It’s verging on criminal to allow a public asset as glorious as Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbour to be used for little more than water traffic. Harbourside plans have been much talked about and an authority to oversee development has been proposed, but it could yet be years before any of its ideas come to fruition. Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying has pre-empted the decision-making by suggesting that there is no better place to go for a lunchtime swim or to fish. He’s not entirely wrong, though the thought that an hour is all that’s needed to get from the office to the lapping waves to take a dip or cast a line and grab a bite to eat before returning is nothing short of demented.
In a blog posting last week, Leung envisaged a swimming platform near the IFC from which office workers could take a 20-minute dip during their lunch hour as an alternative to going to the gym. Praising fishing as a good way to relax, he also suggested a 45-minute break to sit by the shore and cast a line. Understandably, he has been ridiculed for a host of reasons, among them the time constraints faced by workers, the low quality of harbour water, heavy ferry and pleasure-boat traffic and the impracticality of going fishing for such a short time during the hottest and busiest part of the day. Put that down to someone out of touch with everyday people.
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Lightning policy could cost Aquatic Center large swim meet
As if we didn’t already have enough drama surrounding the Columbus Aquatic Center, Jeff Pischko, head swimming coach for the Columbus Hurricanes, tells me he’s afraid the city is about to lose a huge swim meet. […]
So what’s the problem?
It’s shocking, you might say.
The people with Georgia Swimming, which controls such meets, say they need an aquatic center that does not have to shut down when lightning is in the vicinity. Georgia Tech’s Olympic Aquatic Center, which lately has hosted the meet, is such a place.
Read Ledger-Enquirer
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Aqua Swim Team Brings Home 2016 Junior Olympic Championship Title
The Asphalt Green Unified Aquatics (AGUA) Swim Team dominated the 2016 Metropolitan Swimming Junior Olympics March 11 to March 13, bringing home the overall team title as well as the combined 11-12 and 13-14 age group titles. AGUA swimmers rose to the occasion, snapping meet-favorite Long Island Aquatic Club’s (LIAC), 15-year winning streak.
Read Asphalt Green
AGUA – Image courtesy of Asphalt Green -
Ger Kennedy’s Ice Hole Diving in Yakutsk, Russia’s Siberia
Ger Kennedy is an Irish cold swimmer. He arrived in Yakutsk, Russia’s Siberia, on March 5th, 2016, in the early morning and we went to the place called Elanka on the Lena River. 2,5 hr by car. After, he swam 52 m under the ice. The temp of water under the ice was -1C. Air temp -13,8C. Depth 4,7-5 m. Ice thickness ~80 cm. Visibility ~10-15 m. Everything went safe. Thanks to Sergey Sobolev and his team, who made an Irish dream come true. Location search took 2 weekends, ice holes cutting 2 days, ice hole swimming 4 minutes only.
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Michael Phelps promotes swim instruction in Arizona
Michael Phelps continued to expand his reach in his new Arizona home Saturday with appearances at two Arizona State campuses to promote Pitchfork Aquatics Swim School.
Pitchfork Aquatics is the first Arizona licensee of the Michael Phelps Swimming program, which teaches safety, fitness and performance.
Read AZCentral
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Taking the plunge: Omar tries free-diving in frigid waters of ice-covered quarry
I get to Morrison’s Quarry in Chelsea, Que., just north of Ottawa, on a cold and blustery day. It feels like – 21 with the wind chill, and Philip Beauchamp is chainsawing a portal into the icy water below.
We’re about to jump in.
This is an extreme sport. Free-diving means no air supply — you need just one big breath and a whole lot of lung capacity.
Read CBC News
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Greenwood man talks about surviving a harrowing fall from 11th-floor balcony
Two words went through Mark Hefley’s head in the moments after he leaned too far back and toppled off an 11th-floor Florida balcony Tuesday.
The first word was “Oh”; the second was an expletive that won’t be published in IndyStar.
“It just felt like it was a long way down,” Hefley, 38, told IndyStar on Friday. He’s back home in Greenwood now, nursing bruises and a bloody nose but thankful to be alive.
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Korean swimming body chief to resign amid corruption scandal
The head of South Korea’s top swimming governing body will submit his resignation this month following its executives’ corruption scandals, a national swimming official said Thursday.
According to the Korea Swimming Federation official, who asked not to be named, KSF President Lee Ki-heung said at a Tuesday meeting with executives from regional swimming federations that he will resign from his post.
The 61-year-old also pushed to hold a board meeting and general assembly in Jeju on March 18 to discuss the retirement of current executives at the KSF, including himself, and initiate an “innovation committee” to tackle the corruption scandal.
Read The Korea Herald
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SwimOutlet.com Unveils 4th Annual 2016 Tech Suit Review
The web’s most popular swim shop is unveiling the web’s most popular tech suit review this week. On Tuesday, March 8, SwimOutlet.com publishes its 2016 Tech Suit Review, written and compiled by two-time gold medalist Mark Gangloff and Olympic Trials and NCAA finalist Julie Stupp. The review has become SwimOutlet.com’s most popular product category guide and is the go-to destination for customers and swim fans around the world to read independent opinions and reviews about racing suits from all brands each year.
“We are proud of what our 2016 Tech Suit Review has become in just a few short years: an educated and opinionated guide by two elite swimmers and suit experts about the best tech suits launched on the market each year,†said Rob Penner, VP, Sports Marketing at SwimOutlet.com.
In their fourth year of writing reviews of the world’s best technical racing suits, Gangloff andStupp have now tested over 30 suits from dozens of brands around the world. Their reviews include briefings from the product teams in January and multiple wear tests in pools throughout February.
The highlights from the 2016 Tech Suit Review include:
- The global debut and sneak preview of the Arena Carbon Ultra, more than two months before the suit is available in the U.S. market.
- Newcomers A3 Performance and Funky Trunks/Funkita reviewed for the first timein the SwimOutlet.com Tech Suit Review
- A Tech Suit Review Giveaway contest in which fans can share the tech suit review for a chance to win a FINIS Onyx tech suit (through March 31, 2016)
- Review of the Jaked JKeel, available in the U.S. only at SwimOutlet.com and highly select retailers.
- For the first time ever, the 2016 Tech Suit Review will be featured on the SwimOutlet.com home page for the month of March, linking back to the comprehensive review.
​The suits reviewed in 2016 include the Arena Carbon, FINIS Onyx, A3 Performance Legend, Funky Trunks/Funkita Apex Stealth, Jaked JKeel and FINIS Fuse.
