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....
As the popularity of open water swimming and long triathlons increases, more inexperienced people will enter these sports (just as in marathons). Sure, they push themselves to their limits much as elite swimmers do. I doubt they know those limits as well as more experienced swimmers, so it's probably easier to exceed them without realizing it. I think the rate of problems is going to increase along with, or faster than, the rate at which these sports grow.
As the popularity of open water swimming and long triathlons increases, more inexperienced people will enter these sports (just as in marathons). Sure, they push themselves to their limits much as elite swimmers do. I doubt they know those limits as well as more experienced swimmers, so it's probably easier to exceed them without realizing it. I think the rate of problems is going to increase along with, or faster than, the rate at which these sports grow.
