As the world’s aquatic community gathers in Shanghai this July to compete at the FINA World Championships in pool swimming, synchronized swimming, water polo, diving and open water swimming, the eyes of the media and fans will be focused on the stars. Will Michael Phelps begin his road back to Olympic greatness? Who will emerge among the Chinese divers? What new routines will the synchronized swimmers unveil? Will Hungary stay on top of the water polo perch?
But there is, undoubtedly, no competition as important as the 10K race at the world championships. Fans will be drawn to the Michael Phelps drama, the elegance of the synchronized swimmers, the beauty of the divers, the power of the polo players, but it is the open water swimmers who will be fighting for Olympic spots in London.
The pressure is on. This is what these fantastically fit, tenaciously tactical, humbly heroic athletes have been training and preparing for years. Dozens of athletes will be swimming shoulder-to-shoulder at a pace that will be mind-boggling – and the finish will be so close that it requires several high-speed cameras to determine what athletes will qualify for the 2012 London Olympics.
So, in our opinion, there is nothing as important or exciting as the open water events in Shanghai. The Daily News of Open Water Swimming will be there capturing the races live, interviewing athletes, getting their back stories, sharing their Olympic dreams.
Here is the official trailer of the FINA World Swimming Championships, very appropriately named ‘Dreams on the Oriental Seas‘, a subtle tip to the significance of open water swimming on the world’s aquatic stage:
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.