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....
Former Member
I agree. I'm hoping it's due to a translation error.
honestly that is probably what it was.
Good to hear more from people who were actually in the race:
www.washingtonpost.com/.../AR2010102503766_pf.html
FINA safety protocols are probably inadequate and will no doubt be overhauled. But the more we find out, the more it seems that race officials dropped the ball in a serious way. I wish I trusted that the people looking into this are more interested in finding truth than covering their own behinds.
A young life cut short is tragic enough. That it was (probably) preventable makes it such a bitter pill to swallow.
"We are sorry that the guy died, but what can you do?" UAE Swimming Association executive director Ayman Saad said in a statement. "This guy was tired and he pushed himself a lot."
What an insensitive statement!
One of the main parts of competitive swimming (pool or ow) is PUSHING yourself!!!!!!! I don't see how the race director/organizer can absolve himself from blame by saying Fran died from pushing himself too hard. That is total bull.
Athlete push themselves hard all the time!!! There needs to be lifeguards in boats/jet ski's all over the course watching the swimmers and able to respond to anyone in trouble at the drop of a hat.
I always thought I was paying for that service with my entry fee.
"We are sorry that the guy died, but what can you do?" UAE Swimming Association executive director Ayman Saad said in a statement. "This guy was tired and he pushed himself a lot."
What an insensitive statement!
I agree. Starting it off with "the guy". The guy? It doesn't matter if he was the world champion or just a participant. He was a person, not just "they guy". The whole statement stinks.
Can any one be held responsible for Fran not leaving the race. Many swimmers do not feel well before races. I used to bring up. When asked by my trainer if I wanted to get out of a race. I may not have been feeling well, my stroke had gone to hell but I always stayed in. I was pulled out out of two races unconcious. In one race they had me covered up and the harbour patrol asked my wife who was in the boat "Is he breathing" her response "I hope so".
I think he's just saying generally when a swimmer has to stop they will also remove their goggles. I know this is almost automatic to me. When I run onto the beach at the end of an open water swim I take my goggles off without thinking about it.
Still, it's a stretch to say that Crippen's goggles being on is proof he died in an instant. I think it suggests he probably wasn't just out there floating or treading water for a while, though.
Ironically, in SCUBA diving, touching the top of your head is the OK sign. It's like forming an 'O' with your arm connected to your head. It also suggests clear thought processes.
Waving your arms in any way is a sign of distress. When you panic, you wave your arms.
I don't know why anyone remove goggles or mask while in the water. My instinct is that if I'm in the water, having goggles/mask on my face over my eyes is a less vulnerable orientation, so I would always leave them on. Maybe that's just me.
-Rick
