Canadian Team Looking Good For Worlds
Roberval has rolled out the red carpet for hundreds of elite open water swimmers and delegations from over 30 countries to the 2010 World Open Water Swimming Championships in Roberval, Canada.Dr. Julio Maglione, the FINA President, opened the festivities with a bilingual address to the gathered media at today’s press conference.
“I want to express my sincere gratitude to Swimming Canada, the city of Roberval and the local organizing committee.”
Swimming Canada CEO Pierre Lafontaine echoed the gratitude of Dr. Maglione at today’s press conference. In his usual enthusiastic manner, Pierre said, “The local organizing committee even went so far in changing the water temperature of lac St-Jean.” Pierre was referring to the notoriously cold water of lac St-Jean has increased in temperature to an unseasonably and unprecedented 24°C (75°C) that have greeted the swimmers at the 2010 World Open Water Swimming Championships. Most of the swimmers were quite happy and surprised to learn of the warm-water conditions.
“Swimming Canada is excited to host the world championships and we are thankful to Dr. Maglione for having confidence in us. Sport is a place where people can dream. That is the power of sport.”
Canadian National Team coach Ron Jacks repeated the excitement of Dr. Maglione and Pierre. “The 7-member Canadian team is in good spirits after a 5-day training camp in Montreal. The swimmers have had a great week of preparation in Montreal. The 10K will be our great event. With the event now being in the Olympics, we are seeing a surge of swimmers trying to grain that experience for the 2012 Olympic Games qualifier next year in Shanghai.”
“The Canadian team is comprised with some solid veterans such as Simon Tobin of Quebec, Zsofie Balaz of Toronto and Nadine Williams of Sherwood Park who all competed at the 2009 World Swimming Championships. I’m optimistic that we will get a few surprise performances from our veterans and rookies.”
The Canadian team includes Xavier Desharnais, Simon Tobin, Richard Weinberger, Zsofia Balazs, Karyn Jewell, Joanie Guillemetee-Simard and Nadine Williams.
Photo shows former Canadian world-class open water swimmer Philippe-Dubreuil.
Copyright © 2010 by Steven Munatones
Southern California native, born 1962, is the creator of the WOWSA Awards, Oceans Seven, Openwaterpedia, Citrus Corps, World Open Water Swimming Association, Daily News of Open Water Swimming, Global Open Water Swimming Conference. He is Chief Executive Officer of KAATSU Global and KAATSU Research Institute. Inductee in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Swimmer, Class of 2001) and Ice Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Contributor - Media, Class of 2019), recipient of the International Swimming Hall of Fame's Poseidon Award (2016), International Swimming Hall of Fame's Irving Davids-Captain Roger Wheeler Memorial Award (2010), USA Swimming's Glen S. Hummer Award (2007, 2010) and Harvard University's John B. Imrie Award (1984). Served on the FINA Technical Open Water Swimming Committee and as Technical Delegate with the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games, and 9-time USA Swimming coaching staff. Note: WOWSA only recommends products or services used or recommended by the community. WOWSA does not receive compensation for links or products mentioned on this site or in blog posts. If it does, it will be indicated clearly on that specific post. See WOWSA's privacy policy for more information.
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