to be expected, given the duration of the race. Goodness gracious, how much water do they drink before the 25km?
There also is a general awareness of how much water a mug can swallow when swimming in a pack that's largely intent on doing one no good. The peloton in Seville, indeed, would have been vicious on Hackett. Not as vicious as the Stray'n meeja, mind you, but vicious all the same. Hackett said as much after the swim.
And that, we reckon, is the heart of the Hackett tragedy this week.
How Hackett ever could have thought -- or whoever could have told him -- that he could make the transition from the protective security of the pool to the wolves in a forest of open water is beyond us. Sure, it could happen in time. But not with the speed with which he attempted it. You will say we're smarty pantses after the event, but we'd been saying this to all and sundry right from the moment he said he'd attempt it. Hackett said after this week's swim that he'd hoped to keep clear of the rough stuff in the peloton. But there are only two ways you can do that in open water: one is to lead, which he'd
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Swimming Metro North West Your District May 2008 – Number 1 Swimming Newsletter shown no inclination to do at the nationals at Penriff before Xmas, or to drop behind, and the only place that leaves you is behind.
The meeja is ignorant of the state of Stray'n open water swimming because they pay no attention to it, just as Stray'n Swimming pays no attention to it, it seems. The meeja, particularly, aren't aware that we actually have some of the best open water swimmers in the world (three world champeens in the last couple of years and a host more of top performers) already available to us. What had Hackett's advice been on attempting such a transition? He can't have expected it to be easy. Did he have any notion of the peloton? Had he been advised by some suit?
Open water is different to pool swimming. That's a truism. You all know it, and that's why you do it. We all know about the biffo and the barging, and the nastiness of regional swims involving people who do it only once a year and treat it like a 200m surf race full of boofheads.
But even without the biff, racing in a pack is profoundly different. Even with the best of intentions and faith by those around you, you cannot help but be affected by them physically and emotionally. You cannot helped but be cramped, to be belted and dunked, bruised and injured. You cannot help but swallow water and air. You cannot help but think at times that you might be about to drown. Yes, we're all in this together, and it takes a while to get used to it.
And Hackett was a motza to be targeted in Seville. Leading up to the Worlds this week, he'd had only a handful of open water races, they being in Stray'a against friendly company, in small fields. That would have been no preparation for Seville. Did you see on the telly how big and wild was that pack? It was to string out, of course, but all of them would have harboured ill faith towards our Grant, apart perhaps from Hurst, although this had to be qualified by the knowledge that he had to beat Hackett to get himself to Beijing.
So, we admire Hackett for his attempt this week, and we're sorry he got the treatment that he did. But we're about as surprised about it as this desk on which our computer sits right now.
That said, we remain resentful that the meeja, the Stray'n community, and, it would seem, Stray'n Swimming started paying attention to open water only because it was accepted into the Olympics, and because Hackett paid attention to it. We remain resentful that there is a dynamic, committed and enormously talented group of open water swimmers in Stray'a who have been toiling away for years, much of it at their own expense, many of them simultaneously undergoing tertiary study (click here to check Steve Munatones account of how to qualify for the Olympic 10km, then you'll understand why they all need tertiary qualifications), with hardly a nod of the head from authority. (Do you know, our Shelley Clark was even refused a team backpack before she left for Seville because they couldn't afford it!) Yet this peloton of genuine wonders have given us three world titles in the last four years -- Grant Cleland (5km), and Brendan Capell and Josh Santacaterina (25km) -- not to mention the heroic performances of so many who haven't pulled off a gold. Such as Andrew Beato in Naples two years ago, when he swam a 4th, as we recall, in the 5km after having his goggles knocked off in the first kilometre. Such as Trudee Hutchinson and Shelley Clark, who may not have won but who have been there right to the end,
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Swimming Metro North West Your District May 2008 – Number 1 Swimming Newsletter consistently and with no reward save the richness of life's experience that it gives them. They are grand performers, indeed, and we are proud to count them amongst our friends.
We were resentful right from the start, it is true, that Hackett attempted to make the transition across the bows of those who'd been paying their dues for years. (Did you hear, by the way, how Josh Santacaterina got to swim in Seville? While Stray'n swimming picked two swimmers for each of the 5km and 10km, male and female, they picked only one in the 25km. Capell and Santacaterina touched a millisecond apart at Penriff, both of them recent World champeens. Hit your hands on your desk or your lap right now, Bang! Bang!, as quick apart as you can, and that's how close they were. Yet stray'n Swimming picked only one for the 25km, Capell. However, the Nederpelt lad who'd been picked for the 5km had been told by head coach Alan Thompson, so we're told, that if he was picked in the pool team, he couldn't swim open water. Nederpelt did make the pool team, then dropped out of the 5km, leaving an opening. We're told the Authorities considered putting Hurst in there, but offered it to Santacaterina provided he passed a 5km qualifying time in the pool, and a pinch test. As if he had to prove himself! Santacaterina beat the 56m time by three minutes, and passed the pinch test. That put him on the team and, while he was about it, he would get to swim the 25km, too. And they wonder why we're sceptical of Stray'n Swimming officialdom ... In the end, Santacaterina was the first Stray'n swimmer home in the World 5km, beating Beato by 5.4 seconds.)
But back to Hackett ... After he won the nationals in December, we were scolded by another ocean swimmer by inference after we reported, churlishly perhaps, that while Hackett had won the 10km and entry into Seville, he hadn't been tested and we still didn't know whether he really was the best in Stray'a. A swimmer in half a fast skin emailed us to ask: "Are you suggesting that Grant Hackett is not the best 10km swimmer in (Stray'a)?" We responded that we simply didn't know. Open water swimming is not just about speed. It's about tactics and it's about handling the pack and managing pressure and dispensing pressure. It's not something you learn in a few short months. Hackett attempted that and, whilst the meeja, particularly, had willed him to the open water pond in Beijing, he didn't make it and they turned on him.
To top it all off, Hackett actually was disqualified at the end of the race when he received a 2nd yellow card for the race for swimming across another swimmer's legs, or, as our plant put it, "for something that didn't happen". We saw a grab of Hackett's finish on the telly just a moment ago, and we saw him reach for the finishing pad, above his head, and miss, then reach again to touch. He missed because another swimmer was under him. Did he deliberately swim over another swimmer's legs? We don't know. But we know enough to know that there is an awful lot of grey in swimming, particularly in open water swimming. We think he was hard done by.
Then he climbed out of the water and, for a brief moment, breathing heavily, his belly pouted. CLICK! Pic on the way ...
The response from the meeja overall was purile, facile, dishonest, lazy and vicious. No wonder the general mug punter doesn't trust the meeja. Think for a moment about how many stories you've read in the meeja on subjects on which you -- You! -- know something, and how inaccurate they are. Then transfer that inaccurcy across all stories you see in the meeja, and you then will have a reasonably true
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Swimming Metro North West Your District May 2008 – Number 1 Swimming Newsletter picture of meeja accuracy overall. And they don't like being told it, and they will correct it only if they can't escape it. For they will do everything they can to avoid rectifying a wrong, for rectifying a wrong is to admit that they have been wrong.
Now that Hackett is out, there will be minimal coverage of Hurst in the open water at Beijing and, after that, nothing until the next Olympics roll around, assuming the open water survives to London. And the coverage will be just as ill-informed and inaccurate.
To top it all off, we're aware of no reporter from Stray'a who actually went to Seville to report on the World Open Water Championships, apart from Channel 7 show pony Jim Wilson, who went to cover Hackett and was back in Stray'a by the time the 25km was being run, probably on the same plane as Grant. They're all ignorant about it, yet that doesn't stop them posing as experts.
The result is that there has been virtually no coverage in Stray'a of anything other than Hackett's race. And there never has been, in our memory, any coverage of open water that's been informed and enlightened. Or genuinely interested.
That said, all our swimmers, Hackett included, swam good and did us proud.
So that you know, these are our results --
10km Men - Ky Hurst =5th (16.6 seconds behind winner), Grant Hackett DSQ
10km Laydees - Melissa Gorman 25th (1:15.7 behind, qualifies for Beijing in second tier selections), Brooke Fletcher 43rd (8:21.9)
5km Men - Josh Santacaterina 12th (21.7 secs), Andrew Beato 16th (27.1 secs)
5km Laydees - Kate Brookes-Peterson 8th (15.1 secs), Alex Bagley 17th (24.8 secs)
25km Men - Brendan Capell 8th (2:39.7 behind), Josh Santacaterina 11th (5:08.6)
25km Laydees - Kate brookes-Peterson 5th (21.7 secs behind), Shelley Clark 7th (34.5 seconds behind)
Well done, the lot of you!
See you on the beach.
Copyright [email protected]
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Olympic Swimming Controversies and Scandals From Mat Luebbers --- swimmingabout.com
From swimsuits to drug use, Olympic swimming has had controversies. Michelle Smith, Dawn Fraser, and entire countries have been involved in scandals that have, in small or large fashion, tarnished swimming.
Doping in Swimming
The use of illegal performance enhancers has probably been occurring as long as sports have been around, and they will probably continue. Catching those using them - finding the cheaters - is an ever-evolving process. Some of the substances that have been used are human growth hormone (HGH), Erythropoietin (EPO), Androgenic Anabolic Steroids (AAS), and Testosterone.
1968, 1972, 1976, 1980, 1984, 1988 - East German Women's Swim Team
It is now known that East Germany was systematically doping its athletes. Many of them did not really understand what was being done to them at the time, but they do now. What are the warning signs that can be seen in meet results? Medals won by East German Women's Swimming in the Olympics: 1964 - 0; 1968 - 6 (2 gold); 1972 - 5 (0 gold); 1976 - 18 (11 gold); 1980 - 26 medals (11 gold); 1984 - did not attend, boycott; 1988 22 (10 gold). When East Germany collapsed and unified with West Germany (now just Germany) the doping files were found, doctors and sport directors were taken to court, and the sad, brutal East German doping stories became public. No medals were adjusted by the IOC.
1992, 1996, 2000 - Chinese Women's Swim Team
From nothing to four Golds at the 1992 World Champs and the 1992 Olympics to 12 Golds at the 1994 World Champs. That kind of improvement is questionable. At the 94 Asian Games, 11 Chinese women swimmers tested positive for dihydrotestosterone; at the 96 Olympics they only won a single gold medal, and no positive tests. 98 World Champs and four swimmers tested positive, plus human growth hormone was found in a swimmer's luggage. Before the 2000 Olympics, China removed four women from its squad for odd test results and no swimmer from China earned any medals. At the 2004 Olympics, none of the swimmers tested positive and they earned one gold medal. That is a a lot of up and down in the medal count, and a lot of positive drug tests.
1996 - Michelle Smith de Bruin (Ireland)
Big leaps form previous swimming results are always doubtful. Up jumped Michelle de Bruin from Ireland. At the 1996 Olympic Games she won gold medals in the 400 IM, 400 Free, and the 200 IM, plus a bronze in the 200 Fly. de Bruin was accused of doping by another swimmer, Janet Evans. Evans finished 9th and was shut out of the medal round in the 400 IM, so many thought it was just "sour grapes" - but maybe it wasn't. de Bruin tested clean in 1996, but in 1998 she was banned for tampering with a urine sample. The sample had high levels of alcohol. Even though it was tampered with, testers still found traces of androstenedione. Michelle de Bruin was banned for four years in 1998, appealed, lost the case, and retired.
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Swim Suits
There is always some controversy when new swim suits are introduced. Is the new suit unfair? Is it somehow cheating, giving those wearing it an unfair advantage? All of the suits used in the Olympics must be cleared by FINA and must be available to all Olympic swimmers. While one suit may be better than others, if it is available to all swimmers, and it is FINA approved, then is it cheating to swim in it? I say no, but what do you say?
1960 - Men's 100 Meter Freestyle Tie? John Devitt AUS, Lance Larson USA
Electronic timing was in its infancy and at the 1960 Olympics, used as a back-up. The men's 100 free had a close finish, as could be expected. For finishes three judges watched for 1st place, three for 2nd, etc. In the 100 meter freestyle, two of three 1st place judges called John Devitt of Australia as the 1st place - but two of the three 2nd place judges called him as the 2nd place finisher! Three stopwatches used for each swimmer showed Lance Larson of the USA with the faster time, 55.1, to Devitt's 55.2. The electronic timer had Larsen at 55.10, Devitt at 55.16. The head judge (who, by the rules, did not have this power) decided that Devitt got the gold, even though the decision should have been based on the back-up timing system.
1964 - Dawn Fraser (Australia) Tries to Steal a Flag
At the 1964 games, Australia's Dawn Fraser won the gold medal in the 100 freestyle for the third time in three Olympics - the only swimmer to win the same event at three successive Olympic games. She also went on a late night outing and tried to steal a Japanese flag from the Emperor's Palace. She was caught, apologized, and while no charges were filed, she was banned from swimming for 10 years (later reduced to four years, but she retired at the start of the ban).
2008 - Laure Manaudou (France) Nude Pictures
Going into the 2008 Olympic year, the up and down social life of France's backstroke and freestyle swimming great Laure Manaudou took a short, big drop as nude pictures of her were posted on the internet. Apparently some revealing pictures taken by an ex-boyfriend found their way out of his computer and onto the world wide web.
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Coaches’ Corner Tips for Triathletes on Training and Racing the Swim Leg of a Triathlon
The first leg of a triathlon is the wettest, even on a rainy day. But it should also be the most enjoyable and relaxed part of the race. A good swim can lead to a great race, regardless of your ability to move through the water. Some tri's are short, some are long, but all require you to swim. From my perspective as a competitive swimmer, coach, and triathlete, the swim is not the hardest portion of the event, but it is critical to perform the swim leg of a triathlon correctly to set up a successful bike and run leg.
The swim ought to feel like a good effort, but also a bit relaxed, allowing you to move through the water with the least expenditure of energy. The swim must be fast enough to get you to the bike leg in a reasonable amount of time, depending on your personal goals for the race.
The swim must be controlled, so you keep a feeling of confidence throughout the leg, staying positive leading in to the transition and bike portion of the event.
Swimming efficiently and within your limits will accomplish all of these goals. Design a training plan that allows you to complete three to four swimming workouts each week A few things to remember for the training plan:
* All workouts should include a warm-up and cool-down.
* All workouts should include some swimming technique work.
* One or two workouts should be primarily easy swimming with low rest (heart rate at 60% to 70% of max - base endurance).
* One workout should include a set at a sustained good effort level (a qualified "fast as you can go at steady pace " for the entire swim - threshold).
* One workout should include some faster shorter work with more rest between repeats (you might call it VO2Max work). This is not as important as longer swims or threshold swims for most beginers.
* Do regular open water sessions, if possible, to practice navigation techniques.
* If you will be using a wetsuit, kicking is minor or a non-existent part of the swim.
* Make a list of what you need for the swim:
o swimsuit
o racing suit or cycling shorts
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o goggles
o anti-fog drops
o cap
o triathlon specific wetsuit (if allowed)
o anti-chafe lubricant
o water bottle to stay hydrated before the start
o watch or heart rate monitor
o plan to use these things in some of your practices.
* Do some portion of some of your swims with a wetsuit if you will be using one in your event.
* Do some transition workouts (complete a swim at a good effort, then change to your cycling gear and hit the pavement for a spin).
* Have someone watch you swim and listen to their critique of your technique; discuss what you want to look like first, then they can tell you if you are achieving it.
Don't overdo the swimming workouts. For most triathletes, 30 to 60 minutes per workout is adequate, with one workout every few weeks of 75 to 90 minutes for a long, straight swim.
To set a goal time for your triathlon swim, determine your threshold swimming pace per 100 meters, add 5% to 10% for navigation problems and to compensate for the lack of walls, then multiply that by the race distance. This time should be relatively accurate, barring any major kicks in the stomach by passing swimmers.
For example, if you can hold 1:50's in the pool, then you should be able to hold 2:00's in open water. If you are doing an Ironman (3,800 meter swim) multiplying a 2:00/100-meter pace by 38 = 1:16:00. As you improve, the difference between your pool pace and open water pace will diminish. You will probably go faster than your goal time if you set it this way, but you should not do so by swimming harder - do it by swimming smarter.
You need to make yourself as efficient as possible by practicing good technique. While improvement can be measured by faster times, it can also be indicated through the same elapsed time with less effort or a lower heart rate. This leaves more reserves for the bike and run legs of the triathlon, and should result in an overall faster race.
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When you arrive at the race site and you have finished setting up your transition areas, looked over the run and bike legs, and everything else is set, head for the swim course and warm-up. As you swim, look around for navigation landmarks to your right, left, front and back for all parts of the course. Think about the sun, and if it will cause any difficulties. Goggles, cap, and wetsuit feel ok, or do you need to make a few adjustments before the race begins? Anything chaffing - put on some more skin lubricant (remember not to use Vaseline type products with a wetsuit).
Now you have to line up for the start. If you are not sure where to place yourself, line up to the outside towards the front of the pack. It is easier to drift back into your pace than to work up through a thick mass of splashing, wetsuit garbed triathletes. Go the first few 50 to 100 meters at a fast but still comfortable pace, then settle into your rhythm for the rest of the swim. Check your landmarks every 5 to 25 strokes (depends on how confident you are in your ability to swim in a straight line) while swimming; at the start or finish of a breath, look forward if needed to check your course.
As you move along the course, do a few spot checks for good technique - body roll, long and strong strokes, relaxed feeling on the recovery of each arm. You must also remember to keep your pace in that fast but comfortable zone you have trained at all of this time; don't let yourself ease up too much and drop below it, and never let yourself become a thrashing fury out there. Stay controlled, relaxed, and think easy and smooth. Before you know it, you will be on the shore, heading for the bike and the rest of the race.
Use sculling to develop water sensitivity
By Jen Adley
Have you ever observed how effortlessly an Olympic swimmer moves through the water? It may seem strange how smooth and easy, yet unbelievably fast, they swim. One of the reasons they're so efficient is because they have great feel for the water.
To improve your swimming speed and technique you must be able to sense and feel the changes in water pressure on your body, hands and feet. Some athletes are blessed with a natural feel for the water. However, feel is usually developed and improved over time.
The fastest and most effective way to develop water feel is to practice various sculling drills. Though they've been around forever, sculling drills are often unknown and unused by many. And while these drills can be confusing and time consuming, they are extremely beneficial in helping a swimmer learn to create lift and propulsion in the pool.
I recommend performing 300 to 500 yards of sculling drills in addition to each of your swim workouts. This will develop an advanced awareness of body balance and sensitivity of the hands and forearms when swimming.
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Sculling drill No. 1
1. Floating vertically with your hands at waist level and palms facing the bottom of the pool, press your palms outward with the little finger toward the surface, then rotate your hand and press inward with the thumb up. Feel the water pressure in both directions and do a figure eight with your hands at approximately the same depth throughout. Feel your body slightly lift as you move your hands in and out.
2. Lie on your back with your hands at your hips and palms facing the bottom of the pool. Scull with the same figure-eight pattern. Experiment with changing the pitch of your hands to deliver the best propulsion.
Sculling drill No. 2: Progressive scull
1. Begin while floating face down with a pull buoy between your legs. With hands and arms extended over your head, press out with your little finger elevated and then press in with your thumb elevated. Gradually move your arms slowly downward and backward (with at least six or seven complete sweeps), continuing the sculling figure-eight motion so you're essentially feeling the arm in-sweep used in freestyle.
2. After at least six to eight complete sweeps progressing to this position, bend your elbows as you continue backward, emphasizing the same motion used in finishing the freestyle or butterfly stroke. This sculling drill gives you the feel of all the various sweeps used in a well-executed stroke. Bring your arms back to the starting point underwater and repeat the sequence.
Sculling drill No. 3
Float face down and propel yourself feet first. Your hands and arms are extended as you scull in front of your face. The wrists must be flexed upward with palms facing the wall you're moving away from. This technique will help develop maximum pressure on the hand.
At each practice, spend some time focusing on sculling and you'll begin to see significant improvements in your feel of the water. You'll develop an awareness of hand and arm position with each stroke which can be used as a base for other drills.
"No matter how hard you train, no matter how great your genius for cardiovascular work, you will not progress dramatically in this sport without good or great technique. Great technique is impossible without superior feeling and awareness with the water." - Ron Johnson
Jen Adley earned her BS in Biology and a Masters degree in Physical Therapy. She is a practicing, board-certified physical therapist for Body Pros Physical Therapy and coaches athletes for The Sport Factory. She is licensed by USA swimming with over 10 years coaching experience. Jen has twice received an honorable mention ranking from USA Triathlon .
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NEW: Swimming News and Tips around the World By Alex Warwar from the World Wide Resources of the Internet
USA Swimming hopes for swimsuit case settlement
By PAUL NEWBERRY
A top USA Swimming official said Friday he hopes a lawsuit accusing the governing body of being in cahoots with Speedo will be resolved quickly so athletes can focus on the Beijing Olympics.
Chuck Wielgus, executive director of the national governing body, also disputed claims by California-based TYR Sport that USA Swimming and its head coach, Mark Schubert, were trying to persuade American swimmers to switch to Speedo's revolutionary "LZR Racer" suit even if they have sponsorship deals with other companies.
"While we cannot comment on pending litigation, it is important to note that USA Swimming does not dictate which brand of personal competitive gear our national team athletes wear," Wielgus said in a statement. "Rather, U.S. athletes are free to wear their preferred brand of suit, cap and goggles."
With the Olympic trials in Omaha, Neb., less than two months away, TYR filed a federal antitrust lawsuit this week against Speedo's parent company, USA Swimming and Schubert.
"We hope that this matter can be resolved quickly so that all athletes currently preparing for the U.S. Olympic team trials can be free from this unfortunate distraction," Wielgus said.
Natalie Coughlin, competing at the Santa Clara Grand Prix in California, said she's aggravated that so much attention is going toward the suits instead of the swimmers. She was one of the Speedo-sponsored athletes who helped develop the LZR Racer.
"It's not magical," Coughlin said after breaking her own U.S. record in the 100 freestyle. "I just think the hype surrounding it is really irritating. I'm so glad it's successful, but it's like almost too much."
TYR's case focuses on Speedo's financial relationship with USA Swimming and its top coach, calling Schubert a "paid spokesman" for the company.
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The lawsuit cites numerous examples of Schubert touting the benefits of wearing the LZR Racer, including his endorsement last month during the short course world championships, where numerous world records were set, mostly by Speedo swimmers.
Since the LZR Racer's unveiling in mid-February, swimmers wearing the suit have set a staggering 37 world records and rekindled the debate over whether technology has too much influence over the sport. World governing body FINA has repeatedly upheld the legality of Speedo's design and will hold a special meeting next month to rule on the legality of new suits designed by rival companies in response to the LZR.
"The people breaking these world records either had them or were really close to them before," Coughlin said. "So it does, I think, take a little bit away from the swimmers. It's just a little irritating."
Larry Hilton, an attorney for TYR, said that while the "timing of the lawsuit is unfortunate," the company had no choice after settlement talks with USA Swimming broke down.
"If this had happened a year ago and we had waited until a month or two before the Olympic trials to file suit, that might have raised some eyebrows," Hilton said. "Unfortunately, all the actions happened very recently. ... If we had waited until October (after the Olympics) to bring the lawsuit, the bell already would have been rung. You can't un-ring it."
Schubert urged all U.S. athletes to wear the suit during the country's Olympic trials this summer, regardless of their sponsorship deals. TYR has sponsorship deals with several top Americans, and world record holders Brendan Hansen and Aaron Peirsol are tied to Nike.
Despite a report that Hansen and Peirsol might be contemplating a switch to Speedo, Nike spokesman Dean Stoyer said all the company's swimmers should be on board for Beijing.
"Nothing has changed on Nike's end, nor has anything changed with our athletes," Stoyer said.
Olympic swimmer Erik Vendt, who recently switched from TYR to Speedo, also is named as a defendant. The lawsuit alleges he broke a binding contract with TYR when he changed attire. Vendt's agent, Evan Morgenstein, vehemently denied the charges and said he would boycott future deals with TYR.
Speedo also denied any wrongdoing.
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TYR Takes Battle Of BodySuits To Court
Craig Lord
The battle of the bodysuits is getting tighter, courtesy of a lawsuit in which TYR is suing ... well, quite a few folk, it seems: Speedo; Mark Schubert, the head coach to the USA who was on teams when the head of TYR, Steve Furniss, was still racing in his USA togs; USA Swimming, the federation; and, for good measure, Erik Vendt, who decided that he wanted to race in an LZR Racer from Speedo.
According to an article in the Los Angeles Times picked up by our colleagues over at Swimming World, 'Huntington Beach's TYR Sport Inc. upped the stakes by filing suit on Monday in federal court against Warnaco Swimwear Inc., parent company of Speedo and producer of the news-making LZR Racer swimsuit. TYR did not specify the damages it was seeking but did estimate that the long-term loss to the value of its brand could reach $500,000.'
What a mess. And one of the making of all those who did not stop to think about the consequences of stuffing their suits full of technology that took the sport of swimming a few strokes beyond where it had ever gone in terms of diminishing the purity of an athlete's performance.
The evidence for the performance-enhancing qualities of the LZR is stacked high with more than 30 world records, long and short, since February 16. Then there's the 400 plus performances monitored by SwimNews at the 2008 world s/c championships in Manchester, which proved Schubert's 2% gain claim correct: those swims, in LZR's, came in at 1.6% to 2.3%. Beyond coincidence.
In documents filed in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, which cite articles penned by this author, TYR alleges that Speedo, USA Swimming and Schubert 'combined to engage in a campaign of falsely disparaging the products of Speedo's competitors, including TYR, for the purpose of inducing competitive swimmers to refrain from doing business with Speedo's competitors,' according to the LA Times. Moreover, those parties had done so in an 'especially insidious and deceptive manner'.
Furniss is said to have taken action with 'great reluctance'. You can read more about that at the LA Times. The case against Vendt rests on alleged breach of contract.
No idea whether he has a case to answer or not, nor whether TYR's case is strong but one thing is for sure: caveat emptor is the watchword for swimmers. Don't sign anything unless you're happy to have your freedom taken away. Which leaves the whole compression suit- makers market in a tight spot, even those that for now appear to have cause to celebrate.
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I spoke to a source close to the design heart of one big company today that feels that it has been given carte blanche to produce a suit that will go beyond what the LZR is doing. Fighting talk - and the inevitable path down which the sport was sure to float the moment world records started falling like nine pins back in February.
The action against Speedo and Schubert is more tenuous, it seems to me from a distance, unless TYR intend to sue FINA and all national federations too. Each one of those parties is free to act as they wish within the bounds of the law. And choosing one suit over another - and recommending one suit over another - and getting paid to do so - is not a crime. Or is it? Time and the US Court will tell. Conflict of interest? Probably a stronger case for that.
'TYR is very concerned about some of the things that are happening in the world of elite competitive swimming, and wants to see the issue about whose product is better resolved by swimmers in the pool,' a TYR spokesperson told the LA Times, who called claims of Speedo's hold on new and innovative technology based on 'misinformation'. More than 30 world records and a tidal wave of similar improvements across the board at a world title event appears to suggest that any misinformation must be based on claims against other suits that may have been made, though I never once heard a Speedo rep say a single word about anyone else's suit. They did say much about their own suit, of course, which, we take it, is perfectly within the bounds of all laws.
Schubert has indeed been recommending that swimmers wear Speedo, at least in the sense that he described the choice of suit faced by swimmers as 'a black and white decision', given the LZR's properties. He was, as far as I was and am aware, speaking as a coach responsible for ensuring that his swimmers win in Beijing. In Manchester, Schubert at said to have gathered his troops to tell them that the Speedo suit would give them a 2% advantage. In all probability, he was as close to truth as he could get in terms of an advantage over an athlete's own previous performances. The question is: why did he not say the same about the TYR Tracer Rise? Is he, as head coach to USA Swimming, and is USA Swimming itself, obliged to recommend all suits? Are they within their rights to accept money from a manufacturer of a swim suit and then contributing to the spread of that company's products?
The jury will be out at some point. The jury on swimming as a sport was called the moment the thud of falling records echoed beyond the boundaries of the pool: some of them will take their seats not in court this summer but in the Olympic media stands overlooking the pool that they visit once every four years.
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All About Goggles for Swimmers
The styles of goggles are always changing, and there are hundreds of brands and models around the world. Sized for children or adults, designed for oval or round eye sockets, tinted, clear, hypoallergenic, prescription, or anti-fog, these little things make opening your eyes underwater much more comfortable. They also protect your eyes from corneal damage.
* Swedish Style
Goggles with no gaskets are commonly known as Swedish goggles. These are very popular, are very adjustable, and can be inexpensive. Just make sure you are comfortable with the feeling of the goggles edge around your eyes.
* Foam Gasket Style
Adding foam gaskets can make goggle fit easier. It softens the contact point between the goggles and your skin and can conform to irregularities.
However, the shape and size of the goggle will affect how well they fit (round, oval, big, small, etc.) and the foam could separate from the goggle with age, making the goggle useless.
* Hard Rubber, Silicone, or Other Gasket Style
When the side portion of the goggle is manufactured from a softer plastic the contact point between the goggles and your skin can be softened by forming a gasket-like seal out of this same material - an integrated gasket. These work well for many people and avoid the problem of gasket.
* Other Styles
There are many other types of goggles out there, from scuba mask-like styles to goggles designed just for kids. One of those might work for you, so consider them, too.
Developing High Elbow Position and Tempo from Ryan Woodruff, the University of North Carolina assistant coach
Woodruff, who also serves as the head coach for the North Carolina Aquatic Club, offers swimmers some drills to develop a high elbow catch, as well as increasing their tempo.
One of the best pieces of training equipment you can use is something that you might already have sitting around the house - tennis balls! Tennis balls are good for a number of drills to help your swimming.
You can develop a better high-elbow catch for your strokes by holding the tennis balls in your hands while you swim your normal stroke. The idea here is that the ball acts as an "anti-
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paddle" forcing you to use your forearms instead of your hands to hold onto water. Do this for any stroke while swimming, drilling or even sculling.
Another way to use this cheap training tool is to help you learn to develop a faster stroke tempo. By taking away the resistance of your hands, your arms will slip through the water more quickly, thus allowing your stroke to happen at a faster than normal tempo. Try sprinting with a ball in each hand. Be sure to use proper technique when doing this or try it in conjunction with a tempo trainer to get even more specific!
Fast Relay Exchanges From World record-holders Neil Walker and Jason Lezak
When you're on the blocks, follow the swimmer in with your hands, making a triangular window by connecting your thumbs and index fingers. Swing your arms up and back 360 degrees, with elbows locked. Follow through, beginning the dive as your hands pass your thighs.
Practice this slowly at first to perfect technique. Then be aggressive with the arm swing, the jump and the timing.
Most disqualifications are from a bad finish by the swimmer, not an early take-off by the jumper . Practice good finishes just as much as take-offs. You should know how many strokes it will take to sprint into the wall. If you over-extend your reach or jam your finish with a half-stroke, you’ll throw off the jumper.
Once you get the technique and timing right, practice with other swimmers and other strokes so you can adjust to different races.
Don't spend more time trying to improve your reaction off the blocks if you're still missing obvious speed elements. Jumping well, tight streamlines, fast kicks and strong pullouts are faster than a good relay take-off. What Though the Odds: Haley Scott’s Journey of Faith and Triumph
By Haley Scott DeMaria (Cross Training Publishing)
Haley Scott was a freshman swimmer at the University of Notre Dame when her team was involved in a fatal bus crash while returning home from a meet. Though initially paralyzed, Scott came back to swim for Notre Dame 18 months later.
With the help of USA Swimming, she wrote What Though the Odds, an account of this life- changing event. The book will be released in June by Cross Training Publishing. An extract from Chapter one, more can be found on swimming usa.org.
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From Chapter One
It is Thursday night. We are ready to leave Chicago and head back to South Bend, just over a two-hour drive. What a swim meet! I am only a freshman, but I am already holding my own. We just swam against Northwestern University, a Big Ten school with a more established, faster swim team than we have at Notre Dame - at least for now. Coach Tim Welsh recruited a very talented freshmen class, and our group is the strength of the team. Even the upper-classmen swimmers knew our incoming class would take spots from them in meets; yet the “older” swimmers felt only excitement to see the program posting better times.
I swam the 100-yard butterfly and the 200-yard freestyle, and did well enough to draw a few compliments from Coach Tim. As I walked around the pool deck after swimming my last event, Tim pulled me aside.
“You know, your 200 tonight was great, especially in the middle of hard training,” he said. “You would do really well at middle-distance.”
Normally a compliment like this would be met with a groan. The truth is I have always fancied myself a 50 freestyle swimmer - a “sprinter.” I like the shorter “sprint” workouts better than the long- or middle-distance ones. But in reality, I do not have that quick, flat- out speed needed to be a sprint specialist at the collegiate level. I recognize this and with Tim’s confidence, I look forward to swimming the 500-yard freestyle at our next meet.
Our team’s manager has picked up pizza, bread and salad. With that and a chick flick, Dying Young, the bus ride back to South Bend becomes “girls’ night out.”
Outside, the snow and wind intensify. I am thankful that we are close to our exit on the Indiana Toll Road; only a few minutes and we will be back on campus. Snow has settled on the icy road, and it is well below freezing.
I feel the bus move a little to the left, then back to the right. I think we are exiting down the ramp. I crane my neck to get a better look. With a quick jerk, we slide and fishtail 180 degrees.
There is no time to think, no time to react, no time to hold on - though that is what our coach yells, “Hold on!” And no time to pray.
Silence. For a moment we are in shock. Then there are cries. Screams. My only thought is to get off the bus. I pull myself through the open window and out into the bitter cold. I try to walk, but I am unable and fall into the snow. I start shivering. I cannot fathom what has happened, and I should probably be thankful that shock shields me from the grim reality that lies in a heap in, around – and most sadly of all – under this bus, on this Indiana road, in the middle of this winter night just minutes into January 24, 1992.
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Editor: Alex. Warwar Contributions & Feedback to: [email protected] Subscriptions: Send an email to [email protected] with your request Yearly Sponsorship: Gold ($500), Silver($250), Bronze ($150)
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