OPEN WATER SWIMMERS 2010 ANNOUNCED
Irish long-distance swimmer Annemarie
Ward and Dominican swimming hero Marcos Díaz were among those named as winners of the World Open Water Swimming Awards 2010, it was announced in January. Ward, who triumphed in her crossing of the Northern Channel between Northern Ireland and Scotland on her fourth attempt, despite being stung by jellyfish more than 200 times, was awarded the title of World Open Water Swimming Woman of the Year. It is thought that Díaz
won his title of World Open Water Swimming Man of the Year for his Swim
Continents project, where he swam the closest points between continents to raise awareness of world peace. “If a man can swim from one continent to another, we're not that far from each other,” he said of this achievement last year.
The title of World Open Water Swimming Performance of the Year went to relay team Ventura Deep Six, who between them conquered a 202-mile marathon swim in cold water along the California coast. The awards will be
presented at the Global Open Water Swimming Conference, which will be held this year in New York, 9-11 September.
SWIMMER SAVES LIVES
Open water swimming skills proved to be invaluable to one woman recently, as she was able to save the lives of two divers who had got into difficulties off the California coast. American Martha Hunt and her cycling partner Rachel Hosmer were riding along by the beach last November when they heard the cries of the two men. Unperturbed by the violent waves and cold water, experienced swimmer Hunt threw down her bike and dived into the water, while Hosmer called 911. “I truly experienced that 'fight or flight' response. Nothing was going to stop me from helping these divers,” said Hunt, who drew on open water skills. “I knew the divers might be desperate and lunge at me,” she remembers."I gave myself a pep talk about remaining calm. I knew I was doing the right thing, and didn't contemplate not acting.” Timing the waves, she knew when it was safe to move the first man to shore.
Marcos Díaz, voted Man of the Year
Next year the conference will be held in London, during the 2012 Olympics, and nominees for the 2011 events will be released towards the end of this year. See
openwatersource.com
After rescuing him with relative ease, Hunt returned for his friend, whose situation was more serious. “He was further off the shore than the first diver had been, so it meant fully immersing myself into the water, and using more of the classic lifesaving technique I had learned over 35 years ago. The surf was rough, but my adrenalin was way too pumped for me to feel any kind of defeat.” Just as she started to worry, Hosmer returned with five more cyclists and together they were able to get the second man out. The two divers were then treated by the paramedics, who had arrived, and suffered no lasting effects. The relieved lifesaver took it all in her stride, and carried on with her cycle ride. “I enjoyed the adrenalin rush for several hours,” Hunt said afterwards.
“I kept laughing to myself, in utter disbelief of what had happened. But the next morning, it felt like I had been in a car accident. My neck, shoulders, and arms were so sore." All in a day’s work for an open water swimmer!
MAGIC
NUMBERS Fantastic facts and figures that we’ve found out this month...
0.1°C The water during last year’s OSS
December Dip The number of
people who took part 200
20,000 The number of people it’s
predicted will join the Great North Swim 2011
10st The weight Dan Martin is aiming to
put on before his Atlantic crossing attempt
120 The number of days he predicts it will
take him to swim from New York to France
14
The minimum age for a competitor in the great Rottnest Channel Swim
20.7
The number of kms of the crossing
13
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