Global Open Water Swimming Conference

We just got this announcement from our friend Steve Munatones about the Global Open Water Swimming Conference coming in June.  Read Steve's letter below, and for more information, make sure you go to his website at pacificopenwater.com.  Check out the first named athlete... GO FRAN!!! 

The international open water swimming world will converge in Long Beach, California in June for three days of non-stop open water action. 

On Day 1, the USA Swimming National 10K Open Water Swimming Championships will showcase some of the world’s best swimmers in an all-important national team selection race.  The site of the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics rowing events is an ideal location to select athletes for the cool-water lake races at the 2010 World Championships in Quebec, Canada, and longer term for the 2012 London Olympics.  The rowing basin course will be glassy flat, but on the cool side with water temperatures expected to be under 65°F. 

With world championship medalists Fran Crippen, Andrew Gemmell and Chloe Sutton competing against NCAA champion Emily Brunemann, FINA World Cup medalists Eva Fabian, Kirsten Groome, Mazen Aziz (Egypt) and Sergiy Fesenko (Azerbaijan), and national teamers Alex Meyer, Sean Ryan and Emily Hanson, the 10,000-meter race is expected to be close with a slew of swimmers coming down the final 450-meter straightaway in a tight pack. 

Instead of waiting on the shoreline wondering who is leading, coaches, parents, family and fans can watch the swimmers up close in spectator boats that will be following the lead packs throughout the race.

On Day 2, the first Global Open Water Swimming Conference will bring together the world’s foremost experts on open water swimming and prominent triathlon coaches and personalities.  World open water swimming champions, English Channel world record holders, top professional marathon swimmers, renowned adventure swimmers and some of the most decorated Olympic coaches in history will share their experiences, insights and recommendations on how to prepare optimally, train intelligently and race well in the open water. The conference offers 24 presentations on open water racing tactics, techniques, innovative training methodologies and trends in the sport. Major race directors from South Africa, Great Britain, Brazil, Cayman Islands, Hong Kong, Australia, Fiji and Mexico will also be on hand to share their expertise and passion for the sport.  A special post-race analysis of the 10K national championships will be conducted during the conference as well as a special awards ceremony where several great swimmers will be decorated among their peers.

On Day 3, the USA Swimming National 5K Open Water Swimming Championships will take place before the new 2K and 4K Open Water Pursuit.  The Open Water Pursuit are races where 3 – 4 swimmers start, swim and finish together utilizing their drafting and positioning skills.  Because the pursuit races will be added to the 2011 World Swimming Championship schedule in Shanghai and at the 2012 World Junior Open Water Swimming Championships, Long Beach presents a great opportunity to work with teammates and understand the dynamics of swimming together. The 3-day festival will culminate in 50-meter Sea Sprints where the field will start from the floating feeding pontoons and race to shore.  Sprinters, not normally competitive in the open water world, should be able to gain an upper hand over their long-distance counterparts in these drop-dead sprints to shore.

3 days, 6 events and lots of action that will showcase the best that the sport has to offer.  

For more details, visit www.pacificopenwater.com.