Alcatraz Death

Fred, Thanks for the update. If you could let us know the results of the medical examiner's report when it is available, that would be great. It may help to counter the negativity we participants (and RDs). As to RDs getting flak about "unsafe events", all I can say is that anyone who makes such a charge has no idea what they are talking about. It is simple probability theory. If one out of 10,000 people is likely to die while exercising, then an event that has had 10,000 participants is likely to have a death occur. It is no reflection on the organizers, it is simple math. I understand the "RD's nightmare", but the nightmare is due to the attacks by the ignorant and those in the media who want to create a saleable story. It is not that the RD has somehow failed to exercise due caution. Every OWS, cycling, or running event I have done has been safer than driving to the event. RDs: Hang in there, you do a great job.

Fred, Thanks for the update. If you could let us know the results of the medical examiner's report when it is available, that would be great. It may help to counter the negativity we participants (and RDs). As to RDs getting flak about "unsafe events", all I can say is that anyone who makes such a charge has no idea what they are talking about. It is simple probability theory. If one out of 10,000 people is likely to die while exercising, then an event that has had 10,000 participants is likely to have a death occur. It is no reflection on the organizers, it is simple math. I understand the "RD's nightmare", but the nightmare is due to the attacks by the ignorant and those in the media who want to create a saleable story. It is not that the RD has somehow failed to exercise due caution. Every OWS, cycling, or running event I have done has been safer than driving to the event. RDs: Hang in there, you do a great job. I couldn't agree more, but by using the phrase "RD's nightmare," I meant only to express sympathy for the race director, not AT ALL to suggest any fault. Exactly the opposite! The race directors I know (in running as well as swimming events) care very deeply about safety. To have something go wrong in a race when one has taken such care to ensure that participants are safe must then be very, very painful--since it's what they work so hard to prevent. If my choice of words suggested that I saw any fault in the race director, I am very sorry, because that was the complete opposite of what I intended.

Having participated in the Alacatraz swim this year i was dissapointed in the lack of support boats. Compared to years past, support seemed to be lacking in 2007.

I'm not sure which Alcatraz event you're referring to since there are 6 commercial ones but if you're alluding to the Alcatraz Challenge which I run, the truth is that we had more support boats out there - both power & kayaks - than in past years. What may have caused you to believe there were fewer is that because of the choppy water that kicked in during the race swimmers got more spread out than normal. Also, as both a swimmer & kayaker out in the Bay, I know when you're swimming with your head only 3-4 inches out of the water, your field of vision is very limited whereas I know as a kayaker sitting 3 feet out of water I cover a lot more ground visually. In other words, you the swimmer may not see any kayaks around but most definitely the kayaker can see you. Hope this helps. Gary

Fred - thanks for your post. My heartfelt sympathy to you and all of Sally's friends and family. I love that you wrote "she was excited..." Indeed. I hope my friends remember me as one who was excited and passionate about something as opposed to "last time I saw her she was sloshed on a bar stool." Hope to see your Team next year. Couldn't agree more. Hope to see you next year. Fred

This unfortunate event came up at a school board meeting in Idaho where I live if you can believe that. One member was there watching a family member swim. The question unanswered was what happened to the swimmer. Does anyone know yet? On a positive note, even here in land locked Idaho there were a couple of folks who want to make the trek for this great event including myself. Enthusiasm remains high in spite of the loss of one of our own!!!!!!!!!!!! Spudfin

I agree with that sentiment. I've never done it but I want to in the next year or two. Not even so much as a race but as an experience I want to have as a swimmer. JIM

Has anyone heard what the cause of death was?

Thanks for the reminder Ron. The medical examiner released the autopsy results in November. The official cause of death was cardiac arrythmia. I think it is also significant to note that there was no water found in her lungs meaning that her death likely was instantaneous. As a sidebar, last weekend I attended the 2008 USA Triathlon Race Directors Symposium in Colorado Springs. Last year, there were a total of 6 fatalities in USAT sanctioned events (the most ever). All were of a medical nature and 5 occurred during the swim portion of the event - one literally with a kayaker next to the swimmer. Five of the six race directors were in attendance at the symposium and we had a separate meeting with USAT officials and ourselves to discuss what happened in each situation, to discuss what if anything can be done to further enhance the safety of the swim leg of triathlons and to discuss crisis and post-crisis protocols to ensure that all the right things are done for the family. As the sport of triathlon grows bigger (USAT reached 100,000 members in 2007) and as open water swimming gains popularity due to the advent of the 10k open water swim in the 2008 Bejing Olypmics, I can only surmise that these tragic occurrences will continue. The positive side is that with these deaths on the radar screen of USAT race directors, swims will probably be as safe as they can ever get as safety plans are reviewed and revised wherever possible. And last but not least and not that this necessarily would have made a difference in Sally Lowes situation but I ask each of you when you had your last thorough medical examination. If it's been a while, you owe it to yourself, to your spouse and to your children to get one. Life is way too short to have an existing medical condition go undetected and untreated. To a safe and great 2008. Gary

Gary Thanks for the update. I would have guessed that she had a sudden cardiac event as opposed to a drowning. I wish she was still with us, but there are worse ways to pass than doing something you love to do at the end of your life. I can only hope to be so lucky at the end of my life. Regards Spudfin