You lookin' at me, IMG?

It's a shame really, because I rather enjoyed the Bondi to Bronte swim, but I've decided to boycott all swims that contract IMG in preference to oceanswims.com for their on-line entries.

You've put your (rather considerable) guts into promoting ocean swims and it's a true passion for you. You're at as many swims as you can physically get to, you write lengthy (some would say rambling but I'd never say that) reports, take great pictures and you are a genuine and long-term enthusiastic advocate for the sport of ocean swimming.

I wouldn't have become as involved in the sport as I am without your website and your enthusiasm and I'm sure that's true for many other swimmers. In fact I truly believe that your website has at least doubled the number of participants in the sport in Sydney, probably elsewhere as well.

Competition is supposed to be good but I don't want some johnny come lately corporate entity "dominating" the sport of ocean swimming and squeezing out genuine people like you who've given so much to the sport.

And I call on all other lovers of ocean swimming to follow my example. Swim organisers, chooce whoever you want to use to promote tyour events - but don't expect me and other oceanswims.com fans to turn up if you screw with the web site and the person that made it all happen in the first place.

People power (or swimmer power) rules, ok!

Steve Hall

Sydney 2009 World Masters Games

The start list for the Sydney World Masters Games Open Water Swim 17/10/2009 is available to registered entrants.

Entries have already closed 31st July.

3k open water swim around Chowder Bay, 2 laps and an in-water start & finish.

Looks like a tight rectangular course, 4 x 90-degree turns on each of the 2 laps.

For those swimmers who were not put off by the higher entry fee, or the cooler water or the prospect of swimming off Clifton Gardens, it should be a big event.

Total 660 starters split over 6 waves, so expect some jostling for position at the start and around the buoys.

Link to the Event Swimming & Open Water Swimming Guide .. http://www.2009worldmasters.com/Swimming/default.aspx

The ruling on wetsuits seems to be fair "Wetsuits may be worn ... however the competitor will NOT be eligible for a medal."

No mention of FINA open water swimming rules regarding obstruction & interference with other swimmers, I guess common sense will prevail on the day.

Just swam Alcatraz... on study tour of US health care reform...

... for the first time ... perfect conditions: hardly any breeze, glassy surface, no chop, except from the occasional passing fishing boat, water c. 17C, little current, since he tide was just on the turn. More coming...

Here's os.c (left), just in the process of escaping from Alcatraz...

There is a fellow swimmer, not sure whom, ditto escaping... there 's much pressure for the group to swim together, so the incoming tankers and bulk carriers don't have to swerve too much to get into the port...

And here we are (below) with our cobber, Gary Emich, organiser of the Alcatraz Challenge Aquathlon, taking us, with his wife, Peg, who took the pic, on a tour of some of the San Francisco area's more spectacular but inaccessible (to pedestrians) topological highlights...

Fathers Day Swim at Burleigh Heads ...

The Burleigh Heads organisers sent us this report from yesterday's swim...

Ironman legend Dean Mercer (that's Deano, at right, leading the field home... Looks like there was a bit of a wave on at Burleigh...) has shown he has still got what it takes to mix it with the best, not only in Surf Life Saving but also ocean swimming, after winning both the one and two kilometer events in the inaugural Burleigh Ocean Swim today.

Dean Mercer, who has recently relocated from Mooloolaba to Northcliffe, trailed up and coming Ocean swimming star Codie Grimsey for most of the two kilometer race, but Mecer’s years of surf swimming experience paid off, he caught a late wave to beat home the 25 year old from Brisbane.

“Conditions were fantastic out there, it was great to have an event like this to train for ahead of the Coolangatta Gold. It was also great my three young boys could be here to watch me, especially being Father’s Day, what a way to spend the day,” Mercer said.

“I was really lucky to get that little wave at the end, I’m really pleased I’m still up there with these younger guys. I still have a bit of work to do now though ahead of next month’s Gold.” Grimsey finished second while Dev Lahey also from Northcliffe came in third.

“I really thought I had him, to race against a legend like Mercer was fantastic, but he got a sneaky wave and all I could do was watch him cross the line. I definitely need more surf training,” Grimsey, who is a member of the Australian Telstra Dolphins development squad, said.

Mercer also backed up with a win in the one kilometer race, beating home 19 year old clubmate Dev Lahey, and Codie Grimsey who was again unlucky finishing in third.

The men’s Dash for Cash saw a five way race for the $500, while Mercer was amongst the mix, it was 16 year old Lennox Heads rising surf star Hayden Thomas who emerged from the water first, dashing across the line to snatch the cash.

“I wasn’t going to do this race because I was pretty buggered from doing the two kilometer race earlier, but stoked now I’ve got $500 bucks in my pocket, might be able to get Dad something now,” Thomas joked.

Nerang swimmer Kate Brookes-Peterson, 25, took a clean sweep of the women’s races, winning all three elite events, the one and two kilometer swim as well as the dash for cash.

“I am heading over to Dubai in about six weeks for several World Cup open water swimming races, so the $1,500 I won today will come in really handy,” Kate said.

“I was really nervous when I saw Hayley Bateup at the start of the two kilometer race, but I have been training very hard and finishing 8th in the World Championships in Rome recently has given me a lot of confidence.”

Miami Pro Ma swimmer Laura Baker,15, finished in second in all three women’s elite events, while Katlin Zillman finished third in the two kilometer, and Kurrawa’s Samantha Burley, 14, finished third in the one kilometer, while local girl Miranda Davies came third in the Dash for Cash.

“We had over 400 entrants, from ages12 to 60, it was a great success, and we just hope everyone will come back next year. It will definitely become a regular event on our calendar,” Michael Boyce, President Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park SLSC, added.

We're hoping the organisers also will send us full results. Tell us what you thought of the Burleigh swims... Did you take a pic or two at the swim? Click the comments button below and tell us about it, or show us, and don't forget to tell us who you are...

Gold Coast Weekend ...

I'm heading to the Gold Coast this weekend to get me some of that hot QLD weather and warm water.
Have entered the Burleigh Ocean Swim Sunday 6th Sept.

I'm looking to do a couple of early morning training swims Saturday & Monday - ocean or pool.

I'll be hanging out in front of the Burleigh Heads SLSC early (from 7am) Saturday morning and probably the Burleigh Heads SLSC Sports Bar Saturday nite. Showing my colours - any Sydney ocean swim Tshirt.

I'll be staying somewhere in the vicinity and have transport.

If anyone is interested in joining me for a swim, please email me or pick me out on the day.

Richard
richardmu88@hotmail.com

World (pool) Swim Champs ... Joke or Farce?

Into Day 2 of the World (pool) Swimming Championships, and world records are dropping like nine-pins. Even some of the world "record" breakers say the hi-tech suits they're using are responsible, and that they should be banned.

We wonder: what's the point of watching, of paying attention? What's the value of a world record that's artificially supported? How do they compare with the existing records now being broken?

Tell us what you think (hit the comments button below), and vote in our poll (see left) ...

Winter games ...

As winter slowly passes on and I dream of another great season of ocean swims, I woke up in the middle of the night thinking of an idea, as one does. Punters can contribute to a blog to finish the following sentence:-

You know you’ve done plenty of ocean swims when ……. Eg ... You know you’ve done plenty of ocean swims when Siberians take out a salt mining lease on your ears.

Over to you ...

John Bamberry

Is this a joke, or what?

I am not alone in branding the decision by FINA, swimming's world governing body, to allow all fastskin suits as a joke. What I also cannot accept is their reasoning: essentially, that it's simply too hard to prove that a handful of suits may or may not have particular properties that assist the swimmer through the water.

FINA says all suits will be allowed provided they are available to all. They should have said, available to all who can afford them or have access to them under sponsor constraints. Richer countries and swimmers do; poorer countries and swimmers don't.

The far simpler, fairer response from FINA would have been to ban them all, every last one of them, requiring all swimmers to use just your conventional sluggoes (for blokes) and armless, legless versions for ladies. We have a useful definition in ocean swimming that FINA is welcome to adopt. Then, at least, we would get a contest amongst athletes, not their sponsors and their suits.

World swimming is a joke, a hopeless joke. And that's such a pity, because its athletes, by and large, are wonderful.

And when a sport pays greater heed to sponsors and their money, than to creating the environment for fair and even competition, then it is no longer a sport.

It's good that we in ocean swimming are not constrained by such hare-brained decision-making. No-one is the boss of us.

Vale, pool swimming as a credible sport.

Mona Vale Cold Water Classic ... The Solstice Swim ...

Lovely day at Mona Vale in the 1st inaugural Cold Water Classic. As expected, the water wasn't that cold, but there was a nice wave on to spice things up, forcing the organisers to reverse the course, starting in Bongin Bongin Bay and heading around the rock shelf to Mona Vale beach proper. Water was around 20 deg C, and the sun came out. And when the sun came it, wasn't it such a balmy, warm day! 278 entries before the day and around 270 swam, as we understand it.

But tell us what you thought ... Click the Comments link below to leave your comments, and please remember to leave your name on your blob ...

Big River Man ...

In recent newsletters, we've mentioned the story of Martin Strel, who swam over 5,000km down the Amazon in 2007. We swam with Martin last weekend, and we're preparing a report on him to be posted soon on oceanswims.com. We also have received an email from Bob Cope, who also saw the movie, Big River Man, at the Sydney Film Festival ...

I'm a long time ocean swimmer of 66 years, eg did the Alcatraz two years ago.

We also viewed 'Big River Man' at the Sydney film festival. I'm not sure you should more or less endorse it, at least without cautions. The film production was very ordinary and we felt the people involved were deeply flawed, including the star. I'm no wowser, but I found it disturbing to see him knocking back grog in the middle of a swim. Undoubtedly, however, you could not but be impressed with his determination.

Overall, I could not recommend the movie to anyone except as a curiosity.

Thanks for your continued emails and information.

In swimming

Bob Cope

Fair cop. What do you think? Click the Comment button below to leave your comment, and please remember to include your name.

South Head, Noosa ... lovely days in late season ...

The season is winding down and the fat lady is warming up her tonsils ... two swims on Sunday, South Head (Bondi to Watsons Bay) in Sydney, and Noosa in Queensland ...

It was a lovely day where we were, but how did it go where you were?

Tell us about South Head or Noosa ... click the comments button below to leave your message ...

Byron Bay ... The Ultimate Swim ... North Steyne ...

Wow! What a swim was Byron Bay! The Gods were kind to us ... record numbers in the swim, weather ominous, then clearing to a glorious, sunny day, water 25 deg C ... And was it the clearest water in which you've swum?

North Steyne ... we weren't there ourselves so we can't tell ... But what did you think?

Tell us ... click the Comments link below to add your comments ...

Please, leave your name so we know who is saying what. We can't award the James Squire Award to an anonymous poster.

Autumn swims at last ...

Welcome, welcome to a new swim ... South Curly to Freshwater finally got done, after failing last season due to big seas, and after a prelude this season that included big seas. A course that has to be done, but which some said couldn't be done. This could be another new classic. Perhaps that is what this season, now approaching closure, could be about: the discovery of new classics.

Meanwhile, over on the south side, Coogee-Bondi had its second outing under new management, and Avoca finally got done on the Central Coast ...

Tell us what you thought ... And please leave your name on your blob ... we like to know who's talking to us, and we can't award the James Squire Blob Award if we don't know whom you are ...

Press the Comments link below to leave your comment and to read what others are saying ...

Hawaii -- Plea for pals ...

My name is Les O'Keefe, i am a member of aussi masters and i have competed in a few ocean swims.

I was wondering whether you are aware of any people who plan on attending the Hawaii rough water swim in September. I would be interested in going and would rather go with a group or stay with other Aussies.

Could you please pass this email onto anyone you know who may be attending this meet.

Thanks, if anyone wants to call me i can be contacted on 0418712555 or email.

Les P'Keefe

Now, THAT was an ocean swim ...

Just back in town after four hour drive from Mollymook ... and THAT was an ocean swim! Rising seas, chop, wind in your face, no two strokes the same ... rain squalls rolling through, obscuring beach, headlands, landmarks ... and dumped at the end on a shallow bank! It was a terrific swim, so much fun, and full credit, as the footy players would say, to the boys at Mollymook for going ahead in very difficult conditions ...

DY called off ...

Shellharbour, Saturday ... what a wonderful little swim, short, sharp, fast, with a breeze and swell behind us rolling over rocky and weedy bottom back into the beach ...

We love these regional swims ... They make us feel as if they're really pleased to have us there ...

But what did you think?

Paddlers, escort boats for Coogee-Bondi, South Head ...

A number of swimmers have contacted oceanswims.com looking for help in finding escort paddlers for Coogee-Bondi on April 26, and escort boats for the South Head Roughwater on May 17. We will post their messages here, and if you can help, please respond.

If you post a request, please remember to include your email and/or phone contacts.

South Head organiser John Fallon has a number of options to help with escort boats for that swim. Watch the South Head listing on the NSW calendar for more info ...

TamaCloey, Pacific Palms ... we discover a new classic ...

Wow! what a ripper of swim from Tama to Clovelly. We thought beforehand that this swim could be a ripper, but it was more than that. TamaCloey may build to be one of the best swims on the ocean swimming calendar! Enigmatic course, spooky day, onshore breeze, following swell but backwash off the rocks ... cliffs most of the way ... once you're out, you're committed ... and what a glorious bottom from the point into Cloey ... this bottom was maybe more rocky and reefy that Wedding Cake Island ... what did you think of the starting wave arrangement? ... What did you think of the swim overall? ... Cloey has to have the best clubhouse on the coast, sitting right on the sea ...

And Pacific Palms ... what a lovely day out, yet again. A hidden gem of the north coast, one that we'd never have found but for ocean swimming ... that's what we love about this caper: there are so many places we go, so many experiences for which the swim is merely the catalyst ... What do we like about ocean swimming? Travel and meeting people!

Tell us what you think ... Click the comments button below ...

What do you do when the swims are washed out?

The two main swims around Sydney over the weekend -- North Steyne and Avoca -- were called off due to the seas, but Nowra went ahead with an amended course. We're told there was lots of weed but it was a nice swim with 37 punters.

North Steyne are mulling an alternative date; Avoca have rescheduled to April 26, making that Sunday a very busy day, with South Curl Curl-Freshwater and Coogee-Bondi also scheduled for that day.

Hervey Bay happened in Queensland, above the rain and storm line, with a record 170 starters. They had a lovely day, by all accounts.

But what did you get up to on a washed out Sunday, which turned out to be a very nice day in Sydney? We had a social engagement at North Curl Curl, so os.c and Glistening Dave went for a frolick in the North Curly rockpool. We did laps whilst Dave took pitchers of the seas crashing onto the rocks and into the pool. Watch for some pics very soon. Then we celebrated Tacoma Jim's birthday, and his mum's birthday -- Jim's mum, G-L-O-R-I-A ... GLOOOOORIA! -- has been visiting from, well, Tacoma, and heads back there later this week. Her birthday is Monday, April 6.

Tell us your story? Did you swim somewhere? What was it like? ...

South West Rocks, Balmoral ...

Epic swim at South West Rocks, where record numbers got out of gaol by swimming from the old prison at Trial Bay around the beach to the Boulders at South West Rocks ... occasionally bigger sets thumping on the beach, otherwise smooth conditions with a bit of rolling ... "deep water" start, each wave diving off a sandbank into a gutter ...

And how was Balmoral? Big numbers registered there, too...

How were both swims? Click the Comments button below to post your own blog ...

Stanwell Park - new record for Big Swim of the South ...

There were record entries for the Stanwell Park Ocean Challenge - the Big Swim of the South. A record by almost 50 per cent. We knew this swim would take off eventually. It was an epic this time around -- glorious, gentle seas, but into a stiffening breeze and, it seemed, a stiff current. Schlepping along the Illawarra Escarpment, it seemed the cliffs would never end. Shortly before the finishers reached the beach, there was a 2 metre ray cruising through the break around the finishing area, too. Big schools of whiting, and the aeriel surveillance aircraft patrolling up and down the beach whilst the swim progressed.

How did you find this swim?