Open Water Swimming with Seals and Michael Phelps

The Navy SEALS (Sea, Air, Land) had some special training partners at their ocean-front facilities yesterday in Coronado, California (near San Diego).

Olympic 10K Marathon swimmer Chloe Sutton and several of her USA Swimming Olympic teammates got to experience some Navy SEAL training. The SEALs specialize in stealth and clandestine military methods of operations.

The day started with a grueling form of dryland training after the soldiers and swimmers showed off their physical capabilities. The groups then did a dangerous and team-building obstacle course where double Olympic gold medalist Megan Jendrick broke her leg and then hit the 58°F Pacific Ocean water for work on rafts in and out of the surf.

Chloe, who was in a small group that included pool swimming superstars Katie Hoff and Michael Phelps, said, "Michael was the team leader and [I] was very impressed with his leadership skills and support. Each challenge was meant to be an intimate team building experience. This was one of the hardest things I have ever done. Sure swimming a two-hour race in the ocean is painful and challenging, especially when you throw in jelly fish or aggressive competitors, but this wasn't swimming and I am grateful for the experience."

Footnote: One of their teammates, double Olympic swimming medalist Larsen Jensen is currently working on becoming a Navy Seal.

Cassandra vs. Chloe

It is going to be a great Olympic 10K Marathon Swim webcast live on NBCOlympics.com at 9:00 pm ET on August 19th.

Yesterday, Britain's Cassandra Patten qualified for the 800-meter freestyle finals with a time of 8:25.91, ahead of America's top two distance aces, Katie Hoff and Kate Ziegler, and better than Chloe Sutton's time of 8:31.23 that she did at the USA Olympic Swim Team Trials.

Although Patten's best event and priority in Beijing is the Olympic 10K Marathon Swim, she is obviously swimming well. "...to come out here and make the final is pretty good. I've taken four seconds off my [personal best] after taking six or seven [seconds] off just to make the Olympics."

Qualifying first in the 800-meter freestyle was Patten's teammate, Rebecca Adlington, who upset Hoff in the 400 freestyle with a strong finishing kick. If Patten has any kind of finishing kick like her British teammate, she may be in the driver's seat in the 10K.

However, insiders suspect winning will take more than great finishing speed and tremendous endurance. Pre-race hydrationn, perfect feedings, a minimum of navigational and tactical mistakes, and the ability to swim well in the heat and humidity are what it will take for Olympic gold.

As Patten and world champion Larisa Ilchenko of Russia streak down the final straightaway to the finish, it will be very interesting to see how they fend off Chloe Sutton and the top European medal contenders.

Photo of Cassandra Patten (in front of America's Micha Burden) walking to the starting pontoon at the 2008 World Open Water Swimming Championships.

The Dream Team in the Pool

The U.S. Olympic Swim Team, including open water swimmers Chloe Sutton and Mark Warkentin, held a media day at its morning workout in Stanford University.

Over 300 reporters from Access Hollywood to Swimming World Magazine crowded the pool decks in its last opportunity to shoot and interview the Olympians until they complete their swims in Beijing.

The workout can only be described as an aquatic version of the 1992 Dream Team with Magic, Michael and Bird with…

Natalie Coughlin in lane 1 working on IM.

Dara Torres in lane 3 working on her technique.

World-record holder Margaret Hoelzer in lane 4 with double gold medalist Megan Jendrick.

Ryan Lochte and Michael Phelps going head-to-head in lanes 5-6, pushing each other to heights unknown to any other IM'er.

Over in the distance lanes, 10K marathon swimmer Mark Warkentin was working out with Peter Vanderkaay, Erik Vendt, Klete Keller and Larsen Jensen. See photo above.

By the time, Larsen had thrown down a 7:55 in an 800 free, the sprinters had started to warm up: Matt Grevers, Cullen Jones, Jason Lezak and Ben Wildman-Tobriner.

In the other pool, the University of Texas swimmers – Aaron Peirsol, Brendan Hansen and Scott Spann continued their training regimen under head men’s Olympic coach, Eddie Reese.

Likewise, Amanda Beard, Kate Ziegler and Katie Hoff powered their way on their own sets.

On the pool deck, a Who’s Who of American swimming coaches were guiding the swimmers: Mark Schubert, Bob Bowman, Gregg Troy, Frank Busch, Jack Bauerle and Teri McKeever.

Schubert described the training of America’s top female open water swimmer with its greatest pool swimmers, “It’s great. Chloe now sees herself on the same level of the rest of the team and appreciates what she has accomplished and what she can, hopefully, accomplish in other Olympics in the future.”

Photo of Mark Warkentin, Larsen Jensen and Klete Keller by Colin A Gift at the USA Olympic Swim Team Media Day at Stanford University.

Copyright © 2008 by World Open Water Swimming Association