Swimming

The men's field is stacked for today's USA Swimming National Open Water Swimming Championships 5K, but with one obvious absence: Alex Meyer. But Meyer solidified his position on the USA Swimming national team with his dominant and strategic victory in Friday's 10K national championship. With his victory, Meyer has a choice to swim the 5, 10, and 25 km races at the 2013 World Championships in Barcelona. Given his background as the 2010 world 25 km champion, it will be interesting to see what 2 or 3 events he chooses to swim. In today's race in Meyer's absence, look out for Sean Ryan, Andrew Gemmell, Chip Peterson, Arthur Frayler, and Joey Pedraza, but the contingents from the Mission Viejo Nadadores, Nation's Capital Swim Club, and Team Santa Monica will also poke around the lead pack. Undoubtedly, the race will come down to the final few hundred meter sprint. The 2013 USA Swimming National Open Water Swimming Championships 5 km race competitors include the following athletes (listed with their entered times): 1. Andrew Gemmell (22) Nation's Capital Swim Club (14:59.05 1500m) 2. Sean Ryan (20) Club Wolverine (15:20.79 1500m) 3. Jordan Wilimovsky (19) Team Santa Monica (15:23.01 1500m) 4. Ryan Feeley (21) Club Wolverine (15:24.28 1500m) 5. David Heron (18) Mission Viejo Nadadores (15:28.50 1500m) 6. Janardan Burns (17) Mission Viejo Nadadores (15:30.40 1500m) 7. Daniel O'Connor (21) Mission Viejo Nadadores (15:34.62 1500m) 8. Nick Norman (16) Mission Viejo Nadadores (15:41.62 1500m) 9. Scott Simmer (17) Team Santa Monica (15:49.36 1500m) 10. Ryan Kao (17) La Mirada Armada (15:56.42 1500m) 11. Chip Peterson (25) North Carolina Aquatics Club (15:56.98 1500m) 12. Joey Pedraza (25) Davie Nadadores Swim Team (15:57.74 1500m) 13. Drew Ledwith (20) Greenwood Swimming (16:00.25 1500m) 14. Ben Miller (18) Marlins of Raleigh (16:02.89 1500m) 15. Brendan Casey (16) Team Santa Monica (16:07.25 1500m) 16. Bobby Yribarren (27) Tiger Aquatics (16:13.06 1500m) 17. Christoph Grimmett?Norris (18) Nation's Capital Swim Club (16:13.77 1500m) 18. Nicholas DeVito (17) Team Santa Monica (16:13.96 1500m) 19. Cory Mayfield (19) La Mirada Armada (16:18.40 1500m) 20. Alex Palumbo (20) Unattached (16:24.50 1500m) 21. Jerad Kaskawal (17) FAST Swim Team (16:32.28 1500m) 22. Conor Cudahy (18) Nation's Capital Swim Club (16:34.22 1500m) 23. Arthur Frayler (19) Germantown Academy Aquatic Club (14:49.88 1650y) 24. Bradley Phillips (20) Nation's Capital Swim Club (14:58.21 1650y) 25. Mitchell Huxhold (19) Unattached (15:08.61 1650y) 26. Sam Petersen (21) University of Tennessee (15:11.21 1650y) 27. Brennan Jacobsen (20) Unattached (15:22.12 1650y) 28. Bryce Bevier (20) University of Tennessee (15:22.62 1650y) 29. Alex Nickell (19) Navy Swimming (15:26.77 1650y) 30. Riley Mita (19) Navy Swimming (15:30.41) 1650y) 31. Noah Martin (18) Navy Swimming (15:35.45) 1650y) 32. Brandon Goldstein (16) Nation's Capital Swim Club (15:41.16 1650y) 33. Brian Phillips (19) Nation's Capital Swim Club (15:45.71 1650y) 34. Michael Caputo (22) Eastern Express Swim Team (15:50.34 1650y) 35. Noah Johnston (16) Lakeside Swim Team (15:50.69 1650y) 36. Nathan Pawlowicz (16) Nation's Capital Swim Club (15:51.88 1650y) 37. Ian Wheeler (21) Golden West Swim Club (15:55.15 1650y) 38. Evan Munaretto (15) FAST Swim Team (16:00.51 1650y) 39. Michael McGean (18) Shawmut Aquatic Club (16:02.28 1650y) 40. Lamar Simon (13) FAST Swim Team (16:03.65 1650y) 41. Dirk Bell (17) LTP Racing Club (9:08.65 1000y) 42. Shawn Parkhurst (21) Town of Tonawanda Titans Swim Team (9:19.62 1000y) 43. Weston Miller (17) Scottsdale Aquatic Club (9:20.45 1000y) 44. Chris Yeager (14) First Colony Swim Team (9:31.03 1000y) 45. Kyle Kemp (18) Y?Spartaquatics Swim Club SC 60 8:26.14 800m) 46. Joe Szczupakiewicz (16) Southwest Aquatic Team (8:26.35 800m) 47. Steve Sholdra (19) unattached (8:27.49 800m) 48. Peter Kalibat (17) Eastern Express Swim Team (8:31.44

We often read and watch triathlon coaches and elite athletes teach high-stepping and dolphining to their triathlete colleagues, friends and teammates. While we understand how the elite professionals and aggressive amateur triathletes (and open water swimmers) have the desire and need to high-step and dolphin both in and out of the water, we often observe how few triathletes and open water swimmers actually do high-stepping and dolphining in competition. In particular, we see a lot less high-stepping and dolphining at the end of a triathlon swim leg and open water swim finish than is performed at the start of the race. We wonder why? Are people nervous high-stepping and dolphining in and out of the water? Is it difficult aerobically? Do triathletes and swimmer practice these techniques? Are conditions too crowded to do so safely? Is it frankly even necessary for the newbie or average triathlete or swimmer? We suspect these are all reasons why most non-elite, non-professional triathletes and open water swimmers high-step and dolphin in and out of the water. Just an observation. Copyright © 2013 by Open Water SwimmingFrom Open Water Source's Daily News of Open Water Swimming

I swam today, honestly I did.  But when syncing my Garmin Swim the workout vanished!  Nada, nothing, no swim.  If I can't post it did I really swim it?  Wait, the watch a minute ago had 0 yards swum now it's 1,900.  It should have been 2,000 but I hit pause instead of start and missed a 100 IM swim.  Hopefully later the damn thing will sync and I'll have my workout.  I made it up as I was going.  Easy swim, some kick, some pulling, some free, some IM, some 50 switches, more kick, more switches and an attempt to swim fly.  Month    Total DistanceJan    6.96 miles (=12,250 yards, =11,201 meters)Feb    6.25 miles (=11,000 yards, =10,058 meters)Mar    2.50 miles (=4,400 yards, =4,023 meters)Apr    7.02 miles (=12,350 yards, =11,293 meters)May    4.12 miles (=7,250 yards, =6,629 meters)Total    26.85 miles (=47,250 yards, =43,205 meters) Well once again at least I'm swimming.  It was my first swim in a week.  I really need to swim more then once a week.  But hey, at least I'm swimming.  Yeah, I get sick of telling myself that but... Also, at least I swam more then I did in March!  Small victories!

"Are there sharks out there?" Craig Dietz asked before he entered the Swim Across America event in Long Beach, California back in 2012. "I have never really faced sharks before." That was then, and now is different. Dietz, a frequent keynote speaker at events from the Midmar Mile in South Africa to the Global Open Water Swimming Conference in California, is now heading to San Francisco Bay to compete in today's Sharkfest Swim. His friend John Mix of FINIS explains, "Craig is an extraordinary athlete. His story is unique in that he does not share the same loping swimming stroke pattern as many of his competitors; he does not drive towards the finish line with a roaring six-beat freestyle kick. Despite these differences, Craig continues to swim and does so in a manner that is easily recognizable from the shore. Deitz trains and competes laying flat on his back, one large fin attached to a portion of his leg, his hips and core undulating to provide propulsion. Despite being a late bloomer when he fell in love with open water swimming at age 34 when he competed in his first 1500m swim event at the Pittsburg Triathlon in 2008, he now trains over 5000m a day. Simply put, Craig loves swimming." Dietz was born without limbs, but embodies effort and positivity. In a message that hits every naysayer and individual with a negative outlook on life smack in the chest, Deitz chooses to face adversity head on and to do what he enjoys. This is what separates him from many. But his message is that everyone can be remarkable and every individual is capable of extraordinary feats. Today, Deitz will tackle the coldest waters he has faced yet and will swim 1.5 miles from Alcatraz to Aquatic Park. No hands, no feet. No arms, no legs. No problem, all guts. Copyright © 2013 by Open Water SwimmingFrom Open Water Source's Daily News of Open Water Swimming

In light of the research done by Dr. Richard Weller of Edinburgh University about the benefits of sun exposure, we note that Exposure Scientific has developed skincare products that are formulated to permit the body to synthesize vitamin D while blocking the harmful, unwanted rays of light. The skincare products include sunscreens, daily-use moisturizers, lotions and other products with SPF factors. Vitamin D is made in large quantities by the human body when certain wavelengths light penetrate the skin. Traditional sunscreens with SPF factors, however, have been shown in studies to seriously impair the cutaneous production of vitamin D. Problem Number 1: An alarmingly high percentage of people in Australia, Canada, European Union, Japan, New Zealand and the United States suffer from vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency. The problem is a result of living indoors, behind glass and wearing long clothing. Before buildings and an indoor lifestyle became commonplace, humans got the vast majority of their vitamin D by exposure to sunshine. To compound matters the only chance many working people and students get to make vitamin D in their skin is during their outdoor weekend activities – but this is just the time when they impair their skin’s ability to make vitamin D by coating it with traditional sunscreens and products with SPF factors. Problem Number 2: Dermatologists often warn of the danger of harmful rays of light penetrating the skin, with wrinkles, photo-aging and skin cancers resulting from excessive exposure. The solution: Reducing the harmful rays of the sun, but allowing the body to synthesize the vitamin D with Exposure Scientific's RadianD. Copyright © 2013 by Open Water SwimmingFrom Open Water Source's Daily News of Open Water Swimming

There is no sport in the world - nothing - that exposes the human body to the elements like open water swimming. Mountain climbing, scuba diving, marathon running, surfing, skydiving, or orienteering get you outdoors, but open water swimming fully envelopes and engages you in Mother Nature's totality like swimming in oceans, lakes, and rivers. Nearly naked to the elements, swimmer's every pore and every tactile sensation is alive and employed while swimming. Whether the swim is difficult or easy, salt or fresh, dynamic or tranquil, the open water positively stresses the body in innumerable ways. And now scientists have uncovered another health benefit to open water swimming. Research conducted at Edinburgh University indicates that sun exposure may far outweigh the risk of developing skin cancer. The UV rays of the sun were found to release nitric oxide the human body that reduce blood pressure, cutting heart attack and stroke risks. "Dietary vitamin D supplements alone will not be able to compensate for lack of sunlight," explains Dr Richard Weller of Edinburgh University. "We suspect that the benefits to heart health of sunlight will outweigh the risk of skin cancer." Dr. Weller studied the blood pressure of 24 volunteers under two different scenarios. In one session, the volunteers were exposed to both UV rays and the heat of the lamps. In another session, UV rays were blocked so that only the heat affected the skin. The results showed that while the vitamin D levels of the volunteers remained the same, their blood pressure dropped significantly for an hour after exposure to UV rays, but not after the heat-only sessions. More good news on the open water front. Photo shows Bill May who swam a little more 2 hours under the warm Las Vegas sun yesterday while winning the 2013 U.S. Masters Swimming national 10 km open water swimming championships. Copyright © 2013 by Open Water SwimmingFrom Open Water Source's Daily News of Open Water Swimming

CONCORD, California, May 18. IT took thousands of swims since Patrick Fowler got into the pool on Feb. 20, 1998 to set the national high school record in the 100 yard breast at 53.66. Brendan Hansen c...

CONCORD, California, May 18. SHORTLY after Campolindo's Steven Stumph dropped the fastest boys 100-yard breaststroke record of all time in high school competition, the Carondelet girls became the fir...

Lane 1 - The Sydney Morning Herald has "Thorpe, Middleton flatmates? It's the rumour that has tongues wagging around London's super-posh Berkeley Square neighborhood. Middleton's sexuality has also been the subject of much conjecture, though in recent times there has been a concerted effort among his friends to inform the British press he is heterosexual and is dating a string of London beauties. This is something with which Thorpe himself has long had to contend." Also "Stephanie Rice and publicity-seeking socialite Roxy Jacenko have been going at it hammer and tongs on Channel Nine's Celebrity Apprentice, but weeks after filming wrapped, their on-air battle has morphed into a public slanging match." Lane 2 - The Australian posts "Stephanie Rice reveals she was bullied over her weight as a child. STEPHANIE Rice has revealed being bullied as a "chubby" child drove her to competitive swimming. The 24-year-old Olympic athlete says the bullying was at its worst when she was between the ages of seven and 12. "I was bullied quite a lot through primary school," she tells The Sunday Telegraph." Lane 3 - ABC 7 posts (w/video) "Olympian teaches children the safety of swimming. He is known as a hometown swimming hero! His near drowning experience at the age of 5 turned into another kind of statistic. Bronx born, Cullen Jones took lessons and has won 4 Olympic medals. In his role for Make a Splash, he sees himself when he starts teaching New York City kids to swim." Lane 4 - Messenger-Inquirer posts "Swimmers shine in Masters meet. Owensboro's Leslie VanWinkle Angermeier and Shawn Maloney were standouts among 1,633 swimmers competing in last weekend's 2013 U.S. Masters Swimming Spring National Championship held at the IU Natatorium in Indianapolis." Lane 5 - The Daily Review posts "Kelly Medals Twice at U.S. Masters Swimming Spring National Championship. Mansfield University head women's swimming coach Kaymee Kelly turned in a pair of top 10 finishes at the recent 2013 U.S. Masters Swimming (USMS) Spring National Championship at the IUPUI Natatorium in Indianapolis." Lane 6 - The Race Club posts via youtube "How to Train for a Triathlon - Open Water Swim - Part 2. In Part 2 on our Open Water Swimming technique videos learn how to navigate your way through a Surf break and get into your Swim faster and safer. Many people don't understand the strength of even a small wave until it hits them while they are standing straight up. Whether the Surf is small or sizeable, these techniques are crucial for gaining an edge on the competition and avoiding a dangerous situation for you or those around you. " Lane 7 - Radio Australia posts "Be true to yourself, says gay Tongan swimmer. Tongan swimmer Amini Fonua feels comfortable in his sexuality because he believes that honesty is important to success." Lane 8 - Newser posts "No replacing Michael Phelps, but US swim team still looks strong heading into next Olympics. That leaves a big hole on the U.S. team as it prepares for the world championships this summer and begins looking ahead to the 2016 Rio Olympics. But don't think the Americans are suddenly going to be just another country at the pool. While there's certainly no replacing the winningest Olympian ever, the U.S. has plenty of top swimmers back from its London team, including Ryan Lochte, Missy Franklin and Allison Schmitt."

CONCORD, California, May 18. IN the fastest high school heat ever in a 100-yard breaststroke event, Campolindo's Steven Stumph took down the national high school record in the event at the California...