Swimming

PHOENIX, Arizona, June 19. PAUL Powers joins today's edition of The Morning Swim Show shortly after his early decision to attend the University of Michigan. Powers, who made a verbal commitment ...

Copyright © 2013 by Open Water SwimmingFrom Open Water Source's Daily News of Open Water Swimming

Column by David Rieder COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado, June 18. THE USA Swimming Phillips 66 National Championships will return to television next week, the national governing body announced today. Rac...

Column by David Rieder COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado, June 18. THE USA Swimming Phillips 66 National Championships will return to television next week, the national governing body announced today. Rac...

By Shoshanna Rutemiller PHOENIX, Arizona, June 18. RYAN Lochte admitted earlier this year that he would love to be on ABC's The Bachelor. And why not? Fans have seen him looking for love (somewhat...

In astrology, there are twelve different signs: Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces. Some people believe these signs provide information about the personality of individuals born in each of the 12 periods of the year. Based on our observations of swimmers around the world, we can imagine the different personality traits of swimmers, each related to a particular swimming stroke or niche area of open water swimming. This is our imaginative view of what astrology might be like for the following 12 types of aquatic athletes: 1. Ice Swimmers 2. Extreme Swimmers 3. Adventure Swimmers 4. Channel Swimmers 5. Marathon Swimmers 6. Triathletes 7. Individual Medley Swimmers 8. Butterflyers 9. Backstrokers 10. Breaststrokers 11. Freestylers 12. Water Polo Players Ice Swimmers enjoy the extremes of life and sport with personalities that are unforgettable. They possess an internal level of confidence that is unparalleled in the world and are motivated by those who do not share their same goals or belief in the possible. Extraordinarily friendly and positively outgoing, they encourage all to take their life’s goals to the next level and brighten the day of nearly everyone they meet. They are kind and big-hearted with energy levels that are impossibly high to maintain for others. They remain optimistic even under the dreariest of circumstances as they rise to the occasion when least expected by those around them. They do not rush into anything and can acclimate well to myriad conditions as they take their time to weigh the pros and cons of a decision before committing one way or the other. Extreme Swimmers are adventurous and courageous, with a bit of positive impulsiveness that can rear its head. They stand up for what they believe in and always root for the underdog. They are inwardly intense, but outwardly cool, calm and collected. Their aspirations are unique and challenging, and few distractions or obstacles tend to sideline them. But they constantly face new struggles as they strive to achieve increasingly more difficult goals. With their independent streak aimed at their goals unattainable by others, they tend to be more dominating than others in a crowd. Their egos are large, but with a respectful, charismatic sheen and friendly demeanor. Once they get something in their heads they can't rest until they finish the task and strive to create an ambiance of positive self-belief. Adventure Swimmers are nature-loving, risk-taking individuals who are sensitive and protective of Mother Nature. They are extroverts and experimenters who are motivated to break barriers. Concurrently, they also understand that they often must stand alone with a mindset and a lifestyle that borders between unusual and non-traditional. Their life is an ever-changing experience of different scenarios where the unexpected is expected and the predictable is unpredictable. Time management is less of a priority than accomplishment of their goals, however long they take to achieve them. They love being social and around others, especially those of the same mindset where similarly minded individuals can feed off the energy of their peers. Channel Swimmers are reserved, intelligent introverts who understand and accept fate, but who are always hopeful for the best. They are deep thinkers who demonstrate patience in all aspects of their lives. They are relentless in their ambitions with the anticipation that minute changes in their life lead to major improvements over the long run. They are fiercely protective of their own kind with a naturalistic perspective of the world. When they judge issues to be minor, they can be adamant and slightly obstinate in order to resolve the situation they face. But when the inevitable intervenes, they can quickly shift gears to determine a new course of action. Marathon Swimmers are patient and confi

Paul Lundgren has changed the anticipated start date of his second Solo Cortez, an unprecedented 80-mile attempt to cross the Sea of Cortez. “We decided that for the safety of the swim it is best to move the date to early November following the hurricane season that begins in mid-July and ends by October,” explains the California endurance athlete. “The jellyfish reach the height of their bloom in mid-July so hopefully they will be on the decline. The water will be around 78°F and the air temperature highs are in the mid-70°F’s and the lows are in the 50°F’s. The crew will be more comfortable. I now face five more months of ultra-training. I will make it good.” The Solo Cortez attempt may take up to 60 hours and will follow the Channel Swimming Association rules where no stinger suits or protective swimwear is permitted. If completed, the 49-year-old’s swim across Mexico’s Sea of Cortez will also mark the first successful crossing of that body of water following two failed relays and one solo attempt. “This means I will continue to train for another five months, which isn’t an easy task,” explains the father of twin 7-year-old boys. “It takes a toll on my family.” But with the buy-in from his wife Chris Chorak, Lundgren said, “Life is an amazing process of continual change. There are changes we cannot control, like aging and there are those we can, as in this case—when you have a dream that requires change to make it come to life. By weighing the positives and negatives Chris wisely encouraged me to change course.” Preparing for such an extreme swim in the Sea of Cortez is reminiscent of the recent attempts by Diana Nyad, Penny Palfrey, and Chloë McCardel across the Straits of Florida between Cuba and the United States. Due to the remote wilderness, largely unchartered by swimmers, preparation is significantly more complex than simply training, showing up and jumping in the water. There are currents, weather, tides and espcially marine life to factor into the plan. If distance were the only challenge, then ultra-marathon solo swims across the Straits of Florida and the Sea of Cortez would have already been completed. Swimmers like Nyad, Palfrey, McCardel, Lundgren, and numerous others from Kevin Murphy and Stephen Redmond to Vicky Keith and Liz Fry, have the physical tools and mental strength to complete solo swims of at least 100 miles (162 km). But the financial burdens, logistical planning, weather and water uncertainty over a 3-day period, and especially the marine life are the bane of these salt-water ultra marathon swims. While the mainstream media and most athletes consider sharks to be the primary predator that can end a swim, it is the nearly invisible and relatively tiny jellyfish that are usually the causes for premature finishes. Tagged the “the world’s aquarium by Jacques Cousteau, the Sea of Cortez is home to carnivorous and potentially deadly Humboldt squid, debilitating and life-threatening jellyfish, and random hungry migrating Great White sharks. In previous attempts, it was the tiniest of these animals – the jellyfish - that led to swimmers being pulled out. For hundreds of millions of years, the jellyfish have existed and survived in the world’s oceans. And now, as the jellyfish are becoming the fastest proliferating creature on Earth, marathon swimmers are venturing out to swim within these blooms of venom-filled invertebrates. Whether Lundgren encounters jellyfish, Humboldt squid, or Great White Shark, these are battles that humans are physiologically ill-prepared to win. And like marathon swims in the Caribbean and South Pacific, there is another issue that looms high on the pain scale. The pain causes by high salinity on the lips and around the soft tissue of the mouth. Located between mainland Mexico and Baja California in the western part of Mexico, two hot desert environments, the Sea of Cortez’s salinity content is one of the highest

The United Nations Environment Programme has appointed Lewis Pugh as its Patron of the Oceans. The UNEP provides leadership and encourages partnership in caring for the environment by inspiring, informing, and enabling nations and peoples to improve their quality of life without compromising that of future generations. "I'm looking forward to working hard to support their work," said the maritime lawyer, environmental campaigner, adventure swimmer, and ocean advocate. "Especially in the creation of Marine Protected Areas around the globe." Copyright © 2013 by Open Water SwimmingFrom Open Water Source's Daily News of Open Water Swimming

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado, June 18. BILL Jewell has been banned by USA Swimming for three years following Code of Conduct violations stemming from "a pattern of inappropriate behavior, including mak...