The Olympic 10K Marathon Swim will be held in the Great Pool of China, otherwise known as the Shunyi Olympic Rowing-Canoeing Park venue outside of Beijing.
Because the Park is also being used for an aquatic event, it is interesting to compare this open water swimming venue with the famous Water Cube of the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the world’s largest pool in Chile.
At the Beijing Olympics, Michael Phelps, Natalie Coughlin, Grant Hackett and the world's greatest swimmers will compete in front of 17,000 fans at the gorgeous National Aquatic Center, known as the Water Cube.
Four days after the pool swimming competition is over at the Olympic Water Cube, the world's best open water swimmers will compete in front of an estimated 37,000 people (1,200 permanent seats + 15,800 temporary seats + 10,000 standing room only “seats”). Swimming in front of 37,000 fans should be quite a treat for the open water swimmers!
It is also interesting to compare the Beijing open water venue with the world’s largest swimming pool located at the San Alfonso del Mar resort in Algarrobo, Chile. The Chilean resort pool has 250,000 cubic meters of water (or 66 million gallons of water) and is 1013 meters in length with a 115-foot deep end. The Shunyi Olympic Rowing-Canoeing Park is not only longer and bigger, but also has an impressive 6.35 million square meters of water surface area.
I will post more information after returning from this venue on June 2...
Copyright © 2008 by World Open Water Swimming Association
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