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Swimmer's Daily

In Massachusetts, boys compete as girls ?

Nov 19, 2011

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by

rokur

in Organization

So, my good American friends, I am really confused by this: At Norwood High in Massachusetts, boys compete on girls teams because their schools do not have boys swimming programs. Able to do so because the open access amendments to the state constitution mandates that boys and girls must be afforded equal access to athletics.

I get that.

But, now they compete in the same heats, taking top seeds from the girls, possibly becoming the girls state champion? Get to swim in the girls’ relays, knock them off the awards podium, making it hard for the girls to qualify for All-Star honors? Get to even break the girls’ sectional records?

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Bob the dog knows how to dive

Nov 19, 2011

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by

rokur

in Fun

Impressive, the stray dog Bob dives easily to depths of eight feet to fish out his toys. And we get a glimpse of the Canadian sport Octo-Pushing, a kind of underwater hockey where swimmers use home-made sticks to push a weighted puck around the bottom of a swimming pool. And of someone tumbling on a scooter. Via witn.com
SWIM. – Behind the scenes / day two

Nov 19, 2011

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by

rokur

in Fun

It is only day two of the shooting of SWIM. – Short Movie, and already there is a bit of a crisis. Or not :-)

SWIM – Behind the Scenes / Day Two from SWIM. â€“ Short Film on Vimeo.
Principal to swim with sharks after students meet challenge

Nov 18, 2011

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by

rokur

in Fun, Organization

Aaah, Principal Fradley has surely learned a lesson about motivation, promising to swim with the sharks at the Florida Aquarium in Tampa, if his students raised more than $20,000 at a Walk-A-Thon in September.

â€œI really didn’t think they would do it, because last year we raised $12,000,” Dr. Fradley said.

Oh well, they did, and the good doctor therefore has to don a scuba kit today. Thirty Wakeland students who raised more than $150 get to watch it. Get your popcorn out, the head is going down ! :-)

Via ABC Action News
Eye to eye with a humpback whale

Nov 18, 2011

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by

rokur

in Nature

Boyd Matson of National Geographic Weekend spent a week following humpback whales in the wild with Tom Conlin of Aquatic Adventures. Read more and listen to the radio interview on National Geographic News Watch.
USA Swimming: Energy drinks a no-go for young swimmers

Nov 18, 2011

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by

rokur

in Health

The USA Swimming Sports Medicine and Science Committee has recently reviewed the risks and benefits related to energy drinks, and concludes that children and teens should avoid them. “Sports drinks” like Gatorade are OK, meaning drinks containing a small amount of carbohydrates, minerals, electrolytes and flavorings, designed to replace those nutrients lost through sweating after exercise.But energy drinks containing stimulants like caffeine, guarana, yerba mate and taurine should be avoided, as for instance excess consumption of caffeine is associated with agitation, anxiety, poor sleep, rapid heart rate, increased blood pressure and altered mental states, and can mask fatigue.

Too much caffeine can mask fatigue. Gauging fatigue is important to staying fit, healthy and in the pool. If jacked up on caffeine, swimmers may miss the bodyâ€™s signal for rest.

Read more here on USA Swimming, Image courtesy of Simon le Nippon, cc by-sa 2.0
Fran Halsall talks swimming, cats and competing

Nov 18, 2011

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by

rokur

in Competition, Gossip

Courtesy of sportsvibe.co.uk
Freedance (Freediving in Bozburun)

Nov 18, 2011

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by

rokur

in Fun, Open Water

So I have a weakness for freediving, deal with it :-)

Freedance (Freediving in Bozburun) from mert gokalp on Vimeo.
SWIM. – a short film being shot in British Columbia

Nov 18, 2011

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by

rokur

in Fun

A short film is being shot these days at the UBC Aquatics Centre in Vancouver, Canada, November 17th-21st 2011, by UBC Film Production. That is one thing, but they are at the same time producing great ‘behind the scenes’ shots, here from day one:

SWIM – Behind the Scenes / Day One from SWIM. â€“ Short Film on Vimeo.

Plot outline is that 13-year-old Charlotte is obsessed with, but terrified of growing up. Her fear manifests itself in her inability to make it across the length of the pool in her swimming lessons. Embarrassed, she keeps to herself, spending her time idolizing her next-door neighbor â€“ a fit, sexually active, attractive young woman â€“ from afar. Teaser trailer:

SWIM. â€“ Teaser Trailer from SWIM. â€“ Short Film on Vimeo.

See vimeo.com/swimthefilm and facebook.com/swimthefilm. The film is to be released in April 2012.