Emily Brunemann - From The Pool To The Open Water

NCAA pool swimming champion Emily Brunemann of the University of Michigan talks about her growing interest in the sport of open water swimming on SwimNetwork's Open Water Wednesday. Click here for her interview.

Photo by David Nager from the NYC Pro Swim.

Copyright © 2009 by World Open Water Swimming Association

USA Swimming Awards Its Best In Open Water

Jay Thomas, a long-time USA Swimming and FINA open water swimming official, received the prestigious Glen S. Hummer Award at the US Aquatic Sports annual convention in Chicago on Friday night.

Jay has officiated at FINA World Swimming Championships, USA Swimming national open water swimming championships and local open water and pool events. He serves on the USA Swimming Rules Committee and the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame Board as well as develops, trains and certifies open water swimming officials.

Upon receiving the award, Jay said, "I can’t tell you how honored I am to be chosen as the recipient of this award. I look forward to the future and stand ready to help out in any way to continue to raise the bar in the open water world. Thank you."

Emily Brunemann, a senior at the University of Michigan, who won the 2009 USA Swimming 10K national championships and was 9th at the World Swimming Championships 5K and 24th in the World Championship 10K this year in Rome, was awarded the USA Swimming Open Water Female Swimmer of the Year.

Emily, who has just begun to tap her open water swimming potential, will be featured in next week's Open Water Wednesday on SwimNetwork.

"I had a mix of emotions when I found out. I was surprised, happy and honored all at the same time. I want to thank everyone in USA Swimming for the support and want to thank my coaches and team for this past summer and standing by me," said Emily.

The USA Swimming Male Open Water Swimmer of the Year was deservingly shared by USA open water swim team captain and world championship 10K bronze medalist Fran Crippen of Philadelphia and 2009 world championship teammate and 10K silver medalist Andrew Gemmell of the University of Georgia.

Fran, an inspirational leader among the young American open water swim team, won both the 5K and 10K at the USA Swimming National Open Water Championships and was third in the NYC Pro Swim and 7th in the world championship 5K. He is currently in Trinidad & Tobago for an open water swim and will head to China next week to participate in additional FINA World Cup events.

Andrew, a strong up-and-coming athlete originally from Delaware who is known for his tough workouts, was third in both the 5K and 10K USA Swimming National Open Water Championships and was fifth in the world championship 5K in Rome.

A great year for all three recipients with many more years of success yet to come.

Open Water Shots From The World Championships

The 2009 World Swimming Championships finished this weekend in Rome. FINA took some great photos from the open water swimming events held in Ostia Beach:

Photo of the women's lead pack by Matthais Hangst.

"It was rougher and faster than I thought it would be," recalled first-time competitor Emily Brunemann who placed a respectible 9th in the 5K and 24th in the 10K race.


Photo of the feeding station by Matthais Hangst showing a wide variety of feeding sticks.

There are regulations on the length or type of the feeding sticks that can be used including the size of the flag at the end that must be limited in size.


Photo by Matthais Hangst of silver medalist Andrew Gemmell congratulating his American teammate and bronze medalist Fran Crippen after the protested 10K race.

Notice the lanolin that has coagulated around their bodies and the timing transponders on both wrists.



Photo by Matthais Hangst of the large Italian crowds that cheered on their Italian heroes and all the other open water competitors from 42 different nations.

Latest Updates From The World Championships

Reporting from Rome:

1. The technical open water swimming for the 5K race will be held today and will give the swimmers an indication of what to expect on race day as the turn buoys have not yet been anchored on the course.

2. Construction continues frantically at all the World Championship facilities, but FINA and the local organizing committee expect everything to be set by opening ceremonies. Exhibitor booths are being set up, carpet is being laid, signage is being posted and paint is being laid down by hundreds of small crews.

3. Swimsuit manufacturers are nearly as frantic as FINA has mandated that their products are provided for free to all the athletes. Booths are set up to provide access to the athletes. "We will have 11 manufacturers providing swimsuits free of charge," said Cornel Marculescu, FINA's Executive Director. "It's up to the swimmers to choose which suit they want. The important thing is that there is equal conditions and availability. All of the swimsuits will have a FINA label attached to them to show they are approved."

4. Like the Olympics, athletes are coming from all over the world. "It's going to be a fantastic championships. We have the highest participation ever, with 2,600 athletes from 184 countries - plus 2,000 coaches, officials and delegates," said Cornel.

5. The open water events are held along the only public stretch of beach in Ostia, sandwiched between dozens of private beaches along the Tyrrhenian Sea where 12 euros (at a minimum) will get you an umbrella and a spot on the black sand.

6. 30 minutes to the east by train, swimming and diving will be held in permanent pools that were also used for the 1960 Olympics and 1994 World Championships (see photo on left). Two temporary pools will be used for water polo and synchronized swimming.


7. Fran Crippen, the lone veteran of the USA Swimming national open water team (see photo above), will swim the 5K and 10K with newcomers Emily Brunemann (5K and 10K), Eva Fabian (10K and 25K), Emily Hanson (5K and 25K), Andrew Gemmell (5K and 10K), Sean Ryan (25K) and Alex Meyer (25) similarly confident about their prospects at the World Championships. Their first pool workout was held in a 51.5-meter pool (due to a missing bulkhead).

8. Fans, teammates and family can follow the 5K and 10K events in real-time via Twitter - check out http://twitter.com/swimopenwater.

Copyright © 2009 by World Open Water Swimming Association

Doubling Up In Rome

The 25K race at the World Swimming Championships has been moved up a day and is now reportedly scheduled for July 23rd instead of July 24th. This means that women who are doubling up on the 10K and 25K races (e.g., Eva Fabian) have only one day between their two events.

There also appears a small possibility of a postponement in the first open water swimming.open water race of the championship (5K) on Sunday, July 19th. Due to possibly deteriorating weather conditions, the women's and men's races may be postponed to Monday, July 20th. This would mean the women who are doubling up on the 5K and 10K races (e.g., Emily Brunemann and Natalie du Toit) would also have back-to-back days of racing.

It should be carefully noted that the decisions have yet to be officially announced, but the possibility is being discussed among athletes and coaches. Updates as we hear them will be posted here.

"Expect the unexpected" continues to be the mantra of open water swimming.

American TV Coverage of Swimming

Most of the American open water swimming team competing in the 5K, 10K and 25K races in Rome at the World Swimming Championships will also compete in the USA Swimming National Championships and World Championship (pool) Trials this coming week.

NBC and Universal Sports will televise and webcast the championship events between July 7-11 from Indianapolis where Michael Phelps will be showcased in the most important pool swimming meet on American soil this year.

Universal Sports will broadcast live on Tuesday, July 7 and Wednesday, July 8, both beginning at 6:00 pm. NBC will package the remainder of the meet and broacast on Saturday, July 11 from 1–3 pm., and on Sunday, July 12 from 2-3 pm.

All the preliminary and final sessions will also be webcast live on SwimNetwork where American open water swimming stars Emily Brunemann (see above), Emily Hanson, Andrew Gemmell and Sean Ryan will compete. The television schedule is as follows:

• Tuesday, July 7: 6:00 – 8:30 pm live on Universal Sports
• Wednesday, July 8: 6:00 – 7:45 pm live on Universal Sports
• Saturday, July 11: 1:00 to 3:00 pm taped on NBC
• Sunday, July 12: 2:00 to 3:00 pm taped on NBC

Big Bank For An Open Water Buck

Like its counterparts in Australia, Great Britain, Italy, Russia, Spain and many other countries, USA Swimming invests in the development of its open water swimmers.

An effective use of resources is the annual National Open Water Select Camp where America's top distance freestylers are introduced to open water swimming.

Admittedly, after an intensive introduction to the sport, some of the athletes prefer to stick with the pool, but many athletes continue in the sport...and thrive in domestic and international competitions.

After the 2009 open water camp, we did a little analysis of the campers' performance at the 2009 World Swimming Championships Trials.

In the women's 5K race, won by 17-year-old Chloe Sutton of Mission Viejo Nadadores, the swimmers who have attended the camp placed 1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 8th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 18th and 21st.

In the men's 5K race, won by Fran Crippen of Germantown Academy, the swimmers who attended the camp placed 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 12th, 13th, 18th, 21st, 24th and 25th. What is remarkable about the athletes' performance is that the 5K race was very tactical under difficult (i.e., wavy and difficult-to-navigate) conditions.

In the women's 10K race, won by University of Michigan's Emily Brunemann, campers placed 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 6th, 8th, 11th and 17th.

In the men's 10K race, also won by Fran Crippen, the campers placed 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 9th, 11th, 14th, 19th, 23rd, 25th, 31st and 33rd.

The windless 10K race was held under vastly different conditions than the rough water 5K race. Under glassy conditions, the campers utilized a variety of racing tactics and drafting methods they just recently learned to hold their own against the rest of America's best open water swimmers.

In the 5K race, 16-year-old Aja Van Hout of the Badger Aquatics Club made a strong move at the 3.5K mark in which she sprinted from the second (trailing) pack up to the first (leading) pack. This move in the middle of the race helped her secure a top 8 finish. "It was really fun. I liked it."

Similarly, Harvard University's senior captain Alex Meyer made a move at the end of the 10K race when he pulled up alongside the lead pack that gradually led to his qualification to the 2009 World Swimming Championships. "I knew that I had to hold on [in order to draft and be in position to qualify]. I am looking forward to swimming the 25K in Rome."

At the upcoming 2009 World Swimming Championships, the 7-member American team will consist of six campers (with Fran as the only non-camper). The team will include the following:

Fran Crippen (Germantown Academy) in the 5K and 10K*
Delaware Swim Team (Delaware Swim Team) in the 5K and 10K
Sean Ryan (Scenic City Aquatic Club) in the 25K
Alex Meyer (Ithaca Aquatics Club) in the 25K
Emily Brunemann (Club Wolverine) in the 5K and 10K
Eva Fabian (Greenwood Memorial Swim Club) in the 10K and 25K
Emily Hanson (Club Wolverine) in the 5K and 25K (shown above together with camp director Dave Thomas)

The USA will field one of the least experienced teams at the world swimming championships, but their speed, endurance and newly learned racing tactics will help make them very competitive. As they all look towards the Olympic 10K Marathon Swim at the 2012 London Olympics, their first step begins in Rome.

* Swimming World Magazine's Morning Swim Show posted an interview with Fran where he takes a look back at his swims in Florida and his swims in the future.

Copyright © 2009 by World Open Water Swimming Association

Good Bang For An Open Water Buck

Like its counterparts in Australia, Great Britain, Italy, Russia, Spain and many other countries, USA Swimming invests in the development of its open water swimmers.

One of its most effective uses of resources is the annual National Open Water Select Camp where America's top young distance freestylers are selected and introduced to open water swimming.

Admittedly, after an intensive introduction to the sport, some of the athletes prefer to stick with the pool, but many athletes continue in the sport...and thrive in domestic and international competitions.

After the 2009 open water camp, we did a little analysis of the campers' performance at the 2009 World Swimming Championships Trials.

In the women's 5K race, won by 17-year-old Chloe Sutton of Mission Viejo Nadadores, the swimmers who have attended the camp placed 1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 8th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 18th and 21st.

In the men's 5K race, won by Fran Crippen of Germantown Academy, the swimmers who attended the camp placed 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 12th, 13th, 18th, 21st, 24th and 25th. What is remarkable about the athletes' performance is that the 5K race was very tactical under difficult (i.e., wavy and difficult-to-navigate) conditions.

In the women's 10K race, won by University of Michigan's Emily Brunemann, campers placed 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 6th, 8th, 11th and 17th.

In the men's 10K race, also won by Fran Crippen, the campers placed 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 9th, 11th, 14th, 19th, 23rd, 25th, 31st and 33rd.

The windless 10K race was held under vastly different conditions than the rough water 5K race. Under glassy conditions, the campers utilized a variety of racing tactics and drafting methods they just recently learned to hold their own against the rest of America's best open water swimmers.

In the 5K race, 16-year-old Aja Van Hout of the Badger Aquatics Club made a strong move at the 3.5K mark in which she sprinted from the second (trailing) pack up to the first (leading) pack. This move in the middle of the race helped her secure a top 8 finish. "It was really fun. I liked it."

Similarly, Harvard University's senior captain Alex Meyer made a move at the end of the 10K race when he pulled up alongside the lead pack that gradually led to his qualification to the 2009 World Swimming Championships. "I knew that I had to hold on [in order to draft and be in position to qualify]. I am looking forward to swimming the 25K in Rome."

At the upcoming 2009 World Swimming Championships, the 7-member American team will consist of six campers (with Fran as the only non-camper). The team will include the following:

Fran Crippen (Germantown Academy) in the 5K and 10K*
Delaware Swim Team (Delaware Swim Team) in the 5K and 10K
Sean Ryan (Scenic City Aquatic Club) in the 25K
Alex Meyer (Ithaca Aquatics Club) in the 25K
Emily Brunemann (Club Wolverine) in the 5K and 10K
Eva Fabian (Greenwood Memorial Swim Club) in the 10K and 25K
Emily Hanson (Club Wolverine) in the 5K and 25K (shown above together with camp director Dave Thomas)

The USA will field one of the least experienced teams at the world swimming championships, but their speed, endurance and newly learned racing tactics will help make them very competitive. As they all look towards the Olympic 10K Marathon Swim at the 2012 London Olympics, their first step begins in Rome.

* Swimming World Magazine's Morning Swim Show posted an interview with Fran where he takes a look back at his swims in Florida and his swims in the future.

Copyright © 2009 by World Open Water Swimming Association

Americans Heading To Rome

2007 Pan American Games 10K champion Fran Crippen will be the only veteran on a young American team at the 2009 World Swimming Championships in Rome.

Fran, Andrew Gemmell of Delaware and NCAA champion Emily Brunemann will each swim the 5K and 10K.

16-year-old Sean Ryan and Harvard senior Alex Meyer will both do the 25K. Eva Fabian will double-up in the 10K and 25K and Emily Hanson of the University of Michigan will double-up in the 5K and 25K.

Copyright © 2009 by World Open Water Swimming Association

Great Canadian and American National 10K Championship Race in Florida

Swimming World Magazine covered the strategic USA Swimming National 10K Open Water Swimming Championship in Ft. Myers this warm Sunday morning in Florida.

As America's most experienced international referee Sid Cassidy summarized the competitive race for the Swimming World Magazine, "This was unlike any other race on American soil. It was much more like an international race. It was strategic, the swimmers were making moves and being physical. It was an incredibly effective race, especially for our young [swimmers]."

Read the Swimming World Magazine article here. The results are as follows:

Top 10 Men's Results
1. Philippe Debreuil (Team Canada/Sherwood, Canada), 1:51:38.74
2. Fran Crippen (Germantown Academy Aquatics), 1:52:41.37
3. Andrew Gemmell (Delaware Swim Team), 1:52:43.14
4. Sean Ryan (Scenic City Aquatic Club), 1:52:45.95
5. Alex Meyer (Unattached), 1:52:46.74
6. Deni Cullom (Mission Viejo Nadadores), 1:52:49.42
7. Joe Kinderwater (WSY Swimming), 1:53:06.83
8. Mark Warkentin (Santa Barbara Aquatics Club), 1:53:23.78
9. Connor Signorin (Peddie Aquatic Association), 1:53:32.32
10. Simon Tobin (UL, Canada), 1:53:36.67

Top 10 Women's Results
1. Emily Brunemann (Club Wolverine), 1:58:11.38
2. Eva Fabian (Greenwood Memorial Swim Club), 1:58:13.24
3. Emily Hanson (Club Wolverine), 1:58:27.57
4. Chloe Sutton (Mission Viejo Nadadores), 1:58:54.00
5. Christine Jennings (Minnesota Aquatics), 1:58:54.30
6. Nicole Vernon (Delaware Swim Team), 2:01:43.29
7. Heidi George (Los Altos & Mountain View), 2:01:48.32
8. Kirsten Groome (First Colony Swim Team), 2:02:11.99
9. Claire Thompson (West Florida Lightning Aquatic), 2:03:42.50
10. Zsofia Balazs (Team Canada, Canada), 2:03:44.37

Photo shows Sid Cassidy giving a yellow flag to a swimmer in the 10K race in Ft. Myers.

Copyright © 2009 by World Open Water Swimming Association

10K Swim To Rome

This morning in Florida, the USA Swimming National 10K Open Water Swimming Championship will be held with spots open for the American and Canadian world championship team up for grabs.

Grab is a relative term.

"The women are actually rougher than the men. The women just get downright dirty out there. It's going to be a great race," said race organizer Gregg Cross who has been hosting this competitive event for years.

The women field will be tough with newcomers like Emily Brunemann and Emily Hanson (shown on left), both of Club Wolverine, trying to stay with and knock off veterans like Olympian Chloe Sutton, Kirsten Groome, Eva Fabian and Dawn Heckman. On the men's side, Olympian Mark Warkentin and Pan American Games champion Fran Crippen will be trying to do the same with a hungry field including Andrew Gemmell, Adam DeJong (shown on left), Alex Meyer, Connor Signorin, Sean Ryan and Henry Stephenson.

"It's like watching a Tour de France bike race," said Gregg. "Those guys are bumping, kicking, drafting. They are world-class athletes, so they know all the tricks."

Copyright © 2009 by World Open Water Swimming Association

Veterans vs. Newcomers in Ft. Myers National Championships

Olympic 10K marathon swimmers Chloe Sutton (shown on left with Kirsten Groome) and Mark Warkentin (shown below with President Bush) will be the star athletes at Sunday's joint USA Swimming and Swimming Canada's world swimming championship trials.

The two Olympians certainly have plenty of international open water swimming experience to fall back upon.

Kirsten Groome and Joe Kinderwater are two other contenders who will also most definitely be in the mix and who may push the pace along with Chloe and Mark.

However, the American field appears to be wide open and it will be interesting to see what newcomers will break through and be selected to represent the USA and Canada in Rome for the 2009 World Swimming Championships.

Emily Brunemann, Emily Hanson, Christian Sprang and Adam DeJong of Club Wolverine are among the several newcomers, including all of the members of the USA Swimming national open water camp, who will be pushing the veterans.

USA Swimming's Introduction To The Open Water

USA Swimming will hold its National Open Water Select Camp in Ft. Myers, Florida in June.

24 swimmers were selected to participate in the intensive 4-day camp that provides a wealth of open water swimming information, drills, workouts, techniques, strategies, equipment and tactics for use in high-level open water swim competitions. Practices are conducted in both a lake and in the ocean under the guidance of head coach Steven Munatones and Catherine Vogt, Jay Benner and Shannon Gillespy.

The 24 athletes include Emily Brunemann of Club Wolverine (shown above), Emily Hanson of Club Wolverine, Loren Brandon of Mission Aurora, Hayley Edwards of Greater Philadelphia Aquatic Club, Aja Van Hout of Badger Aquatics Club, Courtney Otto of Star Swimming, Danielle Beckwith of Badger Aquatics Club, Kelly Winckler of Badger Aquatics Club, Joni Keith of Tucson Ford Dealers Aquatics, Kata Fedor of Sarasota YMCA, Marissa Harrington of Sarasota YMCA, Lindsay Vrooman of Pine Richland Aquatics, Sean Ryan of Scenic City Aquatic Club, Ian Rowe of Florida State University (shown below), Tyler Sell of Comets Swim Team, Christian Sprang of Club Wolverine, Adam DeJong of Club Wolverine, Alex Meyer of Ithaca Aquatics Club, Connor Signorin of Peddie Aquatics Association, Shane Lichtenberg of University of Louisville, Mark Neiman of Ohio State, Brent Hitchcock of Ohio State, Graham Munger of Dynamo Swim Club and Marcus Guttmann of Lobo Aquatic Club.

These swimmers include an NCAA champion (Emily Brunemann) and the top young distance freestylers in the US. They have the opportunity to take open water swimming instruction during the camp and then apply it immediately at the 5K and 10K USA Swimming National Championships and World Swimming Championships Selection Trials.

Copyright © 2009 by World Open Water Swimming Association