Europe: The European Swimming Federation (LEN) and its in-house magazine has voted Camille Lacourt (FRA) and Therese Alshammar (SWE) male and female swimmers of the year for the continent.

Lacourt came closer than any other swimmer to cracking  world shiny suit records in a post-ban textile suit, doing so over 50m and 100m backstroke at the European Championships, while Alshammar took her record tally of international medals to 67 at the same event, winning the 50m freestyle crown 10 years after having first lifted the dash crown in Helsinki.

The next edition of the LEN Magazine carries interviews with both swimmers.

2010 LEN Award Winners 

Swimming

• Men: 1. Camille Lacourt (FRA) 57%, 2. Laszlo Cseh (HUN) 28%, 3. Evgeny Lagunov (RUS) 7%
• Women: Therese Alshammar (SWE) 43%, 2. Katinka Hosszu (HUN) 31%, 3. Francesca Halsall (GBR) 10%

Diving

• Men: 1. Illya Kvasha (UKR) 41%, 2. Patrick Hausding (GER) 39%, 3. Sascha Klein (GER) 20%
• Women: 1. Christin Steuer (GER) 51%, Tania Cagnotto (ITA) 42%; 3. Nadezhda Bazina (RUS) 7%

Synchronised Swimming

• 1. Natalia Ishchenko (RUS) 83%, 2. Andrea Fuentes (ESP) 15%, 3. Svetlana Romashina (RUS) 2% 

Open Water Swimming

• Men: 1. Valerio Cleri (ITA) 70%, 2. Thomas Lurz (GER) 26%, 3. Luca Ferretti (ITA) 4%
• Women: 1. Linsy Heister (NED) 82%, 2. Olga Beresnyeva (UKR) 13%, 3. Ekaterina Seliverstova (RUS) 5%

Water Polo

• Men: 1. Vanja Udovicic (SRB) 59%, 2. Damir Buric (CRO) 29%, 3. Stefano Tempesti (ITA) 12%
• Women: 1. Sofya Konukh (RUS) 46%, 2. Angeliki Gerolymou (GRE) 42%, 3. Ekaterina Prokofyeva (RUS) 12%

The poll was a votes by readers of LEN Magazine, LEN members and members of the European media.

USA: Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte will help to get the 2010-2011 USA Swimming Grand Prix Series underway on November 12-14 when they race at the Minnesota Grand Prix. The Grand Prix Series, a $20,000 purse awaiting the best swimmer, takes in seven stops around the US between now and the Santa Clara International Grand Prix next June. Action at the University of Minnesota Aquatic Center will serve as a warm-up for many heading to the world s/c titles in Dubai next month.

The circuit:

• Nov. 12-14: Minnesota Grand Prix, Minneapolis, Minn.
• Jan. 14-17, 2011: Austin Grand Prix, Texas
• Feb. 18-21, 2011: Missouri Grand Prix, Columbia, Mo.
• March 3-5, 2011: Indianapolis Grand Prix, Indiana.
• April, 8-10, 2011: Michigan Grand Prix, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
• May 12-15, 2011: Charlotte UltraSwim Grand Prix
• June 16-19, 2011: Santa Clara International Grand Prix, California