Watch Professional Marathon Swimmers Race Live Online
30.Jan.10 | posted by: steve munatones | filed under: Events | (0) comments
The professional open water swimming superstars from 19 countries (Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Croatia, France, Germany, Greece, Holland, Israel, Italy, Mexico, Russia, Slovenia, South Africa, Switzerland, Ukraine, USA and
Venezuela) have gathered in Santos, Brazil to compete in the first FINA 10KM Marathon Swim World Cup race of 2010.
On the 41 women, nine 2008 10K Olympians are entered, including 3 of the top 5 swimmers in Beijing: Larisa Ilchenko, Angela Maurer and Brazil's young Ana Marcela Cunha.
Of the 41 men in the field, there are seven Olympians and a whole lot of hungry, aggressive swimmers ready to make their mark in this London Olympics quadrennial.
The swimmers are expected to start the race on Sunday under sunny, hot and humid weather - 30°C - and may end the race around mid-day under thunderstorms and rain.
The race will be available on Santa Cecilia TV live online starting at 10:00 am Santos, Brazil time on Sunday morning. The men will start at 10 am and the women will start 10 minutes later. Click here and watch live by clicking on the Portuguese ("clique aqui e assista ao vivo").
Enjoy watching the world's fastest marathon open water swimmers live online. We will have our eyes out for Andreina Pinto of Venezuela, Chloe Sutton of the USA, Rachele Bruni and Martina Grimaldi of Italy, Linsy Heister of the Netherlands, Nadine Reichert of Germany, Anna Uvarova of Russia and Swann Oberson of Switzerland. On the men's side, Allan Do Carmo of Brazil, Spyridon Gianniotis of Greece, Simone Ercoli and Luca Ferreti of Italy, Ivan Lopez of Mexico, Evgeny Drattsev of Russia, Chad Ho of South Africa and Fran Crippen of the USA will undoubtedly be making their push towards the end (see triangular course above).
But, as always, we can expect the unexpected in the wild, wild world of open water swimming.
Stay tuned at Santa Cecilia TV.
Swim Socks, A Great Gift
28.Jan.10 | posted by: steve munatones | filed under: Products & Equipment | (2) comments
Product: Swim Socks
Manufacturer: blueseventy
Price: US$30.00, £20, €30
Description: Neoprene socks prevent injury to the sole of foot when walking on rocky surfaces. The Swim Socks are form fitting to minimize water entry while swimming and keep your feet warm in cold water.
Test Location: We tested in California (USA) during January at (1) the Huntington Beach, known as Surf City, on its wide sandy beach when the water was 58°F (14°C), both in the early morning and mid-afternoon, (2) swimming pool in Seal Beach at a 5:00 am masters swim practice, (3) while kayaking in the Pacific Ocean, and (4) while walking at and near Mavericks, a famous surfing location near San Francisco.
Sales Pitch: Plush neoprene eliminates chaffing from plastic straps. Adjustable for any size ankle and fitting under or over clothing.
Should You Buy It? Yes – for specific open water purposes.
Why? The product, simply put, does what it says and is better suited for athletes in the open water – and less expensive – than typical surf booties.
Upside: The Swim Socks have multiple uses. Very importantly, they do keep your feet warmer – especially when they are not yet wet – and protected than they would if you go barefoot. You can use them for walking on cold sandy beaches, rocky surfaces near ocean and lake shorelines and the cold decks of outdoor pools in the winter, spring and fall. You can also use them while you are on an escort boat (or kayak) while escorting a fellow swimmer training or during a solo channel swim or marathon relay. They work well on boat decks and when you walk up on the shore, pier, jetty, breakwater, dock, groin, boat landing, seawall, boat slip or wharf. The 'grilled' sole part of the Swim Socks effectively eliminate our worry about stepping on sharp rocks, shells and bits of glass on the shorelines and piers, especially when it is dark in the morning or night. They also work very well on the very cool pool deck and the walk from the parking lot to the pool. Unlike larger and bulkier surf booties, we found the Swim Socks were lighter, thinner and, therefore, more appropriate for an open water swimmer. You can also use the Swim Socks during your pool workouts that can add stress to your shoulders during pulling sets or specifically help you improve your up kick on your freestyle during kicking, sprint or normal freestyle sets. The Swim Socks can be folded up and placed inside your wetsuit or swimsuit if you no longer need them when you are swimming. If you only use them to walk to the water’s edge, then they are light and do not take up much room in your bag.
Downside: The Swim Socks are not waterproof and water gets inside, so the warmth level is not what you should expect when you enter the water. On the other hand, your feet will stay warm enough, especially if cold feet bother you or if you typically wear a wetsuit and feel your feet are always freezing. If you have a strong kick or start sprinting, then the Swim Socks can sag down and you feel the weight of the water as it pools in Swim Socks near your toes, whether you are in the open water or pool. Positively thinking, this feeling of having a bit of water pooling in the Swim Socks can be seen as a bit of an additional workout challenge. We thought of this sensation as a benefit, but we would definitely not want to do all – or even most – of our workouts with the Swim Socks. When used in a pool, the Swim Socks quickly sagged down from the ankles due to the constant turns which was more than a bit uncomfortable, especially when doing butterfly and breaststroke. But, for adding stress on your legs for freestyle and backstroke swimming sets, it can be used effectively as our up kick always needs improvement.
Changes: If we could re-design the product, we would either make the Swim Socks shorter (i.e., reduce the length that it rides up your ankles) or add some kind of fabric or Velcro above the ankles so the Swim Socks would not sag. But other than that, we think the thickness and overall design achieve its ultimate aim: keeping your feet warmer and protecting against injury.
Overall: Swim Socks are not an absolutely must-buy like a pair of goggles, but blueseventy did a very good job with this product. The needs – cold feet and injury protection – were identified and the Swim Socks definitely meet those needs. The Swim Socks would be a great gift for triathletes, for a parent or friend who is a masters swimmer, for a swimmer who trains in the open water during the winter, spring or fall, for friends who support you on your channel swim or during marathon swim training, or for yourself if your feet get cold or need protection on boats, kayaks, lidos or shorelines.
Montserrat Tresserras Dou - Beautiful Swimmer, Beautiful Writer
27.Jan.10 | posted by: steve munatones | filed under: Swimmers | (2) comments
International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame honoree Montserrat Tresserras Dou wrote a wonderful Spanish-language book entitled "Nadando El Estrecho, Sus Orígenes Y Su Historia".
Translated as "Swimming the Strait, Its Origin and History", the book adds to any open water swimming collection.
The 287-page hard cover book is filled with hundreds of great photographs of swimmers in the Strait of Gibraltar with explanations of their personal histories and triumphs. Montserrat comprehensively outlines the history of swimming in the Strait of Gibraltar (مضيق جبل طارق in Arabic or Estrecho de Gibraltar in Spanish) that separates Spain from Morocco, Arica. Many of the stories and photographs are publicly disclosed for the first time.
Montserrat (shown on left) was a pioneer of many open water swims and was the first Spanish women to swim across the Strait of Gibraltar in 1957 in 5 hours and 18 minutes. She was also the first Spaniard to swim across the English Channel in 1958 in 14 hours and 14 minutes.
In 1961, Montserrat again crossed the English Channel in the opposite direction from France to England to become the first women to swim the English Channel in both directions.
In 1969, she swam from Minorca to Majorca in Spain in 21 hours and 10 minutes and across Lough Neagh in 16 hours and 13 minutes. She also swam from Santa Fe to Corronda in Argentina and from Concordia in Argentina to Columbus, Uruguay. She serves on the Board of the Channel Swimming Association and acts as an official observer on many attempts to swim the English Channel and the Strait of Gibraltar.
Whether or not you read Spanish, Nadando El Estrecho, Sus Orígenes Y Su Historia is a great book for all open water swimming enthusiasts, especially historians of the sport.
Montserrat's book provides colorful descriptions of hundreds of individuals including Helena Abel, Antonio Abertondo, Patricia Adam, Rafael Alberti, George Henry Allen, Dr. Eduardo Alonso, Greta Anderson, Dr. José Antunes, Dr. Aureo Aramburu, Amalia and Dorita Arena, Vicente Arena, Julio Felipe Arias, Juan Antonio Armenta, José Arriola, José Arroyo, Ceferino Artuz, Arti Arun Pradhan, Asencio El Asaz, Luis Asensi Galiana, Francisco Asensio Mesa, Dr. Andrle Augustin, Carlos and José Aymes, Barnejee, Adolfo Horacio Barbichi, Nélida Barbichi, Rafael Barroso and José Beltrán Limiñana.
Also included are Tom Blower, Antonio Bohigas Arroyo, Dr. Emilio Boto, Summers Brown, Thomas Burgess, General Burruaga, Eloísa and Marina Burruaga, Jack Burville, José Caballero Márquez, Jesús Cabañero Sánchez de León, Luisa Cabañero Sánchez de León, Francisco Calatayud, Jesús Calatayd, Alfredo Camarero, Néstor Campos Alcalá, Candi, Pedro Candiotti, Ramón Cardenas Ortiz, Fergus Carey, Patrick Carey, Ana Carmona, Daniel Carpio Maccioti, Francisco Carrascal, Ramos Carrasco, Mary Casacuberta, José Casanovas Gilabert, Segundo Castelló Cano, Francisco Castillo, Francisco Castro Blanco, José Castro Mesa, Manuel Cazalla Díaz, Sebastián Cazalla Moreno, Francisco Cazalla Quintero, Carlos Cereceda, Jordi Cerveza Martínez, Florence Chadwick, Madan Chavi, Dr. W. E. Chiesman, John Chuen Shiong Wang, Julio Cisneros Palacio, Miguel Ángel Cisneros, Milagros Cisneros, Dr. Cobo Puertas, Victor Contreras, Teniente Coronel Cornejo, Jaime Cortazar Cano, José Cortinas, Josef da Costa, Abilio Álvaro da Couto, Mauricio Cozzoli, Augusto Cuenca, Dailza Damas, K. Dayarnani, Akhil Desai, José Luis Díaz Marcheno, Patricia Oscar D'Ottavio, Jim Dreyer, Modesto Eiroa, Andrés Elorza, Ted Erikson, Dr. Benito Espinosa, Vicente Esquiroz, Santiago Esteban, Horacio Estol, Estrabon, William Farrance, Ramón Fernández Espinosa, Kieran Fitzgerald, Javier Flores, José Fontfreda Gratacós, Com. Gerald Forsberg, José Freitas, Mimosa Freitas, Dr. Philip Frossard, José Gancedo Camargo, Santiago García León, Fernando García Pro, Victor Garrido, Juan Gil Santamarnía, Mercedes Gleize, Stella Gleize, Gopaldas, José Granados, Chris Green, Joe Grossman, Gunjan S. Pakuldar, Antonio and Fernando Gurrea, Juan Gurrea, Jesús Gutiérrez, Hannon, Miss Hayden, H.B. Hayward, E. Heaton, Duncan Heenan, Vivienne Heenan, Hércules, Himilcon, Hinojosa, Sidney T. Hirst, Montagne Holbien, Holland, Millie Hudson, Stanilaus Idriksanov, Seppo Erik Ingervo, Padre Juan Jaen, Salomón Jauli, Jiménez, Sergio Jiménez, Sergio Jiménez Cancino, Ricardo Jordá Güell, Manual Juliá, conde de Julian, Vikran Kamat, Vicki Keith, Annette Kellerman, C. Kornblutt, Ashit Kumar, Penny Dean, Fray Luis de León, Carlos Lernes, Vicente Llorca, Juan Llorca Bravo, Dr. Dorothy Logan, Andrés López Bonaque, Antonio López Mesa, Ángel López Ortego, Dr. Salvador Losa Álvarez, Pirjo Maattola, Mona Mac Lellan, Manuel Maestre, José Mallet, José Manel-la Palou, Rafael Mantaras, Fred Mardle, Juliàn Marias, Francisco Martín Bueno, Demetrio Martín Isidro, Rvdo Domingo Martínez García, Manuel Mateo, Mayur J. Mehta, Jack McClelland, McVicker, J. Mearns, duque de Medinaceli, Armando Mendes, Julia Miguel, Sen Mihir, Milo, Domingo Moli, Dr. Mondejal López, Roja Mora, J.A. Moreno, Joaquín Morera, Mota da Silva, Firas M’Ovalla, Houman M’Ovalla, Moussab M’Ovalla, Roudaina M’Ovalla, Juan Muñoz Guillén, Dr. Luis Murciano, Jane Murphy, Kevin Murphy, Musà, Antonio Naranjo, José Naranjo, Fernando Nardiz, Navaratnaswamy, Juan A. Notario Rodon, Juan A. Núñez, Rvdo J.W. O’Grady, Carlos Oloboff, Gustavo Fabiáan Oriozabala, Guillermo Ortega, Agustín Ortiz Ponce, Agustín Ortiz Velarde, Juan Osorio, Oswaldo, Bronislava Padourova, Dr. Javier Pascual, Franco Patelli, Dr. Patricio, Paulo, Pearce, Luis Peral García, Batista Pereira, Pereira da Silva, Juan Pérez Aranda, Martín Pérez, General Juan Perón, Bernardo Picornell, Paolo Pinto, Moreno Piñero, Piteas, Rafael Ponce Cordones, Dr. Posada Santaria, Manuel Privado, Pujol, Sebastián Puyol Honero, Francisco de Quevedo, Lajos Rajki, Michael Read, Katerine Rehua, Mary Margaret Revel, Luis Ribeiro, Rafael Rivas Gonzalo, Fernando B. Rocca, Almirante Rocket, Sam Rocket, Armando Rodrígues, Rodolfo Rodrígues Eguía, Ruiz, Luis Gilberto Ruiz, Francisco Ruiz Chacon, Ramdas Ruplai, Sacadura, Felipe Sánchez Babot, José Sánchez Camas, Nicolás Sánchez Cañabate, Diego Sánchez Cárdenas, Serafin Sánchez León, José Sánchez Llorca, Alejandro Sandino Arroyo, Sansare, Ángel Sanz, Dr. Domingo Sanz, Scott Tennyson, José Serrano, Manuel Serrano, Serrano Trujillo, Roy Santana, Herbert Sharpe, Siddhesh C. Parab, Lily Smith, Henry Solis, Manuel Soís, barón de ver Abilio Couto Sorano, Jorge Sudgen, Tomás Sweeney, Peter Tanhan, Taranath Shenoy, Tarif, Tarik, Duncan Taylor, Carlos Tejero, Edward H. Temme, Ajit S. Thakur, Kaveri Thakur, Alfredo Tresserras Aulí, Juan Tresserras Dou, Enrique Ugarte, Umes B. Uttekar, Miguel de Unamuno, Urquhart, Sergio Valencia Mendoza, Josefina Valis, Filippe Van Essche, Rvdo. Jacinto Verdaguer, Vic Cristhie, Eduardo Villanueva Maurcio, Coronel Vinajera, Vinod R. Chadge, José Vitos Natal, J. Walker, Jack Weidman, Betty Widd, Jabez Wolfe, Aldeman Wood, Carlos Yelmini, Jana Zavadilova, Jasón Zirganos, Berenice Zittenfield and Phillis Zittenfield.
