Double Dip: Competing in both Water Polo and Swimming at DC IGLA '08

by Mike Crosby:

I had another blast playing water polo and swimming for WH2O at IGLA/Gay Games! It is always an exhausting experience, since I like to socialize, perform in Pink Flamingo, and see the city as well. This year, the logistics were especially difficult with a subway AND a shuttle to the swimming pool (in the past it’s been just one or the other), and competitions at remote venues. However, the pools themselves were very nice and it certainly helped WH2O polo that they had us battle QUAC at University of Maryland on the last day in a regulation-sized pool (the Tacoma Park courses were a lil’ small).

Thanks to my coaches and teammates for being understanding of me missing a game and a half (out of 6) and 2 events (out of 8). Those I did make were sportsmanlike and successful: many medals, fast races, steals, assists, and goals. Even better of course was the honor and joy I had competing with such fun, friendly, and fantastic aquaholics.

Congrats to Brian Murphy, Bryan Libit, Luis Bahamón, Mike Baron, and Jackie Cole who were my fellow "ironpeople" this year doing two sports (we won't disclose that the latter two played polo for WH2O but swam for the triumphant Long Beach Grunions ☺). Bernie both swam and coached! Carlos not only swam well but also put up with my always-in-a-rush shenanigans! Hope we can increase the numbers of multi-sport athletes even more at future practices and competitions.

An unexpected but pleasant surprise was being nominated IGLA Co-Chair by Jim Cude, our own Secretary and current IGLA Co-President. Thanks, Jim! Everyone, please feel free to give us (and Bernie) feedback (mikecrosby@post.harvard.edu) to pass on to the planners of Copenhagen 2009 and Cologne 2010. I am especially curious how to get more to the awards banquet/dance party (besides making the tickets more affordable).
For those who like to reminisce, here’s a little list from my eight years on this team. It’s definitely worth considering which “Type” the IGLA is before deciding which sport(s) and events you wish to do. I’ve heard Copenhagen has venues that are very close—NICE!!!

Type 1 (lowest conflicts): One venue with swimming in morning, polo in afternoon
Recent Examples: Sydney 2002, Fort Lauderdale 2004, and Atlanta 2005
Type 2 (medium conflicts): Swimming and water polo simultaneous but at same venue
Recent Example: San Francisco 2003
Type 3 (most conflicts): Swimming and water polo simultaneous and at remote venues
Recent Examples: Toronto 2001, Chicago 2006*, Paris 2007, and DC 2008

*Despite the commute, I remember commending the 13 WH2O athletes competing in at least two aquatic sports at the Gay Games, so it is certainly doable!
See you at the pool or out and about!

WH2O's Winning Pink Flamingo Relay

Diving For Gold

Congrats to Luis Bahamon for winning the Gold in the Men's 1M Diving Age Group 45-49.

A Swimmer's Review of IGLA

From WH2O'er Jon Bauer:

I had the best IGLA ever. I completed my four year term as the IGLA FGG delegate. I had the privilege to represent IGLA at Federation of Gay Games meetings in Koln, London, Lyon, and San Francisco. It is great IGLA Board position. This completes eight years of serving IGLA. IGLA is still in great hands with our new Co-President Jim Cude and Co-Chair, Mike Crosby. Jim did a great job running the IGLA banquet. I am forever retired.

I felt really good with our training and taper. Our 240 plus 4 X 200 relay with Paulo, Neill Weiner, Brian Murphy won a gold medal. I felt great in the water, swam my best times in about twelve years and won all five of my events. Paulo, Neill, Brian, and I set an IGLA record in the 240 plus 4 X 50 relay.

Riding the DC metro and night time dinners provided the opportunity to have quality time with lots of teammates who swim in other lanes or at different workouts.

(pictured via Neil Weiner: Paulo, Neil and Jon minus Brian from the 240+ Relay)

More IGLA 2008 Swimming Photos

IGLA 2008 Results Are Up

DCAC has posted the results for the 2008 IGLA Championships. Check them out online at the DCAC website.

WH2O Water Polo Takes Gold

Here is a picture of the 2008 IGLA Water Polo Championship Team. Way to go WH2O. This photo and many more photos can be found on the Washington Blade one of the official sponsors of IGLA 2208. Click HERE for the gallery.

IGLA 2008 Swimming Photos

Santa Clarita LCM Swim Meet

Tamara Draper, Adam Davis and Dan Adams represented WH2O at the Santa Clarita Masters LCM Swim Meet on May 18th. It was hot outside—the pavement was too hot to walk on bare foot—but the pool was chilled to perfect competition temperature. The afternoon races moved quickly with 1-3 heats in most events. Getting enough fluids was a constant effort. There were some good performances put in at the meet. Adam and Tamara each swam four races. Adam started off with a nicely paced 200 free and met his goal time (cited just before the race to Tamara and Dan). Adam showed good endurance with a fast final lap of the race. Adam and Dan each put in good efforts in the 200 IM. They were in the same heat so that might have contributed to it. Tamara swam most (if not all) of the 50 meter races. Both Tamara and Adam swam the 50 fly and 50 back. Tamara used an efficient side-breath butterfly stroke and generally seemed pleased with her performances. Concerns were raised about a hesitation in Adam’s backstroke but there were no signs of it during the video-taped race! Dan rested up for the 50 breast and managed to put in a personal best in the event that came late in the meet. The whole meet was wrapped up in less than three hours. As they left the pool, Dan, Tamara and Adam talked about the opportunities for more long course meter races at the Mission Viejo meet on June 1st.

By Dan Adams

Gaysports.com Covers WH2O At Nationals

The leading website that covers gay sports GaySports.com has two great photo galleries. Check them both out here and here .

From The Email Bag: Pacific Open Water Challenge

OPEN WATER SWIMMING – THE NEWEST SPORT IN THE OLYMPICS

10K of No Lanes, No Lines, No Walls and No Mercy

The Pacific Open Water Challenge (www.pacificopenwater.com) will be on June 29^th near Belmont Plaza and thought you and your team members might be interested in the race or the free pre-race open water swimming clinic on June 21^st near Belmont Plaza or the Olympic open water swim preview on June 13^th (see below), if anyone is in the area.

The newest sport in the Olympics is open water swimming. 50 athletes will swim 10 kilometers in the Beijing Olympic rowing basin and the fight for the gold medal will come down to a frantic sprint where anything goes.

Who are the stars of this sport? What does it take to swim 10,000 meters at a pace close to 1 minute per 100 yards? Where do they train? Why do they do this? How long does it take? And, very importantly, how can you get involved?

Learn the answers at next free Olympic Open Water Swimming Talk in the REI Huntington Beach store on June 13^th at 7:00 pm (in the Bella Terra shopping mall off the 405 Freeway at 7777 Edinger Ave. Huntington Beach 92647; tel: 714-379-1938).

Steven Munatones, an International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame inductee and a former USA Swimming National Team open water coach, will explain the sport and show photos and video clips from elite open water races around the world.

The talk will include a special Olympic swimming preview of the battle between two American stars – both from Southern California – and the rest of the world’s best.

The 90-minute presentation is free and will cover the following topics:

1. What is Open Water Swimming?

2. Great Open Water Swims in History

3. Modern-day Open Water Swimming

4. Open Water Swimming Tactics & Strategies

5. How Do You Get Involved?

6. Equipment

7. The Beijing Olympics

For more information, contact Steven Munatones at headcoach@10Kswim.com.

2007 Relay All Americans

A big congrats goes out to our 2007 Relay All Americans!

WH2O WEST HOLLYWOOD AQUAT

Justin S Brannock 26
Brian J Olver 29
Jonathan Russell 24
Matthew B Schmidt 28

IGLA Info Update

IGLA 2008 Registration is closed
Igla registration is now closed. Any transactions/changes made on the igla2008 website will not be processed. Please email igla2008@gmail.com with any questions.

If you haven't done so already, IGLA 2008 encourages you to attend the closing night Banquet & Dance party, the social highlight of every IGLA! Tickets to the banquet and dance (as well as igla t-shirts) can be purchased here: http://www.swimdcac.org/IGLACheckout.html

Information on the Banquet is here: http://www.igla2008.org/socialActivities.php

Hotel Reservations
If you still are in need of a hotel room in DC, we still have rooms available in one of our host hotels, the Hotel Rouge. It's a great hotel, in a fantastic location and it's within a block of the other host hotels.

IGLA 2008 has negotiated a special IGLA rate of $179 per night for the dates of June 18th - June 23, but we can no longer guarantee that the rate will be available. We would like as many people as possible to use our host hotels, so please contact Allison Cutting at the hotel on 202-939-6409 during business hours (Eastern time) to access the rate. You may also send her an e-mail at allison.cutting@kimptonhotels.com, You will not be able to access the rate by calling the hotel's 800 number, or through their web site.

Pink Flamingo
If your team is planning on participating in Pink Flamingo, please email pinkf@igla2008.org.
The theme for this year's Pink Flamingo is "In Hot Water."

A Pink Flamingo planning meeting and time to rehearse in the pool with music will take place after the conclusion of the swimming competition on Friday, and before the start of the Synchronized Swimming competition.

FINA Registration Cards
Just a reminder, if you haven't already, please send IGLA 2008 a copy of your FINA Registration Card (i.e. USMS, USWP, Swim Alberta, etc). You can send via email, igla2008@gmail.com; fax, 202-293-1880; or mail: IGLA-2008/DCAC, PO BOX 12211, Washington DC 20005. You will not be able to compete if you do not provide IGLA 2008 with proof of your FINA registration.

SEE YOU IN 2 WEEKS!

Culver City Workouts

We will have evening practices at Culver City during the West Hollywood pool closure starting TOMORROW.

It will be short course yards, and we will have 6 lanes, with the exception of Thursday when we will be limited to 4 lanes.

Below is the evening schedule, in addition to our morning workouts at VNSO (very well attended this morning, btw) and regularly scheduled weekend workouts:

Wednesday, June 4th: 7:00-8:30pm

Thursday, June 5th: 6:30-8:00pm

Friday, June 6th: 7:00-8:30pm (yes, an extra 30 minutes!)

Monday, June 9th: 7:00-8:30pm

Tuesday, June 10th: NO EVENING PRACTICE

Culver City Plunge. 4175 Overland Avenue Culver City, CA 90230.

IGLA Kick Off Party Photos / Team Photo

IGLA Relay Sign Ups

If you are going to IGLA in DC and swimming (there are 36 of you out there!)....please download and fill out the following relay sign-up form.

DOWNLOAD FORM HERE
http://www.teamunify.com/wha/__doc__/IGLA%20Relay%20Form.pdf

This form is to help Kiley and Bernie figure out what relays you want to swim and your times. There are printouts available at the pool too. Please return your completed forms to the black box at the WeHo pool no later than Friday June 13, or you can eMail your response to Bernie at BernieJL@aol.com. Bernie can also answer any questions you may have.

Thanks for taking the time to fill out this relay form.

IGLA HEAT SHEETS

Ppsych sheets for the 2008 IGLA swimming competition are available.

If you have registered but did not receive an e-mail with them please email vpadmin@wh2o.org for a copy.

When you do get the heat sheets please look this over to ensure that all your information is correct (i.e., events, times, team, sex, age...)

To ensure that the heat sheets in the program are accurate, please email IGLA @ igla2008@gmail.com with any corrections by tomorrow, Tuesday, June 3, by 6:00pm Eastern Standard Time.

Please also check that all your teammates appear to be properly registered.