Swimming World's top 12 master swimmers!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I didn't read this article yet but Karyn Pipes-Nielsen is on the list, correct? One the guys front, I would think that Chris Stevenson is on the list.

I didn't read this article yet but Karyn Pipes-Nielsen is on the list, correct? One the guys front, I would think that Chris Stevenson is on the list. KPN is on there. Chris Stevenson is not.

KPN is on there. Chris Stevenson is not. Can you please give us the list? I can't find it on the site. Michael Ross?

Women: Laura Val, 57, USA; KPN, 47, USA; Yoshiko Osaki, 71, JPN; Hitomi Matsuda, 31, JPN; Jenny Whiteley, 50, AUS; Rita Simonton, 90, USA Men: Keijiro Nakamura, 85, JPN; Alberto Montini, 40, ITA; Paul Carter, 51, USA; Walter Pfeiffer, 95, USA; Fred Schlicher, 60, USA; Richard Burns, 65, USA

Wow, no one under 40 on the men's side.

I think they missed Richard Abrahams, Jim McConica, Susan Von Der Lippe, and Lynn Marshall.

I think they missed Richard Abrahams, Jim McConica, Susan Von Der Lippe, and Lynn Marshall. A guy that I swim with told me that Jim McConica is pretty amazing. He apparently train 80K yard or meters a week and his times are pretty amazing in the distance frees. Alot of times, these lists are based more on opinion than the stats sometimes. Of course, I have no idea what went on when this list was compiled.

Michael Ross? I too think that Mike should be on the list. If not this year, then next, because I'm not sure his amazing barrage of SCM world records in December -- wasn't it six new WRs? -- were counted in this voting cycle. (If they WERE then I think he was robbed.) Also Dennis Baker may not swim a ton of events -- or in a lot of masters meets -- but the times he does are simply outstanding. To come so close to Olympic Trials cuts in an event like the 200 fly while in his upper 40s? Incredible. His 400 LCM free was out there, too. But I don't know if he did any SCM meets. I think I've heard the criteria before, but I don't recall how much weight is given to the "awesomeness" of a single swim or if it is just a matter of quantity (eg, of WRs or #1 swims). Personally, I think it should be a mix of the two.

So, oftentimes, there's a bit of a lag based on newer results. The 2009 list will be Nov. 1, 2008 to Oct. 31, 2009. So, anyone that swam in November and December of this year and holds onto that record by the end of the year will be considered. Do I understand this correctly? Swimmer A sets a WR in December but Swimmer B breaks it in September of the next year, swimmer A does not qualify for consideration?

It really comes down to each of the panelists personal weight on specific information provided on the ballot. When I am processing the ballots, I get to know that each panelist has their own personal philosophy. Some of them really lend more weight to world records that are in the higher age divisions. Others are more impressed by single swims. That's why more than 1 person is in on the voting. I'm going to try to diversify the panel a bit more this year and maybe get us up to 10. We currently have 6 on the panel. If any of you know of any international Masters experts out there, please feel free to hook me up with them. From comments and a thread on this topic last year, I thought the process was largely pre-determined by quantitative, not qualitative factors. That's one reason that SVDL was left off the list despite being the oldest swimmer to qualify for OTs ... 6 panelists does seem rather small.