Members of USA Rowing have arrived in Beijing and were out at the Olympic Rowing-Canoeing Park where the Olympic 10K Marathon Swim will be held. Their first-hand comments included "the pollution is terrible with visibility of no more than 3/4 of a mile."
The reports also noted that "yesterday was a bit better because it was VERY windy and rainy".
As the men who competed in the Olympic 10K qualification race on June 1st know very well, these stiff winds generate some very mean and constant 2-3 foot whitecaps in the open water swimming course.
So, like the Waikiki Roughwater Swim and the La Jolla Rough Water Swim, the marathon swimmers could have one additional element to overcome in the Olympic 10K Marathon Swim on August 20th (women) and August 21st (men).
Photo by Pei Qingsheng shows a wave hitting the starting pontoon just as the men were diving into the water during the Olympic 10K Marathon Swim qualification race.
Copyright © 2008 by World Open Water Swimming Association
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