Full story:
www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/.../25369.asp
Excerpt:
Passages: Fran Crippen, 26 - FINA, USA Swimming Release Statements -- October 23, 2010
FUJAIRAH, United Arab Emirates, October 23. SHORTLY after the FINA Open Water 10K World Cup swim today in the UAE, United States swimmer Fran Crippen, 26, passed away after falling unconscious during the race.
With the water in the mid-to-high 80s, the competitors all finished and noticed that Crippen had not crossed the finish line. Meet management brought in deep sea divers, who found Crippen unconscious just before the final buoy nearly two hours later. He was transported to the Fujairah Hospital and later died according to information provided to Swimming World. Conflicting reports state that he was found dead on the course.
Crippen had shown signs of slowing down during the third lap of the five-lap race. When Crippen did not immediately finish, a fact noticed by teammate Alex Meyer who screamed for help, the competing swimmers rushed back into the water to help with the search.
Information provided to Swimming World demonstrates that the water was likely too hot for the event as several swimmers were treated for heat exhaustion after the race....
I don't know that you can effectively track/site swimmers. The best solution is to implement rules on water temperature and races.
Argh!! I couldn't disagree more. I do open water swimmers all of the time with people of many abilities, ages, and fitness levels. They spread out over a long area, they swim on their backs, for all I know some of them even stop to chat. And yet I have never been at a race when anyone drowned. Instead, there are kayaks, canoes, etc., everywhere, and they pick up people who get into trouble. The organizers get volunteers who have the requisite training and they keep an eye on us. This isn't that hard, folks, it's done all of the time, and it needs to be done for the elite swimmers, too.
Now someone is going to be telling me I can't do 60 degree or lower OW swims because of the risk. Feh. Life is risky; let's just take the proper precautions.
I don't know that you can effectively track/site swimmers. The best solution is to implement rules on water temperature and races.
Argh!! I couldn't disagree more. I do open water swimmers all of the time with people of many abilities, ages, and fitness levels. They spread out over a long area, they swim on their backs, for all I know some of them even stop to chat. And yet I have never been at a race when anyone drowned. Instead, there are kayaks, canoes, etc., everywhere, and they pick up people who get into trouble. The organizers get volunteers who have the requisite training and they keep an eye on us. This isn't that hard, folks, it's done all of the time, and it needs to be done for the elite swimmers, too.
Now someone is going to be telling me I can't do 60 degree or lower OW swims because of the risk. Feh. Life is risky; let's just take the proper precautions.
