See for instance Phuket News (from 25 January 2014)
The Royal Dutch Swimming Federation has returned for its second high performance training sessions at Thanyapura Phuket this month, as Thanyapura farewells the Norwegian national swim team after a two-week winter training retreat. The Dutch will be training here every winter until the Rio Olympics 2016.
And here (from 4 February 2014)
The Dutch Team shall return to Thanyapura Phuket again next January till Rio Olympics 2016.
This beautiful action video features our newest member of the Carbon Family, the Powerskin Carbon Flex. Watch as Ruta Meilutyte, Katinka Hosszu and Daniel Gyurta take it for a spin.
Read phoneArena.com
Chalk up another win for the rugged and waterproof smartphone case industry. Dave McGregor was off kayaking off the coast of Australia, cutting through the waves, riding along tides, all-in-all having a great time.
Dave likes to mount his iPhone 4 to his kayak to record some of the action and this day was no different. To protect his device, Dave used an Optrix case. Optrix makes a wide array of waterproof and high-activity minded cases that also cater to those that want to take video and pictures of their adventures.
Back to Dave’s iPhone’s story, Dave is riding a wave and gets turned over. While righting himself, his oar hits the camera mount and down goes the iPhone into the depths of the ocean. The iPhone continues to record video until the battery dies and then the device spends another 82 days in the water.
Phelps and Antonio railing WPT
See fina.org
As it was done for previous FINA World Championships, a qualifying procedure with “A†and “B†standard times will be implemented for Kazan 2015.
1. FINA “A†& “B†SWIMMING QUALIFYING TIME STANDARDS
| Men’s Standard | Women’s Standard | |||
| A – 2 Entries | B – 1 Entry | A – 2 Entries | B – 1 Entry | |
| 00.22,25 | 00.23,03 | 50 m Freestyle | 00.25,23 | 00.26,11 |
| 00.49,39 | 00.51.12 | 100 m Freestyle | 00.55,05 | 00.56,98 |
| 01.48,37 | 01.52,16 | 200 m Freestyle | 01.58,93 | 02.03,09 |
| 03.50,87 | 03.58,95 | 400 m Freestyle | 04.12,47 | 04.21,31 |
| 07.57,69 | 08.14,41 | 800 m Freestyle | 08.35,99 | 08.54,05 |
| 15.13,98 | 15.45,97 | 1500 m Freestyle | 16.33,61 | 17.08,39 |
| 00.25,52 | 00.26,41 | 50 m Backstroke | 00.28,60 | 00.29,60 |
| 00.54,72 | 00.56,64 | 100 m Backstroke | 01.01,25 | 01.03,39 |
| 01.59,19 | 02.03,36 | 200 m Backstroke | 02.12,14 | 02.16,76 |
| 00.27,58 | 00.28,55 | 50 m Breaststroke | 00.31,50 | 00.32,60 |
| 01.00,44 | 01.02,56 | 100 m Breaststroke | 01.08,36 | 01.10,75 |
| 02.11,71 | 02.16,32 | 200 m Breaststroke | 02.28,12 | 02.33,30 |
| 00.23,53 | 00.24,35 | 50 m Butterfly | 00.26,54 | 00.27,47 |
| 00.52,52 | 00.54,36 | 100 m Butterfly | 00.59,18 | 01.01,25 |
| 01.57,37 | 02.01,48 | 200 m Butterfly | 02.11,14 | 02.15,73 |
| 01.59,99 | 02.04,19 | 200 m Ind. Medley | 02.13,98 | 02.18,67 |
| 04.19,21 | 04.28,28 | 400 m Ind. Medley | 04.44,50 | 04.54,46 |
| 1 Team | 4 x 100 m Freestyle | 1 Team | ||
| 1 Team | 4 x 200 m Freestyle | 1 Team | ||
| 1 Team | 4 x 100 m Medley | 1 Team | ||
| 4 x 100 m Freestyle Mixed – 1 Team | ||||
| 4 x 100 m Medley Mixed – 1 Team | ||||
If a National Federation enters only one (1) swimmer per event, all swimmers entered must meet the qualifying “B†standard time.
If two (2) swimmers are entered in the same event, both of them must meet the qualifying “A†standard time.
Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps makes a cameo appearance as himself in the midseason premiere of USA Network’s “Suits.” Watch the episode Thursday, March 6 at 9 PM ET on USA. link
Read The Sydney Morning Herald
Australia’s head swimming coach, Jacco Verhaeren, says there’s ”no doubt” he would welcome troubled great Ian Thorpe back into the fold as part of his plan to use Australian legends to revive its Olympic fortunes.
Thorpe is being treated for depression but Dutchman Verhaeren, who coached Thorpe’s good friend and Olympic rival Pieter van den Hoogenband, said his door was always open for Thorpe if he wished to help restore Australia as a powerhouse.
Verhaeren visited Canberra this week as he settles into his new role, having taken over from Leigh Nugent after the disastrous 2012 London Olympics.
“He [Thorpe] is somebody you would like to have on board, no doubt about that,” Verhaeren said.
“Ian’s an icon, a legend, and having him on board in whatever role we would appreciate, I would love to have him there.<
Read The Sydney Morning Herald
Olympic gold medallist Grant Hackett has denied claims by his manager that he is entering rehab for an addiction to prescription sleeping drugs, saying instead that he had travelled to the US for a planned “retreat”.
The Australian swimming great touched down in Los Angeles on Tuesday evening, and immediately denied reports that he was there to receive treatment for a dependency to Stilnox medication.
“No, I’m not calling this rehab whatsovever,” the 33-year-old told reporters at the airport.
Read also Herald Sun
Days after Grant Hackett’s messy divorce case a fortnight ago his parents were so worried about his welfare they planned an intervention for his drug dependency.
But the confrontation with their son came earlier than expected — triggered by Hackett’s bizarre behaviour at Crown Casino late on Friday.
On Saturday afternoon family members and Hackett’s manager, met the Olympic champion in his hotel suite, convincing him to seek help at a rehab facility.
Dad Neville Hackett said: “I believe Grant knew he had a problem. He raised the idea of seeing a doctor.â€
The media is all over the story
http://youtu.be/i-H8Xn0t82U
http://youtu.be/3H_yoKAbhdE
Between this and the cat rescue the other day, it has been a big week for Swedish pet lifeguards.
See Nothing To Do With Arbroath
Kenth Rehn, 38, was out for a stroll in Kneippen, Sweden, when he saw a mallard caught by a fishing hook. So he jumped into a lake and rescued the bird.
It was cold, he says. But he never hesitated about jumping into the water when he saw that the duck needed help.
