The "Battle Training" distance free camps that Germany, South Africa and Russia are due to take part in, starting in Potsdam in January, are attracting wider interest - and the latest twist will only serve to promote the camps further.

Plans include gruelling weeks of 80km to 100km a week, including hefty sets such as 10x800m, while organisers in Germany are looking at offering financial rewards and incentives for the ironmen and ironwomen who manage the fastest 10x400m free set. The first camp is scheduled for Potsdam from January 4 to 17 next year. The set challenge sounds like something that could catch on as a spectator sport ... for the dedicated, of course.

Perhaps Grant Hackett could be persuaded to make a training comeback just to set the standard for the top set. May be not. But Australia also has its eye on the battle camps: head Aussie coach Alan Thompson has expressed interest, while enquiries have been made by a Canadian programme.

Dirk Lange, head coach to germany, says that the "idea is a challenge battle trainings camp" at which "the strongest will survive. A challenge for every long distance swimmer world wide.  Many countries have good individuals but problems to implement a strong and powerful trainings squads." 

The likes of Prilukov, Lobinski, Biedermanmn, Lurz and Maurer are already committed to the January camp, along with South Africans Chat Ho and Riaan Schoeman and Pál Joensen from the Faroe Islands.

"The idea is that we are doing a three-day training rhythm: for each circle is a different coach responsible," says Lange. The roster may run something like Jörg Hoffmann, former world 1,500m champion in 1991 for Germany and an endurance expert, followed by counterparts from Russia, South Africa and Australia.

 Meanwhile, sticking with Germany, at a meet in Rostock, Thomas Rupprath equalled his national 50m s/c back mark with a 23.23 effort that takes him (but not his suit) back to his best of 2002.