Swimmer's Daily

  • I know, I know. I’m a really bad swimmer. But I tried! Thought I’d finally take the plunge and tackle 50 Ways to Swim to kick off the summer.

  • I bought 10,000 shade balls and tried to swim in them. They appear to act like a non-Newtonian fluid: rigid under high shear stress, but they flow like a liquid under low shear.

    What are shade balls?

  • Rescuers swept the Hudson River again on Sunday for a N.C. Moral Monday activist from Chapel Hill who disappeared Friday during a 120-mile marathon race.

    The New York Post reported Charles van der Horst, 67, vanished on the New Jersey side of the George Washington Bridge around 3:10 p.m. Friday. The search is now a recovery, said the U.S. Coast Guard, which is working with New York City police.

    Van der Horst was in the second-to-last stage of the 8 Bridges Hudson River Swim, which organizer New York Open Water called “the longest marathon swim in the world.” Friday’s leg spanned 15.7 miles, from the Tappan Zee Bridge to the George Washington Bridge.

    Van der Horst was finishing Friday’s race when he went under, the group posted on Facebook. That part of the river “is a fan favorite thanks to the fast currents and beautiful views of the Palisades,” the Friday morning post said.

    NYOW shared a statement from van der Horst’s family Saturday afternoon.

    “The family of Charles Van der Horst of Chapel Hill, NC, is deeply saddened to confirm the loss of our beloved Charlie. He was participating in several stages of the 8 Bridges Hudson River Swim when he went under at the finish of Stage 6,” the statement said.

    Read The News & Observer

  • Around 900 swimmers of all shapes, sizes and ambitions, took to the waters off Seven Mile Beach Saturday for the latest instalment of one of Cayman’s favourite sporting events.

  • The American alligator populates nearly every swamp, lake and river (and occasional kitchen) in the southeastern US. But when Erin Weaver spotted one swimming near her Houston home, she suspected it was the one in danger.

  • Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban invited LEN President Paolo Barelli for a visit to Hungary to discuss the preparations for the 2020 European Championships to be staged in Budapest and the country’s long term plans on hosting aquatic events in the future.

    The Hungarian Prime Minister received the LEN President in his brand new office in the Buda Castle. This wasn’t the first time they met so the talks were held in a very friendly atmosphere in the presence of Balazs Furjes, State Secretary for Major Budapest Developments.

    Mr Orban and Mr Barelli discussed the state of the preparations for the 2020 European Water Polo Championships and the 2020 European Aquatics Championships which shall take place in the same country for the first time since these two meets have been held separately (since 1999). The long term plans for hosting further major aquatic events in Hungary were also part of the negotiations.

    “Hungary is a very lucky country for having such a sport-committed leader as Mr Viktor Orban” Paolo Barelli said. “He was very much informed on European Aquatics activities so I started with a congratulation for the win of Ferencvaros in the water polo Champions League last Saturday. We agreed that the Hungarian organisers should do their best to deliver outstanding events in January and in May 2020 as this has become usual in recent years when we witnessed a series of brilliant competitions in the magnificent venues in Budapest.”

    Press release from LEN