Wednesday's Swim Report - Word Of The Day Is "Aquagenic"

Lane 1 - Express posts "WIN A WATER WORKOUT AT THE LONDON 2012 AQUATIC POOL.  Speedo is offering the chance for you to win 1 of 5 pairs of tickets to Karen Pickering swim fitness class, in the amazing new London aquatics pool.  She will show you how to improve your swim, through the use of different training aids and techniques, which will leave you feeling like you’ve had a full body workout. (Usual terms and conditions apply)"

Lane 2 - NY Times posts "At 40, Former Olympic Champion Returns With a Different Focus.  hortly after Janet Evans disappeared into the bathroom, her 5-year-old daughter, Sydney, knocked on the door and said, “Can I come in, Mama?” Evans, a five-time Olympic medalist who has returned to competitive swimming at 40, was trying to provide a urine sample for a doping test while a woman sent by the United States Anti-Doping Agency watched.  “Mommy,” Sydney said, “What are you doing in there?”  How to explain to a preschooler that Mommy is swimming so fast, she has to go to the bathroom to prove she is not cheating?"

Lane 3 - Columbia Spectator posts "For CU athletics, tolerance begins poolside.  While things are still not perfect, but the Columbia men's swimming and diving team has made great progress in creating a confortable environment for its LGBT athletes.  Whether it’s at an initiation tradition, an annual midnight practice before the season starts, or shouting routine chants, the Columbia men’s swimming and diving team is closely knit. Perhaps this chemistry accounts for the welcoming environment found by team’s openly gay athletes."

Lane 4 - Emirates 24/7 posts "Bizarre: Allergic to water, woman cannot kiss fiancé.  Even a drop of saliva can make her break out into itchy hives.  A woman in UK suffers from a rare medical condition that makes her allergic to water. In fact, her disorder is so pronounced that even a drop of saliva can make her break out into angry and itchy hives.  This disorder makes it very difficult for her to even receive a kiss from her fiancé, reports Asia One.  Anyone who suffers from Aquagenic urthicaria cannot swim, enjoy long relaxing baths, get caught in the rain, play sports or enjoy cold drinks, said the website."

Lane 5 - SI posts "Tony Azevedo could be first water polo player in four Olympic Games.  Four must be a lucky number for thirty-year-old Tony Azevedo, because the captain of the U.S. national water polo team, is about to make history with it again. After becoming the first-ever water polo player to win the prestigious Peter J. Cutino award (the Heisman Trophy of collegiate water polo) four consecutive years, Azevedo may become the first-ever water polo player to compete in four consecutive Olympic Games. SI.com catches up with the water polo prodigy ahead of the 2012 Olympics."

Lane 6 - Easier Travel posts "Swim with the crocs Ben Fogle style in Australia's Northern Territory.  This Sunday (26th February 2012) sees the second episode of 'Swimming with Crocodiles' on BBC2 when Ben Fogle will be heading to Australia's Northern Territory for some more jaw and claw croc adventures. During the programme the team will offer viewers a greater insight into the the subaquatic behaviour of these fasinating reptiles.  You too , like Ben Fogle could have the opportunity to "swim with crocs" in the Northern Territory's capital city of  Darwin."

Lane 7 - The HuffPo has "Florida: It's Time to Do More to Protect Sharks. Floridians depend on the ocean. And we understand. It's in your blood. But we cannot keep taking without giving back. Suffering from overfishing, pollution and climate change, the oceans are in trouble and they need our help. One species that has been hit hardest by these devastating issues, especially off the coast of Florida, is sharks. Although sharks have been on this planet for more than 400 million years, their numbers are now plummeting, and the consequences are yet to be fully understood."

Lane 8 - Gay Games Blog posts "Why won't you be seeing any male synchronized swimmers in London this summer? As we reported  French daily paper Métro devoted a long article on the refusal of FINA to accept male swimmers in international synchronized swimming competitions. Here is a summary of the article which focuses on Paris Aquatique, a member club of FGG member organizations FSGL and IGLA:  There is only one male synchronized swimming team in France, that of Paris Aquatique. They can compete in French national competitions, but are barred from international events, including the Olympics."  They also post two follow-ups HERE and HERE.