The prefecture and city of Osaka in Japan are moving forward with their plans to create a 1-kilometer pool. The proposed Dotonbori Pool will feature large spaces for advertising in order to subsidize the largest pool open to the public in a major metropolitan area.
The pool will open in 2015 on the 400th anniversary of the lively Dotonbori area which is lined by restaurants and entertainment facilities. The Dotonbori pool is scheduled to be 1 kilometer in length, 12-14 meters wide and 1.5 meters deep.
Plans include holding long-distance international swimming competitions and areas where people can dive in and enjoy. The entire pool can also be rented out by events or sponsors for 200,000 yen (US$2,424) for 2 hours.
On a typical weekend, there are usually 100,000 people per day walking along the area, making the potential for a POW (Pool Open Water) competition something potentially endearing, exciting and entertaining to the open water swimming world. Open water swimming is definitely growing, but imagine the possibilities for the Dotonbori Pool…
Imagine if age-group swimmers, masters swimmers and world-class swimmers had the opportunity to race down the 1-kilometer canal pool on a weekend in front of 100,000 spectators and a television audience?
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.