Swimmer's Daily

  • In the end, the odds were too much for the three Wahls.

    Devin and Danielle Wahl completed their English Channel swim Sunday. The 21-mile crossing in 64-degree water was more harrowing and painful than they expected. Their younger brother Dustin was forced to quit 13 miles in, overcome with cramps and nausea.

    The goal of being the first three siblings to swim the Channel simultaneously—statistically, they had about a one-in-eight chance of success—remained elusive. But their sense of accomplishment was huge.

    Read The Washington Post

    http://youtu.be/HXAtWg9MsUI

  • Footage taken from Lava Hot Springs, Idaho, USA, shows a girl on the edge of the middle board, about to dive in to the swimming pool below.

    But in a last-second change of heart, she grabs onto the railings to stop herself – even though she’s already too late to stop.

    What happens next is far worse than what would have happened if she’d just gone through with the dive in the first place.

    See the Daily Star

    http://youtu.be/VFKUKX9ToNI

  • It’s the biggest little secret and now it can be revealed: Everyone’s favorite prince is learning to swim.

    Like his father and grandfather before him, Prince George is experiencing the royal splash-about with his mother at the world’s most exclusive gym, the Buckingham Palace pool. Kate was seen driving in to the grounds of Buckingham Palace with George and a nanny in tow on his birthday Tuesday.

    Many assumed she had brought him to visit his grandfather, but the Duchess of Cambridge has been teaching the future king how to swim.

    Read ABC News

  • In the warm, calm waters of Crystal River, Fla., there resides an aggregation of some of the most magnificent and mysterious creatures that perhaps ever survived on this planet. The manatee, as I was fortunate enough to find out first hand, are not only gentle giants, they are playful, curious and simply fascinating to watch in their natural habitat.

    See Stacey Page Online

  • A “devastating” fire has destroyed part of Eastbourne Pier after an arcade caught light at the popular seaside resort.

    Up to 80 firefighters battled the blaze from the coast, the beach and from underneath the Victorian structure to bring it under control.

    Police evacuated scores of tourists and beachgoers from the attraction, while lifeboats were launched amid reports some people may have leapt from the pier into the sea.

    The emergency services were alerted to the blaze at around 3.15pm [Wednesday, ed.] when a small fire in the wall panelling of an arcade took hold and quickly spread across the two-storey main building at the front of the pier.

    Dramatic footage and images taken by onlookers from the beach and promenade showed the pier’s wooden roof and timber structure entirely consumed by giant flames, as huge plumes of black smoke leapt hundreds of feet into the air.

    All that remained was the metal carcass of the building.

    Read Sky News

  • Nearly nine million dollars spent in four years and two medals to show for it.

    That’s the meagre return on investment for Swimming New Zealand following a lean Commonwealth Games display in Glasgow that would have been disastrous if not for Lauren Boyle.

    New Zealand’s four-medal haul in the pool was only given weight by Boyle’s freestyle gold and silver, and para-swimmer Sophie Pascoe’s two gold. The two medals gained by the country’s 14-strong able-bodied team – both won by Boyle – harked back to similar low returns from the 1998 and 2002 Games.

    This country hasn’t won an Olympic swimming medal since Danyon Loader won two gold at Atlanta 1996, and only the most optimistic fan would predict that drought will be broken in Rio in two years’ time.

    Read opinion on stuff.co.nz

  • Commonwealth Games and FINA officials insist records set in the Glasgow pool will stand despite revelations that a technical hitch has left the floor stuck in an uneven position.

    The Tollcross pool has a moveable floor that allows the depths to be changed. But the floor became stuck fast the day before competition began on Friday and can’t be fixed until the completion of the swimming program for fear of rendering it unusable.

    Because of the defect, the pool depth wouldn’t be legal at a world championships or Olympic Games, which require a minimum depth of two metres for the entire 50 metres. But FINA, swimming’s governing body, only requires a depth of 1.35m for other competitions, including the Commonwealth Games.

    As it stands, the pool is currently two metres deep at the start, before sloping upwards to 1.88 metres at the 12-metre mark, at which point it drops off rapidly back down to two metres. The dip is clearly visible from the stands.

    Glasgow 2014 spokesperson Jackie Brock-Doyle confirmed on Sunday there was an issue with the pool floor but was adamant it complied with regulations and no records would be called into question. Organisers have been in deep discussions with FINA technical delegate and vice-president Sam Ramsamy, who is in Glasgow.

    “It’s fully compliant. We’ve discussed it with the FINA technical delegate. It’s fully compliant with FINA rules for the Commonwealth Games,” Brock-Doyle told Fairfax Media. “There will be no impact on the competitors and records set here.”

    Read The Age

  • In addition to being a 1936 Olympic gold medalist, Kiefer’s contributions to the sport of swimming go beyond his abilities in the pool. He talks about developing a manual for teaching soldiers how to swim, and starting his company of swim products. These accomplishments are just some of the reasons why Swimming World continues to push for Kiefer to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Be sure to visit SwimmingWorld.TV for more video interviews.

    See the Swimming World Morning Swim Show

  • A team Scotland supporter was escorted out of her seat by police at the swimming event in Glasgow for holding up a Saltire with the word Yes on it.

    The woman – who the Daily Record would like to hear from – also had a Yes badge on her handbag and was escorted from her seat at Tollcross by two officers.

    Police Scotland later issued a statement saying that officers were acting in line with the ticketing terms and conditions laid down by the Games organisers and that political messages or symbols are not allowed within venues.

    The statement said: “Comments suggesting Police Scotland does not allow Saltire Flags into venues is inaccurate. Saltire Flags are allowed into venues as are flags associated with other competing nations.

    “However, flags from non-competing nations or flags affiliated with to other organisations or causes, political or otherwise, are restricted.

    Read the Daily Record

    A campaign video …

    http://youtu.be/NclkfOjQle0