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 totally agree with both statements above.
Just because these swimmers are amazingly strong they still need safety precautions in place. I can't get over the fact that the directors weren't even keeping track of who was still in the water. I hope this situation creates many new safety regulations for World Cup and Open Water Swimming, unfortunately that will not help Fran Crippen :(
We can all sit here and think about what went wrong. It is a very sad thing that has happened, a loss of life. Was water temperature at fault? Was it his heart? Many people have suferred heart attacks even in short races. Will we ever know the reason?
The other swimmers are not at fault. When a swimmer passes another swimmer or is ahead of a swimmer they do not know some one is in trouble. The officials should be held responsible. There should be a kayak beside or responsible for each swimmer in an open water event or the event should not be sanctioned.
How many swimmers were in the race? Maybe too many?
This shocking, disturbing news. It should not be the athletes who sound the alarm in an instance like this. The safety of the athletes has to be paramount to the officials, coaches and sanctioning body. I can only imagine that everyone is devastated by this and that it will precipitate positive change.
IMO, we see marathoners and triathletes actually bring themselves to collapse when the legs give out. If you do this in swimming you could slip under quite rapidly. If air is expelled, you sink like a rock. If you think you are being closely watched, you may not break stroke even while swimming in distress, then you won't have the energy to signal and then all of a sudden, you're under.
The race organizers are claiming that he overexerted himself, which is inaccurate and misleading. He died from exertional heat stroke, a consequence of the race conditions and the lack of timely intervention. This was a preventable death.
I was shocked to see this news. I saw him at last year's NYC ProSwim at Governors' Island. He's one of the few famous swimmers I have ever seen. I remember him waving to the watchers when finishing the race. S
yes... thats the first thing i thought of when i heard this sad news. after the NY 10k, fran was the only swimmer to come over and thank the spectators for coming. he also recently interrupted his own race to help a teammate who was struggling get back to the pack.... truly a class act, and doubly tragic that none of the other swimmers that saw him having difficulties paused to assist him. :(
FINA will be justifiably ridiculed for their lack of safety standards for this and all other similar open water events.
Recreational sprint triathlons have more safety provisions than this.
I predict significant changes, almost instantly, in the organization of these events.
Having swam in Key West just this past June in 91 degree water, I will tell you its neither easy or fun. I wanted out after about 5 minutes of my 1 hr 45 min leg.
I Knew there was a reason I never re-entered that race around Key West. The last time I entered, it was canceled due to sewage contamination, to swim in that muck in addition to 91 degree water is unfathomable to me.
