Backwash features short clips, gossip, letters and opinions. Contributions are welcome.
Now for the rumours behind the news.
Organizers of the Gelsenkirchen World Cup were
faced with an amusing problem on account of the snazzy red "Ford Ka"
that was offered as a first prize for a world record. In the event of two
or more world records, the car was to go to the swimmer who had scored the
most points on the performance ratings. The bad luck was that Marcel Wouda
and Denis Pankratov, each the author of a new world record, scored exactly
1028 points each for their swims.
While the organizers hummed and hawed about what
to do, it was decided that, barring another world record that scored higher,
the car would go to the one who scored the highest on the second day, thus
making the highest combined score. The swimmers both agreed.
The bad luck was for Pankratov, whose disqualification
on Sunday morning in the 100m butterfly left him with no points at all.
Wouda had won the car before the finals even began. A nice prize, even if
the car itself was too small for the towering Dutchman...
China won the most medals with 59 / 41 / 41 for
a total of 141, with Germany second 39 / 45 / 58 for 122 and Australia third
35 / 20 / 16 for 71. Canada picked up 2 / 13 / 9 with 24.
According to Elena Vaitsekovskaya, a journalist
with Sport Express in Moscow, Alexander Popov will make his return to competition
at the short course World Championships in Gothenburg, Sweden, in April.
After a stabbing incident in Moscow nearly took
his life last August, Popov has made a smoother than smooth recovery. He
said that since his coach, Gennadi Touretski, is going with the Australian
team, he would also go. That must mean he is ready.
A great deal of interest is being shown in the
coming World Swimming Short Course Championships in Gothenburg, April 1720,
1997. Of the 39,200 tickets available for the event, 23,700 tickets have
already been sold or reserved.
During the four days of competition, each day consists
of two events, heats in the morning and finals in the evening. The total
capacity for the four days of competition is 39,200 seats.
"We expect to sell all available seats,"
says Anders Wernersten, General Secretary for the Championships. One of
the reasons for this interest is that the organizers decided to make the
Championships available for all people, hence the low ticket price. The
cheapest seats for the heats and finals are 45 and 70 crowns. (About Cdn$9
and $14
The pool will be a Swedish-made temporary pool
to be set up in a hockey arena approximately ten days before the start of
the meet. Is this the solution for all towns that don't have the facilities
to host such a high-profile meet?
"Athlete centered, coach driven and administratively
supported I have no idea where it came from" Dave Johnson said in the
last issue.
I said it.
Clive Rushton,
via e-mail from Athens, Greece
where he is National Coach
I have just received from my father all of the
back issues for 1996 which he picked up from you a short time ago and I
was quite astounded by the tremendous advances and improvements you have
achieved in the 10 or 11 months that I missed my magazine. The introducton
of full colour, the format changes and the general broadening of swim news
and information really lift it into the category of a top sports magazine.
So please accept my congratulations.
I've already had a chance to show it around some
of the local Dallas/Fort Worth swim fraternity and it has received high
praise.
I am in my seventh year here in Texas and over
that period I have developed a very wide network of swimming friends and
acquaintances both in University and Club swimming, not only in Texas, but
in the neighbouring states of Okalhoma, Louisiana, Kansas, and New Mexico.
I think that these contacts would be most effective and useful in furthering
interest in your magazine here in the American South.
My own swimming background includes swimming from
age 11 in the glory days of Victor Davis, Mike West and coach Cliff Barry
at the Region of Waterloo SCa small club that won five Olympic medals. I
will be forever proud of swimming in the same lane at our twice-a-day workouts
as Victor during his last year with ROW.
In 1990 I received a full scholarship here at Texas
Christian University, where I broke seven school records, two still standing.
I eventually graduated with a B.Sc. Psychology, specializing in Sports Psychology
which fits in well with my moving into full time coaching. Last August I
was appointed head coach and program director for FAST (Fort Worth/Area
Swim Team).
Once again, congratulation on the magazine it's
just great.
Ron Forrest
Forth Worth, Texas
I have been reading SWIM Magazine since I was a
young swimmer in 1980 and have kept up with most of your issues through
friends, other coaches and now online. I think you have the best swimmig
coverage available.
I recently read your online SWIMNEWS and like the
international flavour of it. As a Canadian coach and past swimmer, I still
think that the TAG rankings and Canadian coverage is an integral part of
the magazine's importance. I also believe there should be a large photo
or poster of one of Canada's top swimmers in each issue.
Almost everywhere in Canada the drop-out rate from
swimming is frightening. Our swimmers have very few positive role models
who are real and accessible in their daily lives. Canadian elite swimmers
are virtually invisible in our media.
Your magazine is one of the only things which regularly
unites so many of Canada's swimmers, officials, and coaches.
Mike Effray,
Victoria, B.C.
I am truly amazed at another bureaucratic decision
regarding the Canada Games.
For four years many of our young athletes have
been setting their sigths on the Canada Games in Brandon, Manitoba next
August. It is particularly true in Prince Edward Island. The opportunity
to represent your province, your club against many of the up and coming
stars of Canadian swimming, is an exciting prospect.
These games mark another first. They are being
held in a six-lane pool, thus depriving four swimmers a thrilling opportunity
to swim in a final or the consolations.
There are thousands of swimmers who would give
anything to place 16 th and swim a personal best.
Another first, due to limited space: the athletes
will not be allowed inside the pool before their events, but will be in
an adjacent arena and marshalled through a 30' corridor to the pool deck.
The Brandon organizing committee hopes to have closed circuit T.V. monitors
for the swimmers to follow the races. VIPs, parents, and spectators will
use the limited on-deck seating.
I would love for someone to explain to me why we
always seem to put athletes second.
Another beef is that, as a volunteer coach, I can
take swimmers to the Canadian Nationals with level II Coaching Certification.
The Canada Games require Level III Certification. I am not against education
and coaches upgrading their knowledge in all areas, but why do I need a
higher certification to attend a lower level of competition than nationals?
I have decided to hang up the stop watch and whistle
due to all of the above decisions. I feel like I have been lying to my swimmers
all these years. Give your best and you'll be rewarded partially.
David Campbell,
Coach, Charlottetown Y Blue Fins, PEI
Thanks to all those that called, faxed and e-mailed
comments on our last issue, a small sampling of same:
Great magazine, best of luck with the new
endeavour.
Paul Bergen, Head Coach,
Solotar Swim Team, Fairfax, Virginia.
Congratulations on a great new magazine.
Jack Simon, Head Coach,
Shore Aquatics, California
The new magazine looks great.
Kurt Krumpholtz, Speedo America,
Los Angeles, CA
Just got my first copy of SWIMNEWS and
it looks terrific. Congratulations on the change.
John Leonard, Excecutive Director,
American Swimming Coaches Association,
Ft.Lauderdale, Florida
Your magazine and your web site are an
underrated jewel if you're at all interested in following swimming. I have
two daughters, Jenny and Chrissy, who have just joined Etobicoke Swimming.
I would like to take you up on your offer for a complimentary copy of the
Olympic issue from last August.
Terry Macaulay,
Etobicoke, ONT
Congratulations on the great looking new
format. It will undoubtedly make SWIMNEWS the world standard in swimming
publications. I am anxiously awaiting the next issue.
Darin Muma, Head Coach,
Scarborough Swim Club
Remember... It's not true until it has been officially denied