Swim Mate

ISSUE 1/2012

Swim Mate

Open Water Swimming Magazine

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tchin in th

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English Channel

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Swimmers 2012

Steve ‘Oceans 7’ Redmond Stroke correction

Editor’s Note

Swim Mate

Issue 1, 2012

Welcome to the first issue of Swim Mate

EDITORIAL

I’d like to welcome you to the first edition of Swim Mate Magazine.

The Publisher: Vladswim Pty Ltd

The idea behind Swim Mate is to provide a regular magazine with interesting stories and information on open water swimming, ocean swimming and Triathlon swimming both in Australia and around the world.

Executive Editor: Vladimir Mravec Copy Editor: Charmian Frend Creative Editor: Jerry Stefik Cover: Marty Filipovsky Marketing Director: Viktoria Mravcova

Photographers:

Lyndon Marceau Vladimir Mravec Jerry Stefik

Coaches: Vladimir Mravec Charmian Frend CONTRIBUTORS Todd Israel, Victoria Gorman, Ben Hutt, Vladimir Mravec, Charmian Frend, Sarah Dacres-Mannings, Kristy Campbell, Paul Ellercamp, Viktoria Mravcova, SWIMMATE ONLINE www.swimmate.com.au SWIMMATE ACN 154 780 382 Customer Care & Billing Viktoria Mravcova Subscriptions & Distribution +612 80 60 17 33 SYDNEY PO Box 6198, Malabar, NSW 2036

SWIM MATE is published quarterly by Vladswim. Original contributions and letters welcome. Receipt of letters to the editor and original, unsolicited manuscripts will be taken by the editor as permission to publish. Submissions may be edited for length and clarity. All published material is © 2012 SWIM MATE. Letters and signed articles do not necessarily represent the opinion of SWIM MATE or Vladswim. No responsibility is accepted by the Publisher for the accuracy of information contained in any part of the text or advertising material in this publication.

Advertisers are responsible for advertising copy by virtue of the Trades Practices Act. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is strictly prohibited.

We also would like Swim Mate to offer something for you by sharing stories of your swimming experience be it good or bad. Maybe your story may inspire another reader to achieve the same goal. We are always keen to receive these stories so please send us a rundown of your experience. This way we can help you by providing as much information as we can on ocean swimming and you help us by providing real life experience of these swims.

Every year more and more people are challenging themselves to compete in ocean swims and we are seeing an increasing number of swimmers competing in the marathon distances (Rottnest, English Channel). These swimmers are constantly looking for information and stories on these swims to give them guidelines and advice as to how to prepare and actually swim them. Swim Mate wants to be part of your journey and assist in you reaching your goals.

In each issue you will find: • Articles relating to the swims provided by coaches and other relevant specialists • Information on the elite ocean swimming circuit • Calendar giving details of upcoming swims both here and overseas

Please sit back, relax and enjoy the magazine

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Contents

Dive In 06 07 08 10 12 14

FROM ACROSS THE DITCH

06

STEVE ‘OCEAN 7’ REDMOND BEN HUTT SHORT PIECE FROM ME PHOTO ALBUM IRON MAN 2011 ENGLISH CHANNEL SWIM

14

07 Swim preperation 18 18

21 23 25 28 30

COACHES CORNER

OCEAN SWIM COACH STROKE CORRECTION STRETCHING IN THE POOL TOP 10 FOODS MASSAGE FOR SWIMMERS

21

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Contents

36

Swimming in the world 32 OLYMPIC AUSTRALIAN OPEN WATER TEAM 33 FINA 35 PAUL ELLERCAMP 36 OCEAN SWIM CALENDAR

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35

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From Across The Ditch My name is Rick Martin and the other half of the team is my wife Tania.

2011 has been my first year of swimming. I did a few triathlon swims in the 1980’s, but no swimming since then.

I got a bit more active in 2008 with a 2200km ride the length of New Zealand in 18 days to raise awareness of prostate cancer and men’s’ health (check out www.brotherhood.org.nz) and then did the South Island ‘Coast to Coast’ - a great event.

For the past few years I have kept thinking that I’d like to do the State Insurance Summer Swims (a series of 6 swims throughout New Zealand) but until now never got to the pool to do any training.

However, after a couple of ocean swims at the end of summer 2011,

I had entered the whole 6 swims this season the 2012 season. If you’re interested take a look at their website www.oceanswim. co.nz

to swim out to the 200m mark to start in 1min waves – I’d have to say that I was concerned about even getting to the start point as the water was that cold.

I started swimming at the local pool and quickly learnt that not only was I not swim fit, but I didn’t know anything about swimming, not that I was going to let that stop me.

The next event was on 10 December in the Bay of Islands.

The Bay of Islands is about 2.5hrs drive from Auckland. Another overcast day with 20 knots but thankfully it was on the quarter so a bit of a tail wind. we are standing around chatting and waiting for the start, and once again one of the few nudists with no wetsuit.

So now here I am in the State Ocean Series. The first swim was across Auckland Harbour on 13 November – 2.8kms from the North Shore to the City. Lots of head wind (15-20 knots), the water was 15°, the day overcast and 1300 people - the biggest group that I had swum with.

Being only one of 90 tog swimmers I felt like a nudist on the beach waiting to start. We had

The water was warmer than the last swim at 19°. There were 528 swimmers. This race was won by Melissa Gorman from Australia in a time of 37:47 – go the Aussies!

From the NZ Swim Mate correspondent.

Rick & Tania Martin

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Steve ‘Oceans 7’ Redmond

Stephen Redmond (born 1 August 1965) from County Cork, Ireland is a former rugby player and triathlete who has become one of the world’s hardest marathon swimmers and a famed endurance athlete.

Redmond created history in July by being the first, and to date, only person to complete all 7 channels of the Oceans Seven: Some channel crossings didn’t happen on the first go either. Redmond attempted the Molokai Channel once before succeeding on his second attempt. While the Tsugaru Channel in Japan he attempted three times before he succeeded on his fourth attempt in July 2012.

children while tackling the channels around the world. “I use anything that gives me a mental edge. Marathon swimming is about as close as you can get to death while you are alive here on Earth. You lose all sense of perception while you are swimming in such difficult conditions,” said the swimmer who usually cross’s channels at a 48-52 strokes per minute pace.

Dive-In

August 2009: English Channel [20h]

August 2010:

Irish Channel (17h:17m)

May 2011: Strait of Gibraltar (5h)

October 2011: Catalina Channel (12h:40m)

February 2012: Cook Strait in (13h:10m)

February 2012: Molokai Channel (22h:29m)

July 2012: Tsugaru Channel (12h:45m)

Redmond uses mantras of his

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Ben Hutt short piece from me serious money and expected people I knew to contribute, I needed to seriously challenge myself.

At the time it was a big deal for me to complete a 2km ocean swim without pausing to breast-stroke around buoys!

As a child growing up in England, I was considered a pretty good swimmer. Having said that, “front crawl”, was hardly swum at all except over very short distances or in emergencies.

I decided to complete the swim from Bondi to Watsons bay in Sydney (12km), and with the support of Friends and Family managed to raise more than $11,000 for Opportunity International Australia. The When I moved to Australia in 2003 I joined Tamarama Surf Life money formed the basis of many small (~$200) loans to women in Saving Club to meet likeminded the Philippines who were helped ocean-loving people. I struggled to start and grow businesses. through the 400 metre time trial in less than the requisite 9 minutes This enabled them to help themin order to become a life saver, but selves and their families out of abject poverty. As the loans get quickly realised just how bad a swimmer I really was in Australian repaid they are recycled to other women, and so the virtuous cycle terms. continues.

One of the best things for me I was buoyed by the support about Tama was Saturday ocean received, and whilst many people swim squads (TOSS), where we’d suggested doing another chalgo on swimming adventures to lenge, I could not decide what Bronte, Bondi, or Clovelly. I to do. The decision was made in absolutely loved these days, and particularly enjoyed swimming in May 2011, after late night alcohol fuelled “bucket list” discussions really big surf. with close friends.

Two years ago I did my first In the second week of September major challenge for charity. A 2012 I will swim across the great friend and mentor of mine English Channel. This is a had said that if I wanted to raise

ridiculously hard challenge, and whilst it’s been a dream since childhood, the magnitude of the task is only just sinking in as I get into the detail of the preparation required and begin training. I intend to raise at least $50,000 this time around.

I have received lots of great support and advice, and am working hard to prepare both physically and mentally. I am really enjoying swimming with Vladswim squads and enthusiasm for fixing all my bad habits is great and I can feel myself slowly getting faster and more efficient.

I have established a website to provide information about the swim and to help raise awareness of Opportunity International and let’s people ride the emotional roller-coaster which has begun. www.BensEnglishChannelChallenge2012.com

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Penny Palfrey attempts

Cuba-Florida Crossing

Penny Palfrey, a BritishAustralian swimmer, l au n c h e d a h i s t or i c attempt in June to become the first person to successfully cross the 165km swim from Havana, Cuba to Key West, Florida. Without a shark cage! Penny Palfrey, a 49 year old grandmother, is renowned in ocean swimming circles having completed 6 of the 7 channel swims. Palfrey is a 20 year veteran of open water swimming, and last year completed a 108km swim between Little Cayman and Grand Cayman Islands.

many obstacles that she may face on the journey, including bad weather, stingers and dehydration, however was hoping that her open water experience would deliver her safely in Florida. Diana Nyad, a 62 year old American open water swimmer, has attempted the crossing 3 times without success, having aborted that last attempt due to dangerous jellyfish stings. Australia’s own Susie Maroney has successfully completed the crossing, however she did so with a shark cage.

Palfrey unfortunately aborted her crossing after swimming for 41 hours and covering about 150km. Despite dehydration, stings and muscle soreness, she remained strong and determined to continue on. However, it was the Gulf stream currents that were pushing After a year of prepara- her backwards and pretion and her support vented her from gaining crew on board, Palfrey ground. commenced her swim After spending some in late June. Palfrey esti- time recovering, Penny mated that a successful has now returned to crossing wou ld t a ke Australia. I wonder what between 40-50hours. her next challenge will Palfrey was aware of the be?

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English Channel Swimmers 2012 Wayne Arthur South African Rugby Player Been training for the swim last 2 Years Swam 13 August time

10hours 29min Alistair Newman English Rugby player. Been training for the swim last 2 Years Swam 9 August

12hours 40min

Tori Gorman Australian ocean and Marathon swimmer Swam 20 July

14hours 12min.

Wyatt Song First Australian Chinese completed Channel swim Swam 8 August

16hours 17min

Stuart Johnson Second double crossing in two years Swam 4th September

2 ways 24hours 30min Lochie Hinds 16 year old swimmer Youngest Australian Male to swim the channel Swam 6 July

12 hours 22 min

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Rottnest swimmers 2011

Morning swim at Icebergs Bondi - 6:00AM

Bondi to Bronte swims 2011

English Channel swimmers from Sydney during the preparation

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Saturaday Balmoral swim from 7:00AM

Canberra swim 2011

Morning Squad at ABC Pool Great swim location: Brighton Le Sands

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Training Tip For a Triathlon Swim Start Tip #1 Protracted Sprint: A great way to increase your Vo2 threshold.

In your main set, start swimming at all-out sprint speed, as though you are competing in a 25-metre race.

Continue swimming until you are completely exhausted.

Hawaii 2011

IRONMAN

by Todd Israel

How far you go or how soon you start to slow down doesn’t matter.

(I usually start slowing after 40 metres and exhaust myself at about 300 metres.) The benefit is to prepare your body and mind to the experience of a protracted sprint.

Repeat this 5 times with a 1 minute rest between reps.

Pain is only temporary but victory is forever.

- Jeremy H. Champions aren’t made in the gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them -- a desire, a dream, a vision.

- Muhammad Ali The important thing is not winning, it’s making everyone else lose.

- Stacy Aguilar There is no glory in practice, but without practice, there is no glory...

- Unknown It does not take talent to win... just blood, sweat, heart, tears, time, and a good coach.

- Nick

All the months of training came down to one day and I put in a solid all round effort. However, I never felt that I got into my rhythm, especially during the bike leg.

were pushing hard, however on race day the top pro’s swam about 4+ minutes quicker. The age group swim start was very hectic and aggressive as always and I went out too hard, going lactic.

I pulled back for a few minutes Swim Leg-56.18min’s until my arms Don’t think anyone could ever stopped screaming in .18 m hr enjoy the mass starts 6 5 and then worked Leg 9.19 but it is a fact of Swim Leg 4.4 .52 hr my way through Bike Leg 3.13 life in Kona so I n some packs and exited Ru need to perfect it. the swim in an okay position.

One week before the race Bike Leg- 4.49.19hrs I did a few hard swims jumping in with the pro’s (Craig Alexander I had done some great work on & Luke Mckenzie). It was very the bike before the race. Looking encouraging to see that I could back at my “taper”, doing 600km stay with them even when they one week out from the race was

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way too much. I know, a big mistake. This gave me very tired legs and on race day I just couldn’t get off fourth gear and into over drive.

I was also having a great deal of discomfort from my saddle, causing me some injury. However, I am learning something new from every race (including from my

and began running people down during the middle of the run leg.

Coming out of the Energy Lab I decided to pick the pace up and try to push it home, only to have both quads and calves start to cramp. The last 12km was a shuffle for me and I was very lucky to hold onto fourth place with a run time of 3.13.52hr.

All in all I can take a lot of positives from the race - I came two places higher in my age group and 10minutes faster than last year.

mistakes) and with this being only my 4th ironman I hope to significantly improve on my bike time of 4.49.19hr.

Run Leg-3.13.52hr It was always going to be a hard and long run for me. My preparation for this race was always going to be lacking due to the foot injury that had plagued me for the past 12 months. At the start, I thought that there was no way I was going to make it through run after the way I felt on the bike.

The first 8kms were a struggle for me mentally and physically, but once I got out and onto the Queen K I started to find some rhythm SwimMate®

Even though triathlon is an individual sport it takes many people to help you reach your goals. These people are your training partners, personal partners, friends, coaches, sponsors, physio’s and many more. If it wasn’t for my Physiotherapist Nick Torrence from Balance in Motion Physiotherapy I would never have made the start line, Velosophy Bike store for the bike support and put me on the Scott Plasma 3, 2XU Paddington NSW for the awesome face kit that kept me cool, The Running Company Bondi (Chris Chapam) for the expert shoe choice and on going support throughout the year leading up to the race.

My next Ironman after this was Melbourne in March 2012. This was my first race as a Professional athlete and having joined “Vladswim” and the gang I felt my swimming had improved significantly to take on this challenge.

Vladswim Website

swim coach

http://vladswim.com.au

Athlete Lab Sydney

http://sydney.athlete-lab.com/

PB3 - Performance

by3

http://pb3.com.au

Charm Coach

http://www.swimcoachcharm.com.au/ 13

Dive-In

Crossing the English Channel: From agony to ecstasy!

by Victoria Gorman

Victoria Gorman, 30 from Bellevue Hill completed English Channel this year. Her story is proof that anything is possible with hard work and determination.

On Friday 20th July, 2012, after two years of preparation, I became the 22nd Australian female to swim the English Channel.

with gale force winds and terrible weather. Many swimmers were forced to return home without even attempting their swim.

Only one week on from then it seemed just a distant memory!

Did the physical pain I endured for 14 hours really happen? Where did I find the mental toughness to push through those walls I hit during the swim? And did I really swim from England to France in a day? Thankfully I have the photos, the swim log, my journal, a nice scar on my leg when I hit the rocks of France and one very swollen left arm from impinged tendons in my shoulder that remind me daily that my two year dream is now reality! This is how the journey unfolded....

The two weeks of waiting for the weather to clear were interminable. Finally our prayers and weather dances atop the white cliffs of Dover seemed to be rewarded. At 7pm, I spoke to my pilot, Mike. We were on for tomorrow morning! Meet at 7:30am at his boat “Gallivant” at Dover Harbour. This was it - it was really happening and no more weather delays were going to stop me getting my goal!

I was booked on a Neap tide to swim somewhere between the 10th and 18th July as the #2 swimmer. This meant I had second preference as to what day I would swim when the conditions were good. Unfortunately for all of us waiting for our respective swims, the entire tide was blown out

I had booked my pilot two years earlier, after a fair amount of research, and knew I had one of the best in the business. Mike Oram has been doing this job

for 30 years and currently holds the records as pilot for both the fastest male and female crossings.

Whilst I wasn’t looking to achieve a particular speed, I knew Mike knew his stuff and would get me to France.

Start: The boat left the dock just after 8am, and upon arrival at Shakespeare Beach, I stripped down to my swimmers. After a quick application of a combination of sunscreen, Vaseline and wool fat on my back by Mum, I dived over the side and swam to shore to officially start the swim! I raised my arms, the horn blew on the boat, and I was into the water and swimming. It was 8:37am, 4 hours before high water and 2 hours before the turn of the tide.

I was now swimming on a Spring tide, which have a higher water velocity and movement so often take longer to swim. By this stage, I didn’t care; I just wanted to swim to France!

The next few hours were all about me settling into a rhythm and

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warming up. After my second feed of mixed carbohydrate (Maxim) and ginger cordial, I was not able to keep it down and so I decided to switch to 100% Maxim with no flavouring for the rest of the swim.

It tastes pretty bland, but I needed to keep it down if I was going to have enough energy to make the swim. My stroke rate, taken every half hour, sat on 61 strokes per minute, and my crew were busy but happy enjoying the sun.

Sadly, the sun did not stick around, and grey clouds rolled over with a few rain showers. By 11am, the good and glassy conditions had turned bumpy and I had to get my head quite high out of the water to breathe without swallowing sea water.

By midday, I was starting to hurt across my back and shoulders.

Three weeks of waiting and training in Dover without my normal routine of massage and acupuncture meant my body was not quite as awesome as it should have been.

I took some anti-inflammatories and by the next feed, 30 minutes later, I was feeling great again. I will point out though that I was very cold the entire swim. The water temperatures sat on 15 degrees, and I was very aware of how cold I was the whole time despite the fact I had done two years of cold water training in preparation.

noticeably rougher. Not surprising when you consider how many massive ships and ferries were passing us by and the amount of current that was now in full swing.

It was pretty exciting and I felt extremely small in the water in comparison! The turbulent water played havoc with my tummy around this time, and I struggled to keep my next feed down.

Probably a combination of swallowing so much sea water mixed with my feed. At around the 7 hour mark I looked up at a ship and saw France for the first time!

By 9 hours, I had completely lost track of how many feeds I had had. Thankfully Dad held up a sign not long after saying “It’s 3am in Sydney and the following people are still awake....” My quick calculations worked out I had been swimming for 9.5 hours. I was amazed and stoked. My body was feeling how it should after such a long period of swimming, and not only that, I now had a responsibility to finish this thing and make the night worthwhile to all those people not getting any sleep back home.

My left shoulder was really aching by now. My crew told me to “Toughen up! Nobody ever died of a sore shoulder.” I realised how glad I was that I had spent the last 12 months training myself to breathe bilaterally so that the pressure exerted on my shoulders and neck would be equal on both sides. I was really getting quite cold now, and Mum came to the rescue with a cup of hot chicken vegetable soup on my next feed. It was like nectar from the gods!

At 10 hours, the rain had set in.

It was heavy and very wet for the boat crew. I had some more anti-inflammatories for my shoulder. My stroke rate that had sat steadily at 61 strokes per minute for the last 10 hours, increased to 63 strokes per minute as my stroke shortened to compensate the left shoulder. Despite the rain, there was one beam of sunshine that was shining on the cliffs at France. It felt like it was taunting me as it was hard to determine if I was even getting closer hour after hour. I can see why so many people get disillusioned with actually making it to France, when

Once we started crossing the shipping lanes, the water became SwimMate®

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OBSERVER Mike and his crew were there and ready and I was excited to see Irene from Dover Beach would be my official observer for the swim on behalf of the Channel Swimming and Piloting Federation. Irene is a member of the shore crew who look after all the Channel swimmers whilst training and waiting for their opportunity to swim on weekends. It was great to know I had a familiar face on board. Her role was to ensure I didn’t break any of the Channel swimming rules, which keeps the integrity of the swim and the achievement in check. Things like not getting out of the water until France, not touching the boat, not touching anyone else during the swim, not wearing a wetsuit, not using any assistive materials, are all things that the Observer ensures. They also make notes the entire duration of the swim on feeds, timings, conditions etc.

it doesn’t feel like you are making any progress! What I didn’t realise at this point was the tide had turned and I was being swept down the coast of France. Because I was always pointing at France, it was hard for me to realise that I was being swept to the right quite quickly. I kept swimming.

Over the course of the day, my family distracted me with messages written up on a whiteboard my sister was holding, riddles, songs to sing in my head. You name it, we were doing it. It was a welcome distraction from the monotony of knowing you have to swim for hours upon hours!

coast as the current is very strong here and have to await the tide to turn to slack water before you can get across and hit French shores.

I had assumed that I was heading towards Cap Blanc Nez for the entire duration of the swim, and to find out that I didn’t have that safety net got me scared. I knew I had to give it everything now, Mike is the sort of pilot that only tells you to swim when you really need to swim. So I upped my pace to 76 strokes per minute. It was dark and I kept looking up ahead at the lighthouse on Cap Gris Nez, willing it to get closer.

The next hour and a half I contin-

My official time was 14 hours 12 minutes.

At 12.5 hours, the sun had set and it was time to change my goggles and put the lights on my costume.

My boat pilot, Mike, pointed out the white light flashing on shore and told me that if I picked up my pace, I could land there. I said, great, is that Cap Blanc Nez? Whereupon I was corrected, no, that is Cap Gris Nez! Fear and panic hit me. Cap Gris Nez is the southern end point of the French coast for the swim, and the holy grail of landing spots for Channel swimmers. Landing on the Cap is the ultimate, and it takes a skilled pilot to be able to take all the tides, currents and swimmers speed into account to land you directly on that point. If you miss the Cap you can be swept down the French

ued at pace. I was in a lot of pain and just pushing my body as hard as I could as I knew it was going to be a race to hit shore before the tide swept me too far down the coast. It was pitch black by now, there was no moon, and I was thankful for the light on the side of the boat to assist me with my navigation. The rain set in again and this time brought some fog as well. The French coast felt like it would never come. Finally Mike yelled at me “1200 yards to go”.

What the hell is a yard I thought to myself? I took a stab, and figured I had 15 minutes to go. It was in fact double that time. I was really giving it everything I had.

Mike was yelling the countdown of distance to go: 700m, then

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500m. I started counting my strokes 1,2,3,4,5,6.....100, and again. When I got to 500, Dad was on the bow of the boat yelling at me to change to the other side of the boat. The tide had turned and was really picking up. Then the boat shined the spotlight on shore and I could finally see the rocks on which I was going to land. I had less than 100 meters to go. Relief!

However, within a minute I felt the tide pick me up and start sucking me away from the shore. The relief was suddenly replaced by sheer panic and terror. The boat had already been swept away from me and was frantically trying to avoid hitting the rocks. I knew now this was the moment that I had to find every last piece of energy I had and hurl it at the French rocks, I had to push through every piece of pain I was enduring because I could see my dream slipping away in front of me and I have never been so scared in my life of watching my goal get ripped out of

Suggestion One of the suggestions in Channel swimming is that the crew never tell the swimmer how far they have to go, because the tides and currents actually force the swimmer to make SwimMate®

my hands so close to the finish. I swam with every last piece of raw energy and adrenaline left in me and finally broke through the current and hit the rocks of France at 10.49pm.

Upon landing on France, I burst into tears. The overwhelming feeling of having made it was not what I had expected. Most people who have reached this point had told me that the finish was the biggest anti-climax of the swim. Mine definitely wasn’t. I was broken, exhausted, hurting all over and the relief is like nothing I have ever known. I stood up and fell over immediately, it was dark and

an “S” curve from England to France.

Whilst the direct line is 21 miles/34 kilometres, and the boat pilot can see how far away from France you are at all times, it is extremely hard for them to predict how

very rocky, and I clambered up onto the rocks. I stood, I waved my arms in the air and waited and finally the siren blew. I had swum to France!

My official time was 14 hours 12 minutes.

Words cannot express my gratitude and thanks to everyone that made this dream possible. My family are the most incredible supporters one could hope for and I could never have achieved this without them.

This is an extract from Tori’s story. Full story of this incredible Channel swim can found on http://torigorman.com.au/

much time you actually have to swim left, especially as they are not often aware of your speed and how you will perform over such a long period of time, and they also have to take into account the tides and

currents that you swim with and across. This was to be my longest swim by far, my previous longest was approx. 8.5 hours when I swam from Palm Beach to Manly in June for training.

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Swim Preparation | Coaches Corner

CoachesbyCorner Vladimir Mravec As a swimming coach spending most of the day walking around the pool deck and coaching swimmers, I’m often getting the question from swimmers. What is better? To swim in the public lane or join the swimming squad?

My opinion is it depends what you want from swimming. If you want to be a swimmer who comes to the pool at any time and swim whatever you want without any instruction and have no real swimming goals, your best choice is the public lane, open at any time through the day.

1.

But if you are a swimmer that is finding your daily swim becoming boring with no improvement, or you are a swimmer with a goal and you need to improve your performance - Great. You definitely have to find a local swimming squad with an experienced coach.

New swimmers in the pool.

These are the swimmers that have decided to start swimming for a reason It could be anything like for weight loss, injury or rehabilitation, change of daily routine, build up fitness or set up a new goal. Some of them have swum at school but after years out of the water they jump in the slow lane to start. Beginners usually don’t know the correct pool etiquette and as a result can make it difficult for others to swim and therefore a bit of a daunting prospect for themselves.

There are 4 types of swimmers in the public lane.

Suggestion: You will need help

with technique and pool skills.

Ask the pool’s staff for some information about a learn to swim program that may be available so you can improve your swimming technique and skills. Also, before you get in the water check with life guard which lanes are open for public swimming and what level (slow, medium, fast). Always swim on the left side of the lane and be aware of the other swimmers in your lane.

2.

Fitness recreation and swimming after injuries (rehabilitation swim). These swimmers are swimming in the slow lane for about 30-60-mins about 3 times a week. They will normally come at the same time every day as it becomes part of their routine. They will swim any stroke at any pace and don’t normally look for swimming correction or a swim squad.

Suggestion: one or two private sessions can help you improve your swimming technique. Your swim will be more interesting and reduce the risk or reinjury.

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Otherwise keep swimming and you are keeping fit, healthy and youthful.

3.

Swimmers with a goal These swimmers are working on improving swimming performance for events such as triathlon, Ironman, ocean swims and Masters races. Swimmers are not really regular in coming to the pool. Their session is 30-60min. and usually involves swimming 2km straight. Some of them keep swimming longer than a year but their time taken for 2km will stay the same – no improvement at all

Suggestion: You need to attend some squad sessions. You will become more regular in your swimming attendance and will increase the distance you are covering and improve your technique.

In the squad you will discover others with the same goal and working with these like-minded people will make it a lot easier and a more enjoyable process to get to your goal. Once you get an idea of how to be more productive in the water you can combine1-2 squad sessions with a workout on your own.

4.

Good swimmer.

They are likely to have been a swimmer or water polo player in their youth and will usually be found in the fast lane of your local pool. They swim around 1min

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20sec – 1min 30 secs for 100m and their workout would be 3km or so including some squad skills (drills, kick, and other strokes).

This swimmer would normally swim year round.

Suggestion: It will depend on where your mind is at. If you want go back to being instructed by a coach but in more social atmosphere or swim with fast swimmers again - Come and join the squad.

But if you don’t want to go back to being told what to do and pushed – feel free to continue swimming by yourself and enjoy your swim.

What is the squad and it’s advantage?

The swimming squad is an organized group session of swimmers with similar swimming skills and level. The sessions run in 2 or more lanes and swimmers are split up into lanes depending on their swimming fitness and ability. To work out where you fit a coach will use your time over 100m freestyle as a guide. Squads are run by experienced swimming coaches with qualifications.

In a large squad the head coach would have an assistant coach to help them run the program. The session is longer from 1hour to 2hours and when training for specific events the session can be long more than 6 hours. (Preparation for English Channel...). Each session will consist of a warm uplong easy swim, drills-to improve

What I have to focus on during my swim?

Reduce your body resistance. RESISTANCE is drag.

Drag is always exerted opposite the direction in which the swimmer’s body is moving. For this reason, work on your body position during your swim.

Check your head position.

Make sure your head is not higher than your hips position. Relax your neck muscles and you improve your head and body position

What I have to focusing on during my swim?

Swimming is a sport where we must focus on two main parts during the swim: 1, increase propulsion – here work on your stroke under water. Avoid crossing your body during the stroke and also start every stroke with in catch position your hand.

2, reduce the water drag what coming on your body – the amount of drag on your body can be fixed by rotating it from side to side through your chest.

19

Swim Preparation | Coaches Corner

and yourself [getting feedback and motivation]

9. You are getting support from everyone in your squad [a group with same interest helps you]

10. You are spending your leisure time in the water during the swim alone but togetherwith the rest of the squad.

[Psychological benefits]

technique, kick-improve leg movement, pull- build up stroke and strength, sprint- feel speed, main set-increase fitness, pace swim- learning to pace, stroke work-count stroke and stroke rate.....

10 points of swim squad [gives you sometime more than swimming by self]

[improvement technique and swimming]

4. Your time spent in the water is covering a variations of swimming skills and different strokes [no boring swimming]

5. You are challenging yourself to swim faster [pushing yourself to limits unknown]

The group of swimmers in 1. You are swimming for longer 6. your lane swim the same program (at least 60mins) and further (from1.5km to 3km) [more swimming makes improvement]

at the same pace so you are more comfortable in lane [organized swim-no conflict during the swim]

2. You can increase your daily 7. You are learning swimming program and attend 1 or 2 times [Consistence and self discipline]

as a sport [understanding swimming rules and etiquette]

tips from coach

coach, the fellow squad swimmers

per week.

So, what is better?

To swim in the public lane or join the squad?

Now it depends on you. You have to choose, because it’s about you.

You will be the one making the effort to get to the session, you are the one that’s going to push yourself to swim fast and hard.

I think we are always looking for how to escape from day to day reality and spending your leisure time in different and more interesting way. Sometimes you want to be alone and do whatever you want but sometimes training with others will help you to forget any stress and pressure from daily life.

So whatever you choose it will be the right decision as it will be because you want to.

Vlad

3. You are getting stroke cor- 8. You are motivated by the rection, a program, and swimming

20 SwimMate®

Swim Preparation | Coaches Corner

Ocean swim tips Ocean SwimbyCoach Charmian Frend Over the past 3 years, I have worked with long distance swimmers preparing for events such as the Bondi to Watsons Bay, The Rottnest Channel Swim as well as the English Channel.

It is important before conquering a long distance event, that you undertake training that simulates the race – this means getting out of the pool and in to the open water.

When planning a longer open water swim, you’ll need to take into account: • Your surroundings including weather and forecasted conditions, • Access points • Swimming partners, • Support crew and whether they will be on water craft or land based,

by blocking some heat loss and prevent chafing.

Silicon Cap–a bright one for visibility, 2 pairs of goggles – clear and tinted, Sunscreen, eye drops, seasick tablets, earplugs or blutack, Antihistamines–in case of reaction to stinger or sea lice, Voltaren, nurofen or panadol – for aches and pains, Flashing lights or glow stick if you are doing a night swim or where visibility may be limited, Space blanket for when you are done and a set of dry warm clothes that are easy to put on which includes a beanie / hat and socks or ugg boots and a couple of dry towels.

The Essentials for the supporter: Sunscreen, hat, warm clothes, wetsuit and windproof jacket if on • What sort of facilities you will a ski, drink bottles, water / sports have available when you have drink, food, something to keep finished swimming your feet warm even surf booties, • And even how are you going to sunglasses, stopwatch, pain killers, get home afterwards. seasick tablets, torch or headlamp to handle poor visibility, notebook The Essentials for the swimmer: and pen, marker pens, pocket Lubricant–Vaseline, Lanolin or body grease of some sort to mini- knife, electrical tape and even mise chafing. Often such items can safety pins. It is a good idea is to ask fellow swimmer to accompany provide some additional warmth • The length of time you intend on spending in the water,

SwimMate®

Training Day Tips

Both swimmer and support crew should be well hydrated before starting the swim (this should be done throughout the day before Eat something beforehand as well, light on the stomach but ideally of the carb variety like porridge or toast.

For the swimmer: Before you start swimming, run through you “food plan” with your support crew and make sure they know which bottle is for which drink and when you want it.

Whilst you are swimming it is important to focus on swimming and eating rather than focusing on, “I’m here for four hours, that’s a long time” If you think about too much time will feel like its standing still.

If you don’t feel like eating at the scheduled time slot – make sure you still eat. This often occurs at the beginning when you still have energy, and are fresh, but the ideas is not to deplete yourself completely and then have to refuel completely.

This will help you swim for longer and have a faster recovery afterwards.

21

Swim Preparation | Coaches Corner

you for parts of your training.

This way you know at some point in the swim you have someone swimming to distract you and keep you company when it may hurt the most.

Have your clothes ready for when you get out as well as recovery food / drink. It’s important to eat within 20 minutes of finishing to assist the recovery process.

For a swimmer at any level, it is important listen to your support crew. You have asked them to help.

You must trust that no matter how bad you feel, your support crew will ensure your safety.

For the supporter The word “cold “is no longer part of your vocabulary. If the swimmer hears it, they will get cold even if they are in 28 degree water

Look as if you are enjoying yourself, even if it’s a lie. It’s amazing what the swimmer picks up on Hydrate and eat yourself even if you are on water. You are no good to the swimmer if you become dehydrated and fatigued.

Your priority is the swimmer, you just being there is a fantastic help When the swimmer is racing/ training run they won’t be able to hear you or focus on complex instructions. Keep it simple, have some preplanned hand signals for things such as 5 mins till next feed, change stroke rate, change direction. Make these signals big and simple Don’t tell them they are nearly there, looking good if they aren’t.

False hope does no one any favours. Imagine thinking you have done six hours when it’s

really just over 5.

If there is more than one supporter, have one main person giving instructions to the swimmer to avoid confusion.

You’ll need to make sure you know where all the swimmers gear is including spares of things such as goggles before they start swimming. Write down the order of food preference and time due and each time you are feeding the swimmer have things such as Vaseline, lollies, spare goggles with you so it’s handy if they need it.

The main thing is that preparation is paramount and always be covered for worst-case scenario.

Practise, Practise and practise so on race day both the supporter and swimmer know exactly what they have to do and when and have the confidence that it works.

22 SwimMate®

Stroke correction

by Vladimir Mravec Swimming is one of the greatest sports. It can give the sensation of flying through the water and moving with freedom. Swimming in a horizontal body position, with water pressure around your body, floating with freedom and activating all your muscles is becoming very popular around the world.

People are starting to spend more of their leisure time in the pool and the ocean because swimming allows them to reduce stress and opens doors to new ways to challenge themselves.

A lot of the time these swimmers are in the pool without the knowledge of how to make themselves move in a more efficient manner and as a result be able to get more enjoyment from their swim.

In each issue in this section of the magazine, we are going to explain the main swimming principles, drills, skills and provide advice to make your swimming better, faster and easier.

Let’s start from beginning.

Body position and kick Today we are starting from the basics of swimming. All swimmers from beginners to elite level have to understand body position in the water. Water is 700 times denser than air, and for this reason the swimmers goal is to reduce the amount of water that they sit in and therefore resistance. This

is basically reducing the amount of water coming onto the body during swimming. If your body position causes you to drag lots

of water your swim will be hard work and slow. Drag is the resistance of the water to the swimmers

Swim Preparation

movements through it. Sitting in the water with a high head and chest causes your hips and legs to sink. So after 1000m of your swim your body position is causing you to fight against the water.

During your swim session always keep check of your body position.

A good way to work on this is by “setting” your body each time you push off the wall.

How to start?

First relax and enjoy being in the water. Find the part of the pool where you can stand up. Take 10min of your swimming session to check your body position during swimming and then your body position when floating. You can ask your friend or coach for help so they can check that you are relaxed in the water and gently touch the areas that are too tight.

Sometimes you can’t see or feel yourself where exactly your legs are. To maintain a good swimming position there are 2 aspects to think of.

1. Check what is happening in front of your shoulders.

Higher head, hand, arm position and straight arm catch will all cause your legs to sink.

2. Check your kick – not kicking, stiff legs and a big range of the kick will cause drag during the swim.

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Swim Preparation

What to do?

Just start with these simple exercises for 15min. 1-2 times a week

1 . Floating and relaxed As you know your body can physically float. If you relax and hold your breath for 20 seconds you will float on the surface of the water. This is basis of swimming. If you can float and your body realises this you will be more relaxed and comfortable in the water and therefore more efficient when you swim.

How do I do this? This is simple exercise for all levels of swimmers which takes about 5 min. Start with your shoulders in the water, inhale and hold your breath.

Slowly lower your whole head into the water and lean forward.

Without any tension in your body, let your body float for 10-20sec.

Stay relaxed and let your arms and legs sink down.

As you need to breathe, lift your head above the water surface and inhale. The exercise is done in a

slow and controlled manner.

2. Streamline body position After the above relaxing exercise – start practising gliding in a strong streamlined position on the surface of the water. The ideal body position is hands relaxed just under the surface, shoulder, hips and feet are in one line with toes pointed and all of your body is in relaxed state.

3. Freestyle kick From the above relaxed streamline position, begin to do an easy kick. When relaxed, you can naturally kick without thinking too hard about it. If you compare your walking motion and kicking motion you will find that these movements are pretty well exactly the same. If you walked around with really stiff legs it would be quite hard and also look a bit awkward, same with kicking.

There are a whole lot of variations in arm and body position you can use during kick practise. Kick with arms by side, in front, one arm by

side other in front, and even hand on your shoulders. Different body positions you can kick in are on your chest, back, side, and being vertical in the deep end.

Kick can also be done using other methods such as kicking with a board, kicking with balls, kicking with breaststroke arms, kicking with slow motion arms, and kicking with double backstroke arms.

Working on improving your swimming stroke takes time and lots of patience. Make sure you are spending one or two weeks using a slower training pace and shorter more concentrated sessions. At this stage your focus has to be on one thing, improving your technique. So, slow down and relax.

Focus on what you are doing. Your goals are to break bad habits and learn new correct ones.

Good luck.

Triathlon Events 2012/2013

06-Oct Forster Sprint - Elite Energy Triathlon 13-Jan Nowra Sprint - Elite Energy Triathlon 750/20/5 750/20/5

28-Oct Nepean Triathlon 1/30/8 04-Nov Noosa Triathlon 1.5/40/10

27-Jan Canberra TA Sprint Triathlon 750/20/5 10-Feb Geelong TA Olympic Triathlon 1.5/40/10 16-Feb Huskisson Sprint - Triathlon 750/20/5

01-Dec Three Points Challenge Ocean Swim / Run 10-Mar Wollongong TA Olympic Triathlon 1.5/40/10 1.8/4

09-Dec Callala Sprint - Elite Energy Triathlon 750/20/5

06-Jan Kurnell TA Sprint Triathlon 750/20/5

17-Mar Mooloolaba TA Olympic Triathlon 1.5/40/10 6-Apr NSW Club Champ’s - Forster Triathlon 1/30/8 18-May Port Stephens - Triathlon 750/20/5

24 SwimMate®

Stretching in the pool.

1. Shoulder and chest stretching.

1. Start position- Place both

hands on the edge of the pool.

Take one step forward from wall and keep feet, hips in the same line as your shoulders.

Head is in a high position and you are looking forward.

2. Stretching position– Start by bending your knees slightly and at the same time push your hips forward till you feel your muscles stretching around your shoulder and chest.

2. Chest and latisimus dorsi muscles stretching.

1. Start position – place your

hands on your elbows and put your forearm and elbows on the edge of the pool.

SwimMate®

1. Start position – place your

hand on the edge of the pool and turn your body to the opposite direction from the wall. Make sure your hand is behind your shoulder and the palm of your hand is facing down.

your shoulders to the surface of the water till you start feeling your muscles stretching.

position – bend 3. Hold the stretching position 2. Stretching your knees, look towards the for 10 sec

other side of the pool and push your opposite shoulder backward. Start feeling the stretching of your muscles.

4. Repeat this exercise 2-3 times

3. Hold this position for 10 sec

for 10 sec. or for 10 inhales and exhales and then go back to start position.

1

3. Shoulders and chest stretching

2. Stretching position – push

3. Hold the stretching position

4. Repeat this exercise 2-3 times

Swim Preparation

and then do the same stretch on the other side.

4. Repeat this stretch 4 times

2

3

25

Swim Preparation

4

5

4. Stretching triceps and Latisimus Muscle.

5. Stretching legs, latisimus, lower back

1. Start position – stand up straight, with your right 1. Start position – swim to the deep end of the pool. hand take the left elbow and pull gently so the left hand moves down your spine at the back.

The right hand is pulling the left arm and elbow behind your head.

2. Stretching position – pull your left arm a bit

more behind your head and after 5 sec bend towards the right side till you start feeling the muscle stretching. Always look forward.

3. Stay in this position for 10 sec and slowly release to return to the start position then swap sides.

4. Repeat the stretch 2-4 times

Hold the bar on the starting block of the pool.

Bend your knees and place your feet on the wall of the pool below the surface of the water. Drop your chin on your chest and relax.

2. Stretching position – start with slightly bent

legs, move your hips away from the wall and push your shoulders to the surface of the water.

Slowly move your legs to a straight position and relax your shoulders. If you can’t straighten your legs move your feet a bit lower towards the bottom of the pool.

3. Stay in this position for 10-15 sec. focus on

breathing then go back to start position (bend your knees). You can make a simple change if you bend one of your knees during the stretching position. By doing this you can start to feel the stretch more on one side of your body.

4. Repeat 3-4 times

26 SwimMate®

Swim Preparation

Top 10 foods

by Sarah Dacres - Mannings Nutrition

The aim of a recovery food is to replenish glycogen (energy) stores in muscles and to provide some amino acids (in the form of protein) to repair ANY muscle damage.

Not sure how?... a Sports Dietitian can help!

10. Whole grain or Rye bread. 9.

Natural muesli or Porridge.

A great source of carbohydrate and The American Dietetic Association low Glycemic Index (GI)–so a good states that the consumption of a sustained supply of energy. The whole-grain oat cereal as part of a Department of Food Technology dietary program for weight loss had at Lund University in Sweden have favourable effects on fasting lipid shown an improved glycemic pro- levels and waist circumference. file after consumption of whole Both of these outcomes are ideal grain rye bread. Their study also for those who exercise regularly. suggests that rye products possess Recovery/Energy bars. These beneficial appetite regulating properties. Add a little peanut butter are compact and convenient. Easy and honey and you have a satisfy- to throw into your sports bag. Look for varieties that have a ratio of ing and healthy recovery meal.

8.

carbohydrate to protein of 4:1. This is a more expensive option, it is however ideal for recovery after a hard workout.

7.

Yoghurt. No need to add anything to it–it contains good quality protein and carbohydrate. Another benefit of yoghurt is that it contains probiotics which help to maintain a healthy gut flora.

A study published in December 2010 in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism shows that smaller intakes of carbohydrate (0.8g/ kg bw) can be just as effective for recovery if consumed with some protein (0.2–0.4g/kg bw).

Foods I have listed may be consumed on their own....such as yoghurt or milk (CONTAIN PROTEIN & CARBOHYDRATE )....or may need to be a combination of the foods listed to get the carbohydrate and protein needed for a speedy recovery.

28 SwimMate®

Swim Preparation

6. Egg. High quality protein at

inflammation. A great benefit for those exercising regularly. Salmon, its best. Provides good quality pro- which is a great source of fish oil, tein for recovery. Also a valuable on wholegrain toast and some low source of iron. Use the whole egg... fat cream cheese makes a tasty and no need to discard the yolk. Have satisfying recovery meal. it on toast or in a sandwich to add some carbohydrate.

Fruit. Any fruit is a good choice. FRUIT is tasty, rich in antiLegumes; baked beans, oxidants, good source of fibre and soy beans, lentils. Great carbohydrate. Berries are the most source of carbohydrate and “super” foods from this group as good source of protein. Other they are the highest in protective benefits are that they are low antioxidants. Adding them to some GI and high in dietary fibre. low fat milk with some yoghurt A breakfast of baked beans on makes a tasty fruit smoothie. toast is a great recovery meal.

5.

4.

Salmon...or Fish Oil supplements if you don’t eat fish. Researchers at the University of South Australia have shown the combination of moderate exercise and fish-oil supplementation, which reduces cardiovascular risk, may also help to counteract

3.

2. Commercial recovery drinks.

Made specifically for recovery after physical activity these supply the glycogen and protein that muscles need for recovery. These are quick and easy to consume and also provide some valuable fluid for rehydration after intense exercise.

ALTHOUGH MORE EXPENSIVE THAN OTHER FOOD OPTIONS To replenish glycogen stores after a hard work out an athlete needs to consume 1g of carbohydrate per kg of body weight. Many people find it can be difficult to consume this amount of carbohydrate, even if in the form of a main meal so sometimes a suitable liquid choice can fit the bill.

50g of Carbohydrate: • Honey or Jam sandwich with a piece of fruit • 200g tub low fat yoghurt with 1 big piece of fruit • 2 scones with Jam

SwimMate®

LIKE MILK

1.

Chocolate milk. A recent study in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism has shown chocolate milk to be as effective, and in some cases more effective than commercial recovery drinks. It is also an excellent source of calcium which is a benefit for strong, healthy bones. I have listed chocolate milk as my number one food due to its great protein and carbohydrate content, good taste, availability and low cost.

To read more, or to book an appointment with an Sports Dietitian visit www.dynamicdietitians.com.au

• 2 1/2 muesli bars • 2 1/2 crumpets • 3-4 WeetBix with milk • 600ml flavoured milk A study published in December 2010 in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism shows that smaller intakes of carbohydrate (0.8g/ kg bw) can be just as effective for recovery if consumed with some protein (0.2–0.4g/kg bw).

29

Swim Preparation

Massage for Swimmers We live in a culture where competitive sport is growing and accelerating at an incredible rate. More and more people are attempting to train at levels approaching that of the elite whilst maintaining careers and families at the same time. What I have noticed is that the essential and even rudimentary rest and recovery side of training for competition is neglected. People are time poor and rich on motivation.

In general they are easily enticed to play hard but are either bored with or lack the knowledge of the importance to heal. Most don’t even know what it feels like to be relaxed and pain free!

essential for the modestly competitive swimmer as well as the elite.

With consistent visits one can expect enhanced performance, better posture and mobility, faster recovery time, injury prevention, and a healthier nervous system.

Over exercised muscles lose their ability to relax causing tight and

hypertonic muscles ultimately reducing flexibility. Swimmers often experience reduced range of motion and sub-optimal movement in their neck, shoulders and thoracic spine. A body traveling through the water that is stiff and out of alignment increases drag. To move through the water

Swimmers are candidates for overuse injuries affecting the shoulders, neck, lower back and knees. With a comprehensive training program any swimmer can avoid these challenges.

Prevention is key and a coach, physiotherapist and massage therapist will work in conjunction to keep an athlete healthy. In addition to training in the pool with a seasoned coach, achieving advanced rotator cuff, scapular and core strength and control with your physio or dry land coach, a swimmer’s massage therapist will keep them thriving instead of struggling with fatigue, injury and simply surviving their program.

Regular maintenance massage is 30 SwimMate®

Swim Preparation

effortlessly and dynamically any swimmer will benefit from lengthier limbs and the increased flexibility that can be gained through well placed massage.

We love the rush of a good, hard session. However, hard, tight muscles don’t allow for effective circulation of blood flow and furthermore the much needed oxygen, nutrition, lymph and the elimination of metabolic waste.

Well delivered and timely massage encourages blood flow, reduces pain, and shortens recovery time.

Sports massage is best used proactively for injury prevention as well. Any job, activity or sport that requires repetitive movement patterns or postures encourage an imbalance in the length/tension relationship in the articulations of the body. Sports massage for swimmers to lengthen and relax hypertonic muscles, coupled with specific strength training will help to keep the body in balance and avoid overuse injuries.

Swimmers that recover quickly, move freely and with optimal technique, are able to relax through their range of motion, and are pain free will perform better and more consistently.

Massage is clearly instrumental in attaining these ends. Measurable gains are witnessed in better sleep, less nervous tension, more aligned bodies, injury free seasons and faster times in the pool.

Innumerable clients of mine have seen substantial success with regular maintenance sessions.

I suggest trying some different therapists to find one that you resonate with and get results from.

Follow word of mouth as your surest bet and to avoid wasted time and money. Searching for a massage therapist can be one of the more enjoyable steps in creating your optimal training & recovery program!

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ENG L

ISH

CHA

NNE L

FIJI SWIM

C LISH

NEL N A H

ENG

RUZ

IN S

WIM

- SL OVA

KIA

RUZIN

SWIM

- SLO

FIJI SWIM

VAKIA

Swimmers in the world

FINA FINA is the international swimming association covering water sports. These sports include pool swimming, open water swimming,water polo, synchronized swimming and diving.

2000 was the first time that an open water swimming championship that was organized by FINA was held with 3 race distances of 5,10 and 25km The 10km swim held in 2008 served as the main qualifying event event for the same years Olympics

LONDON 2012

10km race.

Since 2007 FINA has organized an open water series with events in different parts of the world. 2012 is the 5th year this series has been running. Swim distances are between 15 to 35km, with 8-12 events per series.

2012 sees 8 events being held at BRA, ARG, ISR, MEX, CAN, HKG and CHN. Some of the locations are Santos in April, Setubal in June, Lac St-Jean in July, Shantou in September and Hong Kong in October.

Melissa Gorman and Ky Hurst were the first athletes selected for the 2012 Australian Olympic Team on 22 December 2011.

10km open water swim 01

MELLOULI Oussama 1:49:55.1

01

RISZTOV Eva 1:57:38.2

02

LURZ Thomas 1:49:58.5

02

ANDERSON Haley 1:57:38.6

03

WEINBERGER Richard 1:50:00.3

03

GRIMALDI Martina 1:57:41.8

20

HURST Ky 1:51:41.3

11

GORMAN Melissa 1:58:53.1

2012 2012

FINA – Upcoming Open Water Events

07

13

OCT

10 km

OCT

Marathon Swimming World Cup

Hong Kong (HKG)

SwimMate®

10 km

Marathon Swimming World Cup

Shantou (CHN)

33

Swimmers in the world

A French athlete and the first quadruple amputee has successfully swum the frigid waters separating Alaska and Russia.

Philippe Croizon, completed his swim on Friday 17th Aug 2012 from Alaska’s Little Diomede Island to the Russian maritime border near Big Diomede Island (direct distance 4km).

His swim to Russian waters took about an hour and 15 minutes.

thing he ever did, even harder than crossing the English Channel,” Gaviard said. When he Croizon uses paddle-like prosthetics to swim, and has com- had finished, “He was totally out of energy,” Gaviard said. pleted crossings of the English Channel, the Red Sea and other The water was very cold, about 4 major waterways. His Bering degrees Celsius, he said. “He basiStrait swim was the last in a series cally put on a couple of wetsuits of expeditions across waterways instead of just one,” Gaviard said. that separate continents.

The water was very choppy, with Even though the swim was shorter than originally intended, it turned out to be extremely challenging, Gaviard said.

“Philippe said it was the hardest

swells of 1.8-2.4 m, Gaviard said, and heavy fog made navigation difficult for Croizon, his swimming partner and the four vessels escorting them.

Paul Ellercamp is owner and operator of www.oceanswims.com

The Oceanswims website, run by Paul Ellercamp, promotes swim events throughout the oceanswimming community. On here you will find interesting reports about the swims and calendars with details of upcoming events both in Australia and overseas. Thanks to Pauls’ hard work this is the most extensive calendar of oceanswimming events you will find.

feedback you can read is a great guideline as to whether this is the swim for you. Once you have decided to swim, this is where you can enter online before race day.

After the race, Paul will post the results as soon as he receives them so you can see how you went.

So if joining in an oceanswim is something you want to do or already love doing, keep this site handy in your browser.

Editors Note - It is from Paul’s website we have sourced details for our calendar. www.oceanswims.com

For any level of swimmer interested in doing an oceanswim, the details provided here and the SwimMate®

35

Swimmers in the world

13 Oct

27

11

Oct

17

Nov

Nov

Forresters Beach

Narrabeen

Collaroy

Umina

Forries Island Ocean Swim and Paddle, 1.5km swim (11am), 3km swim (12:45pm), Board paddles (11:45am)

Narrafun - Narrabeen Beach Ocean Fun Swim, 1.8km (10am)

Collaroy Centennial Swim, 1.5km, 9:30am

Woy Woy SC Ocean Swim, 5km, 2km, 1km, 400m, from 9:15am

18

NSW

Nov

18

NSW

Nov

25

NSW

Nov

25

NSW

Nov

Balmain

Cronulla

Tweed River

Coogee

Dawny’s Cockatoo Challenge, 2.5km or 1.1km (9:10am)

Cook Community Classic, 2km, 1km

Tweed River Swims, (The Killer Swims), 400m (7:45am), 1.2km (8:15am), 2.5km (8:20am)

Island Challenge, 2.4km (10am), 1km (9am), 800m (8.30am)

NSW

NSW

NSW

01

NSW

Dec

02

Dec

09

Dec

16

Dec

Toowoon Bay

Bondi 2 Bronte

Bilgola

Manly

Toowoon Bay Ocean Swim, 2km (10:45am), 1km (9:45am), 400m (8:45am)

Bondi Pavilion,around McKenzie’s point into Bronte Beach, a distance of 2.1 - 2.4km

Bilgola Ocean Swim, 1.5km

Manly LSC Blue Dolphins Ocean Swims, 1km (0930), 2km (1030)

NSW

NSW

NSW

NSW

36 SwimMate®

07

13

Oct

10 km Marathon Swimming World Cup

09

18

Oct

Hong Kong

CHINA

Nov

10 km Marathon Swimming World Cup

CHINA

Nov

Hamilton Island

21

Oct

Shantou

10

Swimmers in the world

Oct

Heron Island Great Barrier Reef Swim, 3km, 800m

Burleigh Heads, Gold Coast, 2km, 1km

QLD

17

QLD

25

Nov

Nov

Bay of Islands Cocos Islands

Whitehaven Beach, 2km, 750m, 350m + Triathlon

Whitehaven Beach, 2km, 750m, 350m + Triathlon

Pulu Kokos Lagoon Swim, 8km, 8am

QLD

NZ

WA

01

Burleigh Heads

Brisbane Redcliffe, Great Australian Swim Series

QLD

02

Dec

Dec

Mornington

Auckland

Mornington Grand Challenge 1200m

Auckland Harbour Swim, 2.8km

VIC SwimMate®

NZ 37

Swimmers in the world

SWIM ADVENTURES

( RUZIN SWIM SLOVAKIA 8KM )

38 SwimMate®

Swimmers in the world

SwimMate®

39

Dec

02 BONDI 2 BRONTE