Thursday's Swim Report - Everyday Is A Swim Carnival

Lane 1 - The Providence Journal posts "Activist working to create urban swim program aimed at R.I.’s black communities.  Civil rights activist and former lawmaker Ray Rickman is trying to make good on a promise he made more than 20 years ago to a mom whose son had drowned.  “He did not know how to swim, something that is all too common in the African-American community,” Rickman wrote in a report released to The Journal late Tuesday.  Rickman’s Swim Empowerment project, spelled out in its 63 pages, plans to teach 30,000 Rhode Islanders to swim over 10 years — and possibly build an Olympic-size pool facility."

Lane 2 - Arena People posts "Arena Fall/Winter 2013 Swimwear Collection - Fashion Show Debut."

Lane 3 - Michigan Live posts "High-flying senior citizen diving all part of Michigan Water Carnival fun.  The extraordinary talents of the University of Michigan men’s and women’s swimming and diving team will be on display from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at Canham Natatorium, but it won’t be your grandfather’s run-of-the-mill swim meet.  It may, however, look like your grandfather is performing.  Dick Kimball, who coached the Michigan divers from 1960-2002, will put on a clown show with the diving team as part of the Michigan Water Carnival. The “clown show” portion of the event is to feature members of the diving team and Kimball dressing up in goofy costumes and performing acts on the spring boards and diving platforms."

Lane 4 - NBC Sports posts "World champion swimmer Ariana Kukors retires.  Ariana Kukors, a world champion and world-record holder in the 200-meter individual medley, has retired from swimming at age 24."

Lane 5 - PR Newswire posts "Michael Phelps Learns How Michael Phelps Swim Spas Are Made.  And carves out time to encourage and inspire the next generation of swimmers.  Michael's whirlwind visit began with a factory tour, where he had an opportunity to see the manufacturing process firsthand and meet the over 300 employees who engineer, build and test the swim spas that bear his name. Michael later told a reporter, "I'm impressed by the operation at Master Spas and amazed at how much goes into the manufacturing process. I had no idea."

Lane 6 - Aggie Sports posts "Pair of Aggies set to swim for U.S. team in Duel in the Pool.  Texas A&M senior Cammile Adams and junior Sarah Henry will compete for the United States in the Mutual of Omaha Duel in the Pool against the European All-Stars on Dec. 20-21 in Glasgow, Scotland. The U.S. team will include swimmers who posted the top qualifying time in each Olympic event at the 2013 FINA World Championships, 2013 World University Games or 2013 U.S. Open."

Lane 7 - Bondi Rescue posts "Massive Scratches @ Flatrocks | Best of Bondi Rescue."

Lane 8 - Orlando Sentinel posts (w/video) "Disney World to lock hotel swimming pools overnight.  Walt Disney World says it will begin stationing lifeguards at its largest hotel pools during all operating hours and then locking them down overnight, six months after a young boy drowned while a pool was unguarded.  Disney says its largest and most popular "feature" pools will begin opening at either 7 a.m. or 9 a.m. and closing at 11 p.m. Lifeguards will be on duty at all times while the pools are open.  But guests will no longer be permitted to swim in the feature pools after hours."