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Danish radio host crosses icy channel as part of Facebook likehunting challenge

Feb 1, 2013

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by

rokur

in Fun, Open Water

Danish radio host Rune Hedeman had promised to complete three challenges if he got more than 5000 Facebook likes: To sing a birthday song for the Danish prime minister Helle Thorning, to have his eye pierced, and to complete a winter swim across a channel near the Danish Radio center. He received about 20,000 likes, which again resulted in him completing all three challenges in sequence this morning.

I recommend skipping the birthday song and the piercing, as incredibly enough the icy swim seems the least painful part of this challenge, at least for us spectators :-P

See DR.dk (swim from about 3:57)

(Oh and yes, see-through wet retro swimsuit hefty ass crack alert)
Humpback whale visits TÃ³rshavn Harbor

Feb 1, 2013

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by

rokur

in Faroe Islands, Nature, Wow

Whale spotting Faroe style, this Tuesday a small humpback whale decided to go sight-seeing in our capitol TÃ³rshavn, swimming into the marina which is as sheltered as it can be, in the heart of TÃ³rshavn harbor, besides the Faroese seat of government, in the heart of the Faroe Islands.

No need for boats here, you could just walk around it :-)

This is Tinganes, the office of the Faroese prime minister. The whale swam to the left of it, all the way in to those yachts seen in the background.

Picture courtesy of Stig Nygaard, CC BY 2.0

Diver and underwater wildlife photographer Ingi SÃ¸rensen decided to go swimming with it, but unfortunately the water was really cloudy.
Laure Manaudou retires for second time, is pregnant again

Jan 31, 2013

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by

rokur

in Competition

Former Olympic swimming champion Laure Manaudou says she is quitting for good after announcing her retirement for the second time.

Read for instance Sports Illustrated
Rebecca Adlington to make announcement on future

Jan 31, 2013

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by

rokur

in Competition

Double Olympic champion Rebecca Adlington has revealed that she will make a “major announcement” at a press conference next Tuesday, amid rumours she has decided to retire from swimming.

Read for instance France 24
Michael Phelps signs with PING

Jan 31, 2013

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by

rokur

in Dryland, Gossip

CBS Sports

Michael Phelps has signed a long-term contract with a company whose only water product is a black-and-white striped umbrella.

That’s right. The 22-time Olympic medalist is hitching his wagon to the good folks at PING for the time being.
CC photo #397: Jeanette Ottesen Gray enters the Istanbul 2012 arena

Jan 31, 2013

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by

rokur

in CC BY-NC-ND 2.0, Competition

Denmark’s Jeanette Ottesen Gray ready for the women’s 50 meter butterfly final at the FINA 2012 World Swimming Championships (25m) in Istanbul, Turkey. She ended up winning bronze in 25.55, see the result list here.
Shannon Rollason (AUS) new head coach of the Danish NTC

Jan 31, 2013

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by

rokur

in Organization, Training

The Danish Swimming Federation announces this morning that they have hired 40-year-old Shannon Rollason as their new head coach of the National Training Center in Copenhagen. Rollason is renowned for among other things his work with Jodie Henry and Alice Mills, gold medalists of the Athens 2004 Olympics, and comes from a similar position at the Australian Institute of Sports. Read svoem.org (in Danish)
CC photo #396: Yukihiro Takahashi enters the Istanbul 2012 arena

Jan 30, 2013

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by

rokur

in CC BY-NC-ND 2.0, Competition

Japan’s Yukihiro Takahashi ready for the men’s 200 meter breaststroke at the FINA 2012 World Swimming Championships (25m) in Istanbul, Turkey. He ended up 8th in 2:04.92, see the result list here.
Bill Sweetenham temporay high performance coach of New Zealand

Jan 30, 2013

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by

rokur

in Training

Read Msn

Sweetenham, who oversaw the emergence of Australian legends Ian Thorpe and Grant Hackett before six contentious years as high performance director of British swimming, will take up a short-term role on February 8.

Swimming New Zealand said 62-year-old Sweetenham, who reviewed the organisation’s high performance structure in 2008, will be initially contracted as a high performance coach until the national championships in mid-March.