The New FINA Open Water Swimming Grand Prix Race In Syria
The new FINA Open Water Swimming Grand Prix race in Syria is 30K from Jableh to Latakia is scheduled on September 17th. Athletes and coaches will be well taken care of as soon as they arrive in Damascus and will be shuttled to their accommodations at the 4-star Teeshreen Hotel and the 5-star luxurious Rotana Hotel in Latakia.
The athletes will be greeted at the Damascus Airport and then escorted to Latakia and to the start in Jableh. The athletes will have access to a 50-meter indoor pool near the Teshreen Hotel that is available all the day long. In Latakia between September 15th – 17th, the athletes will have access to two pools and the sea.
The water temperature is expected to range between 25° and 30° with the air temperature between 30° and 35°. Although transponders will not be used, each swimmer will be escorted by their own boat with a driver, their coach and an official. The boats will be decorated with each swimmer’s national flag and have a radio for communications.
The 30K course is point-to-point with only one large buoy 5K from the finish and approximately 2K from shore. A lead boat will be provided for the swimmers and an ambulance with a medical doctor will be parked onshore every 10K along the course.
Local television broadcasters will cover the event while the swimmers will be greeted by large advertisements on the main streets on the city, adding to the build-up towards the race. Television coverage will be enhanced with cameras from helicopter that can also be used in emergencies. The spectators at the finish will be entertained with large-screen monitors that will show live coverage during the race.
FINA’s representative Andrea Prayer commented on the new race, “I have a very positive impression. There is a lot of energy and enthusiasm. The local committee is experienced and have organized many international open water events including the 1991 Arab Open Water Swimming Championships, the 1992 Arab Games open water race, an 18K race in 1996, 1997 and 1998, a 10-country relay race of 40K in 2000 and 2003, and the qualification for the 2008 and 2010 Asian Shore Games open water events. The accommodations for the competitors are fantastic and the finish line exactly in front of their hotel is amazing.”
Copyright © 2011 by Open Water Source
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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