Grimsey and Gorman to Lead Australians in Rome

Winning the tough RCP Tiburon Mile (shown on left), the prestigious Waikiki Roughwater Swim and the competitive Eyeline 1000 Noosa Ocean Swim in convincing fashion is one thing, but Trent Grimsey stepped it up another notch with an impressive victory at the Australian 10K Open Water Swimming Championship in Sydney today.

Trent won by 50 meters in a time of 1:54:46 over young Rhys Mainstone (1:55.09), former 25K world champion Brendan Capell (1:55.13) and David Browne (1:55.13).

Olympic 10K Marathon swimmer Melissa Gorman (2:00.40) also won convincingly over 15-year-old Danielle Defrancesco (2:02.04), New Zealand’s Alannah Jury (2:02.10), Stacey Hansford (2:02.22) and Amy Thompson (2:02.29).

The Australia team in the 10K race at the 2009 World Swimming Championships in Rome will be represented by Trent, Rhys, Melissa and Danielle in Rome this coming July.

According to Ian Hanson, Trent made a strong move at the 7.5K mark and was looked back.

"I watched the Olympics last year and couldn’t wait to start training again to try and make the World Championships – it was so inspirational, particularly after finishing third at the [pool] Olympic Trials in the 1500 meters," said Trent who swam a 15:12. "At the moment, I'm going to keep doing the open water and the 1500 meter in the pool until I have to make choices down the track. I have tapered for the open water and I’m just going to try and hang on to the taper until the pool events in two weeks time."

Like the other cross-over athletes (i.e., pool + open water) on the world's stage, Trent told Ian Hanson that he was inspired by British swimmer David Davies who is not only one of the fastest 1500-meter freestylers in the world, but also won a silver in the Olympic 10K Marathon Swim.

"He has changed distance swimming that’s for sure; what he has done is amazing and I certainly have enormous respect for him," observed Trent.

Like her British cross-over competitors Keri Anne Payne and Cassandra Patten who both swam in the pool and won open water medals at the Beijing Olympics, Melissa will also try to back up her 10K victory with top finishes in the pool 200-, 400-, 800- and 1500-meter events.

And Melissa is, very importantly, learning how to adapt to the dynamics of open water racing. "I had to change tactics after the girls went out pretty quick from the start. It was my plan to try and get away early, but with the pace really on, I decided to sit with the pack and made my move at the 7.5K mark. The more 10K events you swim you learn not to panic when things don’t go according to plan."

With the elite open water swimming world already preparing for the London 2012 Olympic 10K races in central London, the Australians also have a long-term development plan. "It is very encouraging for our junior development that these two youngsters have stepped up so soon – it is a credit to themselves and their coaches Matt McGee (Rhys Mainstone) and Denis Cotterell (Danielle Defrancesco)," said Australian National Open Water head coach Greg Towle (shown on left).

10K Final Results:
MEN OPEN:
1. T Grimsey, Albany Creek, QLD, 1 hour 54 mins. 46 secs
2. R Mainstone, City of Perth, WA, 1:55.09
3. B Capell, St Peters Western, QLD, 1:55.13

17-18 years:
1. J Killey, Hunter, NSW, 1:55:22
2. P Ryan, New Zealand, 1:55:23
3. K Radford, New Zealand, 1:55:45

16 years:
1. M Halson, Surrey Park, VIC, 2:02:46.00
2. K Logan, Southside Aquatics, QLD, 2:04:18
3. J MacFarlan, West Coast, WA, 2:04:22

15 years:
1. J Beard, Bayside, NSW, 1:58:15
2. R Grimsey, Albany Creek, QLD, 2:06:05
3. J Richardson, Albany Creek, QLD, 2:06:06

14 years:
1. N Barrett, Gardens, QLD, 2:06:04
2. C Arthur, Gardens, QLD, 2:06:59
3. P Cobiac, United, NSW, 2:09:47

WOMEN OPEN:
1. M Gorman, Redcliffe Leagues, QLD, 2:00.40
2. D Defrancesco, Pro-Ma Miami, QLD, 2:02.04
3. A Jury, New Zealand, 2:02.10

17-18 years:
1. A Jury, New Zealand, 2:02:10
2. S Hansford, Bankstown Sports, NSW, 2:02:22
3. J Traficante, Telopea, NSW, 2:04:29

16 years:
1. D Defrancesco, Pro-Ma Miami, QLD, 2:02:04
2. C Zillman, Yeronga Park, QLD, 2:08:35
3. L McNamara, Surrey Park, VIC, 2:09:27

15 years:
1. S Watts, Cherrybrook Carlile, NSW, 2:15:08
2. S Furse, Clovercrest, SA, 2:18:20
3. C Palmer, Picton, NSW, 2:19:38

14 years:
1. B Robertson, Surrey Park, VIC, 2:09:39
2. C Hansford, Bankstown Sports, NSW, 2:13:43
3. E Suters, Campbelltown, NSW, 2:15:47

Photo of Melissa Gorman at the Beijing Olympics 10K swim by the Herald Sun.

Looking Under the Surface

Back in April, an alarming story from Australia about a 5K race at the 2008 Australian Age Open Water Swimming Championships in Lake Kawana caught the hit the attention of concerned adults and open water swimming enthusiasts worldwide (see photos from finish at left).


The headlines blared 'Six Teenagers Collapse after Lake Kawana Swim'. After reviewing the race results and learning that hundreds of 13-18 year old boys and girls completed the swim, we asked Australian National Team Open Water coach Greg Towle, a very experienced waterman and open water coach, for his comments about the actual swim.

"All the swimmers had to qualify in an approved open water swimming meet to compete and all had swum the [10K] distance prior to the event. All the qualifying times were checked and submitted by their respective state associations. Additionally, all swimmers had to have coaches and/or their guardians agree to their fitness and ability to compete."

"There was adequate water safety support and planning was in place, with first aid on site. It was our National Age Championships. There was a swimmer who suffered a dislocated shoulder (see photo on left), but it will not be the first or last [injury] in the sport."

"The majority of the swimmers participated the day before in the 5K km in perfect conditions. On the day of the 10K, we experienced strong winds on the same course with the same swimmers. Even the strongest and eventual winners swam well over their times from the day before on the way through the 5K. The final times were well off their best and all swimmers found the course extremely tough."

No swimmers were forced to compete or finish the race unless it was of their own accord. To the swimmers’ credit, there were very few DNF’s.

Most importantly, there were no serious health concerns and the swimmer with the dislocation was appropriately treated by medical staff.

The swim was won by Kane Radford who is one of the favorites at the upcoming Junior Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in Guam.

The headlines and photos certainly caught our attention, but it appears that the organizers had the race under control, despite the tough conditions, with adequate safety measures and procedures that were up to par with the expertise and experience commonly demonstrated by Australia beach safety patrols.*

* At the 2007 World Swimming Championships, there was a squall that hit during the women’s 25K race, and we observed first-hand how the Australian life saving staff performed professionally and quickly, rescuing dozens of swimmers in the water and dozens of staff on flooting pontoons and in small escort boats.

Yvonne Mooyman of the Black Rock Icebergers can also attest to the fast-action of Australian water safety patrols and race officials who rescued her from a shark during a swim. Just a few examples of the professionalism of our Australian colleagues.

Photos from the Australian Age Open Water Swimming Championships were taken by Che Chapman. Additional photos of the race can be seen here.

Photos of the Melbourne squall during the 25K race were taken by Dr. Jim Miller.

Preparing Down Under for London 2012

As part of its plan to develop great open water swimmers, Swimming Australia organizes a 6-part Open Water Swimming Grand Prix with AUS$24,000 in prize money available for the top male and female 10K competitors.

The series is coordinated with each of the Australian state association’s Open Water Swimming State Championships.

Four races have already been concluded, including the Queensland State Championships in Kawana Waters on October 11th, the Victoria State Championships Swimming Australia in Hazelwood Pondage on October 19th, the South Australia State Championships in Brighton Beach on November 9th, the New South Wales State Championships in the Sydney International Regatta Centre on November 30th.

The Western Australia State Championships in Sorrento Beach will be held on January 25, 2009 and the Tasmania State Championships in Hobart will be held on January 31, 2009.

The top young Australia open water swimmers will also compete in the Junior Pan Pacific Swimming Championship 10K race in Tumon Bay, Guam on January 12th, 2009. Belinda Bennett (shown above) will compete in both the pool and 10K race.


Australia’s national open water swimming coach Greg Towle has every right to be very excited about Australia’s future talent. "Swimming Australia plans to develop distance swimmers in the pool and in the open water – and to have swimmers coming into open water from the pool and still swimming pool events is very encouraging. Someone like Belinda Bennett, who qualified for the pool team in her own right and then made the open water team is certainly a credit to her and her coach Nick Veliades. Our guys are starting to learn how to swim smarter and that will hold them in good stead for future competitions."

Double Duty in Distance

Melissa Gorman, Australia's sole female entrant in the Olympic 10K Marathon Swim, will also swim the 800-meter freestyle in Beijing a la Britain's Cassandra Patten, who will also do the double duty in the distance events.

Gorman qualified for Beijing in the Olympic 10K Marathon Swim by being the top Oceania qualifier at the 2008 World Open Water Swimming Championships in Seville, Spain. She got second in the Australian Olympic Trials in the 800 freestyle in 8:36.23.

Gorman is currently training in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia with the rest of the Australian pool team and will depart for Beijing tomorrow. "It is very exciting, especially being the first time open water has been added into the Olympic Games. I mean it is being a part of history. Anyone in the race can win, so I like my chances."

Photo shows Gorman being assisted by Greg Towle, the Australian open water head coach and her teammates, as she places her gel packs at the bottom of her swim suit before the 10K swim at the 2008 World Open Water Swimming Championships.

Copyright © 2008 by World Open Water Swimming Association