Sunday's Swim Report - Swimming With The Flow

Lane 1 - Gator Country posts "UF swimming splits at Tennessee.  Florida’s Marcin Cieslak blew the competition out of the water in the Florida men’s 162-138 win over Tennessee. Cieslak had three of the eight victories for the men with each time qualified for a NCAA ‘B’ cut. He was able to continue his unbeaten streak in the 200 fly by touching the wall at 1:48.49."

Lane 2 - NZ Herald posts "Sue's young at heart and stays fit.  Those of us who are back at work and struggling to find time for fitness in a busy week need to talk to Sue Pollard.  The CEO of the NZ Nutrition Foundation keeps to a strict fitness routine and is a regular competitor in the popular State Beach Series at Takapuna Beach.  "The beach series is an opportunity to swim in the sea every week and socialise afterwards," said the 68-year-old."

Lane 3 - Florida Today posts "Swimmers go with the flow of exercise.  Merritt Island family links aquatics with health care.  A study published in 2009 by Dr. Steven Blair at the University of South Carolina showed that the risk of death in swimmers is about 50 percent less than runners, walkers and sedentary people.  Swimming also keeps you young, as masters’ swimmers will attest."

Lane 4 - The Australian posts "Failure is not an option for Ian Thorpe. IAN Thorpe made no progress on the clock in his latest race in Luxembourg yesterday, but declared he had "no intentions of failing" at the national trials in March.  Time is running out for Thorpe, Australia's greatest Olympian, to find his feet in his comeback to the sport after a five-year retirement."  Also from The Australian "Ian Thorpe sets fastest comeback time in 100m freestyle."

Lane 5 - CNN posts "London 2012: A swimmer's story.  Katy Sexton.  It’s not long until the British Olympic swimming trials in March, and it’s really exciting because it’s the first time I’m going to see the new pool in London. Days are ticking by and it’s getting really close.  I’m really excited by the prospect of actually competing at the Olympic pool for the first instance in the trials, and then hopefully I can convert my times into a place on the team and compete there again in the summer. I went to Sydney in 2000 and Athens in 2004, and I want to be involved again."

Lane 6 - Adelaide Now posts "Matt Targett shows he means business.  OLYMPIAN Matt Targett set a new personal best in the 50m freestyle last night at the SA Long Course Championship.  The Victorian had a time of 21.98 seconds, showing he is set for a big year with the Australian Championships in March and the London Olympics.  Targett led from the start at the SA Aquatic and Leisure Centre and edged out Matthew Abood on 22.15 and fellow Olympian James Magnussen on 22.41."

Lane 7 - NZ Herald posts "Battle of the sexes back on in capital.  A transtasman battle of the sexes will resume tomorrow in round three of the State Ocean Swim Series in Wellington, dubbed the Capital Classic.  In round two at the Bay of Islands, the 2009 world champion Melissa Gorman was the overall winner of the race, becoming the first female in the history of the series to beat all the men home.  There's also a strong group of Kiwi men and a top-rated Australian, George O'Brien. The Swimming New Zealand High Performance Centre swimmer, coached by Mark Regan, will face all of the leading Kiwis who tested him at the national championships last weekend."

Lane 8 - The Lying Liars That Lie posts "Brazil's Teeny-Weeny Bikini is Not So Teeny Anymore.  The image of the tall, tanned, Supermodel thin women on the sands of Rio de Janeiro and other Brazilian beaches is being challenged by the growing empowerment of plus-sized women in one of the world's most body-conscious nations and Brazil's bikini manfactuers are taking note.   The Girl From Ipanema has put on a few pounds, and for many sunbathers on Brazil's beaches the country's iconic itsy-bitsy, teeny-weeny bikini just doesn't suffice anymore.  A growing number of bikini manufacturers have woken up to Brazil's thickening waistline and are reaching out to the ever-expanding ranks of heavy women with new plus-size lines."

 

Sunday's Swim Report - From The Swim Lane To The Wine Vine

Lane 1 - The Independent Florida Gator posts "Florida swimming and diving defeats Auburn on Senior Day.  For Florida's swimming and diving teams, Saturday's meet with Auburn was special.  Not only did the Gators pick up a win against a Southeastern Conference opponent, but the team also held its annual Senior Day. The swimming and diving program honorably recognized its seniors with introductions before the contest took place.  Fans packed the seats and energy was high in the O'Connell Center Natatorium for the senior sendoff."

Lane 2 - The New York Times posts "Photographing the Pool, as California Icon.  What is the most enduring symbol of the Southern California lifestyle? Daniell Cornell, senior curator at the Palm Springs Art Museum, believes it’s the swimming pool.  “Backyard Oasis: The Swimming Pool in Southern California Photography, 1945-1982,” opening at the museum on Saturday, examines how pools became what Mr. Cornell calls the “suburban ideal” for postwar Americans, a design element that allowed for “nature and culture to come together in the modern house.”

Lane 3 - New Zealand Herald drinks it in with "Your Business: Swim-school owner follows dream to set up vineyard.  Ross Millar, owner of the Ross Millar Swim School, is planning to do just that with his new family business, Millars Vineyard at Mangawhai.  That may seem like a bit of stretch, but Millar grew up in West Auckland with vineyards all around."

Lane 4 - Metro posts "Keri-Anne Payne: Wedding planning takes my mind off Olympic pressure.  Swimmer Keri-Anne Payne has no time to get nervous about this summer's Olympic Games because she is so busy finalising her wedding plans."

Lane 5 - The Atlantic posts "The Bravery of Iran's Female Athletes.  What women like Faezeh Hashemi face in Iran and why their struggle matters.  In many ways, she is the godmother of women's sports in the Islamic Republic. An athlete herself, in the early 1990s she championed the right of women to have access to sports facilities and competition as the head of the Islamic Women's Sports Federation. In that role, she increased access for women to swimming pools and tennis courts and golf driving ranges. She established bike paths for women in Tehran's parks, despite that fact that conservatives are particularly bothered by the idea of women riding bicycles. She also paved the way for women to participate in international competition at the highest levels."

Lane 6 - Philly.com posts "Swimming with the homely, come-hither manatee.  From my vantage point, here in Crystal River, Fla., it's hard to see how Christopher Columbus - no matter how long he had been at sea - could possibly have mistaken a manatee for a mermaid, even if he did describe them in his journal in January of 1493 as being "not half as beautiful as they are painted to be."  And my vantage point is pretty conclusive: only six inches away from the wrinkly, puffy gray face of a decidedly Rubenesque, half-ton adult, her (or is it his?) heavily whiskered jowls drooping in what can hardly be described as a "come hither" look. Only the large fan-shaped tail at the end of her 10-foot body is even vaguely reminiscent of the legendary sirens of the sea."

Lane 7 - The Telegraph posts "London 2012 Olympics: Britain's athletes strike gold before the games begin.  Britain's elite athletes will earn up to ten times more in endorsements than during previous Olympic years thanks to their increasingly high profile in the run up to London 2012. Even a relative unknown Jenna Randall, a synchronised swimmer, has been successful in accruing endorsements Braun Female and Kellogg's, as well as a charity calendar shoot for Nichole de Carle London, the luxury lingerie brand, all on the strength of her potential this year."

Lane 8 - Mail Online posts "Ready for your close up? Diver survives tiger shark attack by fending off 12ft-beast with camera.  This is the terrifying moment a daring diver looked into the jaws of one of the world's most dangerous animals.  Forced to fend-off the tiger shark with just his camera the adventurer came perilously close to the wrong kind of snap.  Conservationalist Russell Easton was photographing the 12ft beast in the Bahamas when he got the close-up he was not expecting."

Saturday's Swim Report - Going and Going and Going The Distance

Lane 1 - NINE posts "Magnussen's the man but needs support.  Just as well sprint swimming sensation James Magnussen has broad shoulders.  Because the 100m freestyle world champion is set to carry a huge weight of expectation as Australia's only genuine individual gold medal favourite heading to the pool at the London Olympics.  But beyond that, the Dolphins are banking on swag of athletes being ready to take "the next step" by turning a rush of silver at last year's world championships into gold.  Plenty is as stake, with Australia facing the prospect of their lowest swimming gold medal haul at an Olympics since taking two at Atlanta 1996 - and doing so in the backyard of their fiercest rivals."

Lane 2 - Rockford Register Star posts "60-year-old Rockford swimmer logs more than 500 miles in 2011.  Nancy Blomquist finished sixth in the U.S. in 2011 with over 516 miles.  Blomquist, 60, was sixth in the nation in mileage for her age group in 2011 according to the United States Masters Swimming Association. She finished the year with 516.5 miles — a number that was intimidating and seemed unreachable four years ago."

Lane 3 - Webwire posts "’Swim for Your Heart Feb 14’ to Raise Awareness and Funds for Heart Health.  Crissy Ahmann-Perham has joined "Swim for Your Heart Feb 14" as southern Arizona’s celebrity spokesperson. The Olympic swim champion encourages people of all ages to swim for your heart on February 14 to raise awareness and funds for heart health.  “Swim for Your Heart Feb 14” was initiated in 2011 by members of the international swimming community after losing one of their own, USA Open Water swim champion Fran Crippen, to what was believed to be a cardiac event. The inaugural event included swimmers from the United States, England, Australia, Mexico, Japan and India. This year 23 countries are participating."

Lane 4 - Gator Country posts "Senior Day for Florida’s swim teams.  he No. 9 University of Florida women’s swimming and diving team and No. 13 men’s squad return to the pool Saturday morning for the Gators’ annual Senior Day against SEC opponent No. 7/7 Auburn at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center Natatorium."

Lane 5 - WaPo has "Brazilian swimmer Fabiola Molina gets increased 6-month doping ban from sports court.  Brazilian swimmer Fabiola Molina has been banned until April for doping, after testing positive for a stimulant.  The Court of Arbitration for Sport says the 36-year-old Molina received an increased six-month ban after swimming’s world governing body, FINA, appealed, claiming that Brazilian authorities treated her too leniently."

Lane 6 - Herald-Tribune posts "Burglar in wet suit swims away from police on St. Armands.  An burglar armed with a handgun and wearing a wet suit might have swum away from police this morning near St. Armands Circle.  Police officers responded to the 300 block of North Washington Drive after a construction worker reported the armed burglary.  The worker said he arrived at the home site this morning and saw a man in a wet suit in the middle of a burglary, Sarasota Police Capt. Paul Sutton said.  The officers searching for the suspect have to consider even more possible escape routes than usual — namely swimming away — because of the wet suit angle, Sutton said."

Lane 7 - Bettor.com posts "Legendary Olympian, Ian Thorpe: An overview of his comeback performances – Part 1. Five-time Olympic gold medallist and eleven-time world champion, Australia’s Ian Thorpe is trying hard to live up his 2012 London Olympic Games qualification dream. The 29-year-old Thorpe, who withdrew from competitive swimming in 2006, made a comeback to his beloved sport on Feb 1, 2011.  After five years of retirement, the Australian veteran has been putting a lot of effort in his training program to make a meaningful comeback."

Lane 8 - Vancouver Sun posts "Pit bulls of the ocean.  'Sharks will normally take a bite then spit you out.' At the world's deadliest beach, 'people are actually being eaten. It's very unusual'"

Tuesday's Swim Report - The Angeln Brothers May Have Been The Best Open Water Swimmers In US History. Or They Died Trying. #alcatraz

Lane 1 - Gator Country posts "London’s looming for Florida coach Gregg Troy and his swimmers.  Now, the University of Florida’s head swimming and diving coach is balancing the thick of the collegiate season with what’s looming across the pond.  Troy’s no stranger to coaching elite athletes. He’s mentored about 70 Olympians throughout the span of his 34-year coaching career, including former Gators and 2008 gold medalist, Ryan Lochte. Lochte has been taking the swimming realm by storm, recently adding the award of Male Athlete of the Year and Race of the Year at November’s prestigious USA Swimming Foundation Golden Goggle Awards."

Lane 2 - The Urban Wire posts "Ian Thorpe’s recipe for success.  His name’s uttered in the same breath as swimming legends Mark Spitz, Alexander Popov, and Michael Phelps. But Australian Ian Thorpe may soon be compared to Jamie Oliver, Gordon Ramsay and Nigella Lawson for his burgeoning culinary aspirations.  Still, Thorpe’s true passion doesn’t seem to lie on the catwalk, but in the kitchen. Most Singaporeans will find a kindred spirit in this self-professed foodie, who admits to a love of tucking into a hearty meal. Thorpe’s already proved his chef’s chops by compiling a cookbook titled Ian Thorpe: Cook for Your Life in August last year and hosting his cooking show, Cook For Your Life – no doubt winning over legions of busy housewives."

Lane 3 - CBC posts "Olympic champion Baumann takes final Ottawa swim.  Former Canadian Olympic gold medallist, world record holder moving to New Zealand.  Former Olympic gold medal swimmer Alex Baumann has taken his final swim in Ottawa as the Canadian icon moves across the world.  Baumann, 47, is a Canadian Olympic icon after winning two gold medals and setting two world records at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.  Baumann officially announced he was stepping down as CEO of Own the Podium in September to move back down under, this time to Auckland, New Zealand."

Lane 4 - Cleveland.com posts "Greater Cleveland Aquarium ready to splash Cleveland with Saturday's opening day.  Swim with the sharks. Touch a stingray. Eyeball an octopus.  Cleveland's newest attraction is built to let people from the North Coast get to know fish from all over and from all angles."

Lane 5 - Medical News Today posts "Fewer Children Admitted To Hospital For Drowning Incidents.  Drowning is one of the leading causes of child mortality nearly 1,100 deaths per year of children aged 1 to 19 years in the United States.  Florida, Hawaii and Alaska have the highest rates of drowning incidents, and 2009 figures cite Florida with a shocking fatality rate of 8 deaths per 100,000 in the age 1 to 4 category."

Lane 6 - LA Times posts "Antitrust suits target swimming pool products company. Pool Corp..  A Louisiana company that bills itself as the world's largest wholesale distributor of swimming pool products is becoming a target for plaintiffs' lawyers filing antitrust lawsuits.  In November, Pool Corp. settled claims by the Federal Trade Commission that the Covington, La., company used its "monopoly power" to eliminate would-be rivals by pressuring manufacturers not to sell their products to other distributors."

Lane 7 - My Fox Tampa Bay posts "From Ruskin to Alcatraz — and back?
Escapees still alive, legend says.  Brothers John and Clarence Anglen were arrested for holding up a bank with a toy gun. Ironically, what put the brothers behind bars in Alcatraz was their ability to break out of jail.  The brothers cut their way out of their Alcatraz jail cell in 1962 and dove in to the chilly waters of San Francisco Bay.  Some believe the choppy surf engulfing Alcatraz was too much to survive. Others swear they've seen them living in exile in Ruskin for decades."

Lane 8 - NBC Miami posts "Wounded Warriors Swim with Dolphins During Soldier Ride Event.  Soldier Ride event benefits injured veterans.  About 30 injured veterans interacted with dolphins in the Florida Keys as part of the Soldier Ride cycling event, which began in Miami and ends in Key West on Saturday."

Monday's Swim Report - A Sing n' Dance Mermaid? A Few Swim Themed Ads.

Lane 1 - The Telegraph posts "London 2012 Olympics: the fascinating journey facing Ian Thorpe and the comeback kids.  The names are familiar – some just a twinge in the memory, others colourful flashbacks. They are the Comeback Class of the London 2012 Olympic Games.  No longer precocious talented teenagers – Janet Evans, Ian Thorpe, Michael Klim, Paul Hamm, Laure Manaudou, Libby Trickett, Rulon Gardner – but battling wrinkles, a sceptical public and the brutal enemy of time in their bold ambitions to re-live precious Olympic experiences."  While Roar posts "Ian Thorpe will shine when the moment arrives.  The man himself denies he’s foxing, but Ian Thorpe showed just enough on Saturday night to prove his bid for a spot on the Australian team for the London Olympics remains on track.  Thorpe is currently playing a game of poker with his rivals and their coaches around the world."

Lane 2 - Favorite swim themed ad ever!  "Guinness Beer (Swim black) commercial" via youtube

Lane 3 - The Chicago Tribune posts "New iPhone app lets users follow roaming great white sharks.  The great white shark is lurking in cyberspace, in the form of an iPhone application launched this week that allows users to track a dozen of the predators as they roam around the Pacific Ocean.  The California-based Marine Conservation Science Institute launched the app, which the nonprofit describes as the first shark tracker of its kind, to raise funds for its research."

Lane 4 - It's got a dolphin so it's cute.  And they swim.  "Frontier Airlines -Triathlon.  Have you made your New Year's resolution yet? Flip is thinking about completing a triathlon... the swim should be a piece of cake (Griz took that literally, by the way)." via youtube

Lane 5 - Gator Country posts "Florida Swimmers take third at SMU.  While the Florida swim teams were defeating the Florida Atlantic at home on Saturday, select members of the men’s team were competing at the Perkins Natatorium in Dallas for the Classic at SMU."

Lane 6 - The Sydney Morning Herald posts "Swimmer killed by shark at one of 'world's deadliest' beaches.  A South African man has been killed by a shark while swimming in waist-deep water at Second Beach in the rural Eastern Cape, one of the world's deadliest spots for attacks."

Lane 7 - Box Score News posts "2011 US National Water Polo Awards Announced.  USA Water Polo’s Annual Awards dinner took place this past January 14 at the LAX Crowne Plaza in Los Angeles, California in conjunction with the USA Water Polo Assembly. As established in 2010, the awards have each been named in honor of a person or persons who have made an extraordinary contribution to the sport."

Lane 8 - It's Pink, it swims and it's a mermaid!  "Barbie™ in A Mermaid Tale - Swim 'N Dance Mermaids Commercial" via youtube. 

Wait did they say her hair turns pink in the water?  I so want it!

Monday's Swim Report - The Amazing Race Calls For Speedo TIME!

Lane 1 - The Alligator posts "Florida swimming wins its first Georgia Tech Invite.  Florida was able to capture the elusive victory thanks in part to spectacular performances in relay events. Out of the five relays over the course of the three-day event, the Gators took home four of them, with a narrow second-place finish in the fifth relay."

Lane 2 - Ivybridge Gazette posts "Diving headlong into training in a bid to reach London 2012.  IT is a truth universally acknowledged that many teenagers are lazy, indisciplined and lacking in any discernible goal or focus in their lives.  Well, Aaron Rickhuss from East Charleton near Kingsbridge completely obliterates these commonly held, and often misplaced, perceptions with his stunning devotion to swimming.  The 18-year-old is fiercely determined to reach next year’s Olympics after qualifying for the 100m freestyle event at the London 2012 swimming trials, which will take place next March."

Lane 3 - Bettor.com "Swimmer profile: Tunisia’s Oussama Mellouli – Distant freestyle and IM specialist.  unisian born Oussama Mellouli is an African swimmer who specialises in the distant freestyle and Individual Medley events. He started his career in 2003 and nourished steadily with time until the catastrophic drug discovery in 2006, which got him into hot waters. Currently, the African record holder trains in a club at the University of South California."

Lane 4 - I've never watched the show but according to AOL TV "EXCLUSIVE: 'The Amazing Race' Strips Down to Speedos for a Bodybuilding Challenge.  his week's 'Amazing Race' (Sun., Nov. 20, 8PM ET on CBS) involves posing, speedos, a whole lotta body grease ... and not much else."

Lane 5 - Universal Sports posts "Missy Franklin gets her wish at the 2011 Golden Goggles.  No matter what, Missy Franklin was going to get her way before Sunday's USA Swimming Golden Goggle Awards."

Lane 6 - WaPo has "Swimmers Ryan Lochte, Missy Franklin win athletes of the year at Golden Goggles.  Florida’s Gregg Troy won coach of the year. He was an assistant on the men’s team in Shanghai and coaches Lochte among other athletes.  Peter Vanderkaay received the perseverance award. The former Michigan swimmer relocated to Gainesville, Fla., and had three top-eight finishes at worlds while winning a gold as part of the men’s 800 freestyle relay.  Open water swimmer Alex Meyer was chosen breakout performer. He won the national 10k open water title and became the first U.S. swimmer to qualify for the London Olympics."

Lane 7 - Also from the WaPo "Ohio home-siding workers rescue horse from icy swimming pool.  An elderly horse that escaped from a barn in a rural Ohio town has found its way back to safety after falling into a neighbor’s swimming pool and its icy water.  Home-siding workers at the Logan residence of Gail Larkin mounted a rescue Friday morning after they found the 22-year-old horse struggling in the deep end. Larkin told the Logan Daily News the horse had ice crystals on its face and seemed to be in shock."

Lane 8 - Bangor Daily News has "Kittery man to swim harbor in December to raise funds for lighthouses.  Most people think he is crazy, but from Gary Sredzienski’s standpoint, he loves swimming and he lives in an ocean state — so why not do what he loves all the time?  Sredzienski is a winter swimmer. Come Saturday, Dec. 10, he will swim from Owls Head Lighthouse to Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse and back to shore, a total of 3.3 miles in 39-degree water. To Sredzienski, 39 degrees is practically bath water. The man, an accordionist by profession, typically swims the estuaries in Kittery, his hometown, almost every day. There the mix of ocean water and chillier fresh water from rivers can run as low as 30 degrees.  With the money, Friends of Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse plans to furnish the attached lighthouse keeper’s house with 1950s decorations. The house is currently pretty bare. The Rockland-based American Lighthouse Foundation will get the other half of the funds raised by Sredzienski. That organization’s director, Bob Trapani, said the funds are needed."

Saturday's Swim Report - STUF

Lane 1 - Herald Sun has "Michael Klim postpones comeback after suffering neck strain .  OLYMPIC gold medallist Michael Klim has been forced to postpone his return to competitive swimming after suffering a neck strain. OLYMPIC gold medallist Michael Klim has been forced to postpone his return to competitive swimming after suffering a neck strain."

Lane 2 - New Zealand's Herald posts "Ingram goes her own way.  Melissa Ingram has seized the initiative, dipped into her own pocket and made the most of what could be her final opportunity to compete at an Olympics.  Rather than stay home and train at North Shore's Millennium Institute with New Zealand's other high performance athletes after July's world championships, Ingram decided to invest her earnings offshore by racing the Asian legs of the World Cup 25m short course circuit. She earned podium finishes in Singapore, Beijing and Tokyo."

Lane 3 - Stuff has "NZ open water swimmers face Olympic battle.  Swimming New Zealand are banking on an emergency change to Olympic selection criteria after a new sponsorship deal has made it harder for Kiwi open water swimmers to qualify for the 2012 London Games."

Lane 4 - Speaking of stuff Mark Spitz announces his new skincare line via twitter "here is stuff about STUF™ Men's Skin Defense, my new natural skincare line for men" stufmd.com

Lane 5 - The Telegraph posts "Ocean swim series set to makes a splash.  OR seasoned long-distance swimmer Louise Stevenson, there is no better place to do 'laps' than in the ocean.  "I love that you don't have to follow a black line and the water conditions are so different every swim," said the 30-year-old from Bondi.  "There are some amazing things in and on the bottom of the ocean."

Lane 6 - Gator Country posts "Day One: First Place For Men's Team.  The University of Florida men’s swimming and diving team ended the first day of the Georgia Tech Invitational in first place after competing in 12 events. The three-day competition consists of nine teams including Florida State, Miami, Florida Gulf Coast, Florida Atlantic, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, Clemson, Auburn and Alabama."

Lane 7 - Brighton Pittsford Post has "Swimmer Diana Nyad to be Lifespan's 2012 Celebration of Aging.  Long distance swimmer Diana Nyad will be guest speaker at Lifespan's 2012 Celebration of Aging at noon on March 27 at the Convention Center, 123 E Main Street in Rochester."

Lane 8 - NY1 has "Harbor Seal Makes Rare Swim Up East River.  Some New Yorkers were caught by surprise Friday as a harbor seal was spotted swimming in the East River.  The mammal, which was spotted in the water near 91st Street behind Gracie Mansion earlier in the morning, quickly attracted a little crowd.  Park rangers called the Riverhead Foundation to check up on the young seal, but they say it seemed healthy before it plunged back into the water.  They put it's age at about one year.  One ranger says he's seen his fair share of seals hanging out in the Hudson, but this is the first one spotted relaxing in the East River."

Friday Night Swim Report - Swimming Does Goooooooood & Pink Stuff

Lane 1 - The Australian has "Guided 'Missile' Magnussen closing in on Thorpe.  WORLD 100m freestyle champion James Magnussen has refloated the intriguing possibility that he will take on Ian Thorpe in the 200m freestyle at the Olympic trials in March.  It would be a marketer's dream if he and Thorpe go head-to-head in both the 100m and 200m freestyle, setting the Port Macquarie "Missile" against the Thorpedo at the new Adelaide aquatic centre."

Lane 2 - TOWER OF POWER!  Willamette University posts "Willamette Swimmers Participate in Hour of Power.  The Willamette University swimming teams participated in the sixth annual Ted Mullin "Leave It in the Pool" Hour of Power Relay for Sarcoma Research on Tuesday, Nov. 1. The "Hour of Power" was sponsored by the Carleton College (Minn.) swimming and diving teams.  It is nearly impossible to find anyone whose life has not been touched by cancer, whether it is through a friend, family member, or even a teammate."

Lane 3 - The Spectrum posts "All-night swim party to help fight cancer.  The Relay for Life event, which raises funds to fight cancer, is having an early - and wet - start at the Cedar City Aquatic Center with Laps for Life.  Tonight, people can spend the night swimming and playing at the aquatic center with games, events and entertainment. The proceeds will go to The American Cancer Society."

Lane 4 - ABC Action News (woah…action!!!) has "Principal to swim in shark tank after students meet challenge.  Principal Chuck Fradley of Wakeland Elementary told his students that he would have a “shark encounter” if they were able to raise more than $20,000 for a Walk-A-Thon that was held in September."

Lane 5 - The world famous Hawk Mechanical reports "Swimming: a lifetime sport.  Linda Aubrecht moved from Minneapolis to Taos 10 years ago, after she retired. In 2009 she became a member of the Masters Team (part of the Taos Swim Club) that meets early mornings at the Taos Youth and Family Center Mondays through Fridays"

Lane 6 - Alligator has "Familiar schedule has Gators confident heading into Georgia Tech Invite.  With a familiar field, Troy and the Gators are hoping for similar results to the men's and women's first-place finishes in the All-Florida Invitational.  The extra rest could also provide a boost for the women and men, who debuted at No. 4  and No. 7, respectively, in the first College Swimming Coaches Association of America poll, which was released last week.  In the first half of the fall season, the Florida women swam a busy schedule highlighted by a win against No. 7 Stanford and No. 16 Michigan in a double dual meet in Ann Arbor, Mich. Their only loss was a nail-biter to No. 1 Georgia."

Lane 7 - Care2 posts "More Sharks Protected in Florida.  Tiger sharks and smooth, great, and scalloped hammerhead sharks will be protected by law from fishing, possession, and sales in Florida state waters from now on. Each of the four sharks declined by fifty percent or more mainly due to overfishing, so enacting legal protection was necessary. Additionally, they use Florida waters for reproduction so fishing for them interferes with their ability to regenerate."

Lane 8 - The West Australian has "Swimming squads not just for super-fit.  I won't lie. I was not really looking forward to turning up to a swim session at Melville Aussi Masters Swimming Club, The Mighty Marlins.  I'd imagined myself semi-drowning in the deep end while a huge coach yelled at me and the swimmers swept past…"

Wednesday's Swim Report - Global Warming Are Making For Faster Fish & Hungrier Sharks

Lane 1 - Well maybe not hungrier sharks but Fish Channel reports "As Seas and Oceans Warm, Sea Life Will Have to Swim Farther and Faster to Survive.  Climate change will cause animals to move, study says.  n the study, “The Pace of Shifting Climate in Marine and Terrestrial Ecosystems" scientists say that sea life, especially those organisms living in the Indian Ocean, Western and Eastern Pacific, and the subarctic oceans, will have to adapt to the warming conditions or relocate to survive."

Lane 2 - Sydney Morning Herald posts "I won't win any time soon - Thorpe.  Don't expect a win any time soon - that was the sobering message from Ian Thorpe after his underwhelming return to the pool continued at Beijing on Wednesday.  Australia's greatest Olympian said his ego may have taken a battering but he said it would only make him stronger as he raced the clock to regain a semblance of form by March's Olympic trials."  The Australian has "Ian Thorpe fails to qualify for 100m butterfly final in Beijing.  IAN Thorpe has missed yet another final after bombing out in the 100m butterfly heats at the FINA World Cup short course meet in Beijing.  Thorpe (54.35 seconds) was 13th fastest after the heats today, more than two seconds behind quickest qualifier Kosuke Hagino of Japan (52.13).  Thorpe, 29, finished fifth in his heat but it was not enough to book a final berth alongside compatriots Christopher Wright, Sam Ashby and Andrew Lauterstein."

Lane 3 - Sheffield Telegraph posts "Winter as usual as Joe eyes London 2012.  ROTHERHAM swimmer Joe Roebuck will resist the temptation to embark on some ‘winter tinkering’ as he looks to end four years of Olympic hurt next summer.  Roebuck’s career has been on an upward curve since he missed out on selection for the Beijing Games in 2008 by a fraction of a second."

Lane 4 - WaPo has "Maryland poised to drop swim teams, among other sports. The men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams are bracing for Maryland to drop their programs as part of a cost-cutting move following a meeting with Athletic Director Kevin Anderson, according to two people with knowledge of the meeting.  By Tuesday night, word of the programs’ likely elimination had reached Bob Groseth, executive director of the College Swimming Coaches Association. And a “Save UMD Swimming and Diving” Facebook group had formed in response, with 3,000 members and growing."

Lane 5 - WESH has "SeaWorld Details 'Largest Expansion In History'.  Orlando Theme Park To Add 3 New Attractions.  t TurtleTrek, which will open at SeaWorld Orlando in spring 2012, parkgoers will go "nose-to-nose" with hundreds of freshwater fish, manatees, and more than a dozen sea turtles.  The second addition is Freshwater Oasis, which opens at Discovery Cove in spring 2012. SeaWorld representatives said its an all-new attraction where parkgoers will swim and wade with playful otters and marmosets."  I'm not a fan of those swim with the fishes stuff and believe they are cruel to the fishes/animals but I guess people like them.  Just wait to the dolphins take back dryland!

Lane 6 - Gatorzone posts "Beisel Named SEC Female Swimmer of the Week.  Sophomore Elizabeth Beisel (North Kingstown, R.I.) was named the SEC Female Swimmer of the Week, announced Tuesday by the Southeastern Conference. It marks the second consecutive week that a Florida swimmer has claimed the honor, as Teresa Crippen (Conshohocken, Pa.) donned the honor last week, and the fourth time this season that Florida has taken home a weekly league accolade. The announcement marks the fifth time in Beisel’s young collegiate career that she has been named the SEC Female Swimmer of the Week."

Lane 7 - The Australian reports "Coates fears Olympic hopes shot.  JOHN Coates fears Australia could plummet to eighth on the medal tally at the London Olympics, warning that rival nations are spending twice as much money in the hunt for gold.  Coates, the Australian Olympic Commission president, painted a gloomy picture of next year's Games based on the benchmark results released in Canberra yesterday.  He said swimming was one of his greatest fears.  "Our swimmers have averaged winning 20 medals but at a recent international meet in Shanghai came home with just 11," Coates said."

Lane 8 - NZ Herald has "Perth shark patrol waiting on Kiwi chopper.  Shark-spotting missions in Australia are still weeks away as patrols wait for a helicopter from New Zealand.  The special rescue helicopter was bought and retro-fitted in Auckland but is still being finished and will miss the start of the Perth beach season."

Sunday's Swim Report - Bizzare Ritual Recorded of Men In Speedo's Dancing Around Fountain

Lane 1 - Daily Mail posts "Mark Spitz tells why this iconic picture of Munich Olympics was taken in London.  The picture, for which a German magazine paid Spitz $50,000, became a poster that sold a million copies, earning Spitz a further $250,000 dollars in royalties."

Lane 2 - Man The Thorpedo!  The Age posts "Thorpe one big step closer to Olympics.  IAN Thorpe's comeback has never been about racing Michael Phelps or James Magnussen. His biggest rival has been and continues to be the clock. Not the stopwatch, but the time he has to return his form to a point somewhere near where it once resided."  The Courier Mail posts "Ian Thorpe coach Gennadi Touretski backs comeback swimmer to make London Olympics.  IAN Thorpe's coach Gennadi Touretski is confident there is still enough time for the five-time Olympian to make the London Games."  The Telegraph has "Ian Thorpe may head to Britain in search of Olympic form after Singapore comeback ends in harsh reality check.  Ian Thorpe may swim a key race in his comeback in a British pool early next year as his coach remains adamant the Australian legend is still on course to recapture his former greatness, despite an underwhelming initial return to competition here."

Lane 3 - The Herald Sun posts "Mystery illness floors Eamon Sullivan.  EAMON Sullivan has quit the Asian leg of the FINA World Cup series as a precautionary measure after suffering a mystery illness.  Sullivan was floored by the bug for six days during the World Cup meet in Moscow two weeks ago.  The former world record holder, prone to illness and injury, competed in the 50m freestyle final last night, finishing sixth. He will leave Singapore for home today."

Lane 4 - Stanford swim team in water feature via YouTube

Lane 5 - The Alligator posts "Florida swims to pair of wins against Michigan and Stanford.  One of the questions facing the Florida women’s swimming team coming into this weekend’s double dual meet with Michigan and Stanford was if fatigue caused by a busy start to the season would affect its performance.  As it turned out, the Gators’ tired legs were just fine in their sweep of the Cardinal and the Wolverines in Ann Arbor, Mich. Florida beat Stanford 194-169 and won against Michigan by a score of 206-159."

Lane 6 - New Zealand Herald posts "Kiwis miss the podium.  New Zealand swimmers finished out of the medals on the second day of the FINA World Cup in Singapore today."

Lane 7 - The Daily Star posts "SWIM ACE REBECCA ADLINGTON REVEALS OYLMPIC SUCCESS.  LYMPIC champion Rebecca Adlington has revealed the secret of top-class swimmers – they all pee in the pool.  The golden girl of British swimming is so dedicated to winning she doesn’t have time to leave the water to go to the toilet."

Lane 8 - The Register posts "Court forces bisexual budgie smuggling blogger to go down.  Downunder Speedo is a sacred domain.  Bisexual blogger, Dave Evans, has been ordered by an Australian Federal Court to shut down his websites because they featured swimwear manufacturer Speedo’s swimming costumes and domain names using the company's trademark.  His main blog was called Aussiespeedoguy and has now been changed to Aussiegayguy, he also has four other blog sites featuring many boys in and out of swimwear.  he action by Speedo is perhaps one of the most foolish pieces of marketing self-sabotage witnessed since the Qantas shut down."