"Eurosport" rumor denied! - Laure Manadou will not return to her former swim coach, Philippe Lucas!

Here is a Babelfish translation of the French text from JDD.fr: "...Then, Philippe Lucas, intervening on Internet site of the Point, contradicted any interview with Laure Manaudou and stated that it will not involve the Olympic champion left estrangement Beijing 2008: “They are conneries”, declared the technician laid off in US Melun, before putting completely fine at these rumours: “I will not take again Laure. It is not topicality. It is clear!”. ..." [Link]

I like Babelfish, the translations are so sketchy it is almost stream of consciousness!

If she needs a coach, and she was willing to work hard and enjoy complete anonymity, she should consider swimming at the University of Southern California in my hometown of Los Angeles!

Jessica Hardy, Larsen Jensen and 4 other Olympians have a lot in common!

UPDATE: Orange County does a partial retraction to the Jessica Hardy/AdvoCare story. What is really interesting was what wasn't retracted: [Link]

"What a mess!" is how the email from Daniel ended and what an understatement that was! Daniel emailed me a slew of articles about the Jessica Hardy fallout and all of which clearly illustrate what a tangled web this is going to be. Perhaps even to the level of a Balco if more Olympians test positive?

So, what does Jessica Hardy, Larsen Jensen and four other Olympians have in common? From the OC Register: "... World champion swimmer Jessica Hardy is one of at least six members of the 2008 U.S. Olympic team who are listed as endorsers of a nutritional supplements and sport performance products company whose products have been banned by the NCAA and have been linked to positive drug tests. ..."

"...Hardy has promoted her use of AdvoCare products on both her personal website and company websites. On one AdvoCare site Hardy said she used 12 of the company's products with names like "Muscle Gain," "Muscle Strength," "Catalyst," "Amplify A.T." and "02 Gold. ... " [Link]

Also mentioned in the article is that AdvoCare also has 14 product liability lawsuits filed against it! In a side bar at the OC Register, this is why it si going to get real messy. More from the OC Register: "...But this press release from the NCAA says student athletes are inadvertently testing positive for synephrine, a banned substance, and lists a number of supplements that contain the drug, including one made by AdvoCare. ..."

I suspect that all the athletes connected to this company, Jessica Hardy, Larsen Jensen and the four others are going to be extraordinarily scrutinized at this point.

Larsen Jenson and Erik Vendt are wearing the 'Speedo LZR' but they are not signed with Speedo

From the L.A. Times today: "... [Erik Vendt] is wearing the suit he feels is the fastest in the world, not because there is any deal pending," said Evan Morgenstein, Vendt's agent. "I'm hoping to have something for him but there's no guarantee."

"... Stu Isaac of Speedo, however, said talks are ongoing with Vendt and Jensen. ..."

They also bring up Cullen Jones who says he is sticking with Nike and makes it clear that he appreciates them as well. [Link]

I have a feeling that some time after this Olympic year, the Speedo LZR is going to be deemed illegal just like the TYR Aquashift was. In my opinion FINA is now being confronted with the fact that they have seriously alienated a myriad of companies over their meek definition of the word fabric. (Speedo, I believe, has mixed or layered in urethane within their fabric. Hence, is it fabric anymore? Is the neoprene on the blueseventy fabric? I don't know?

There is a lot of FINA sponsorship dollars involved here and those alienated companies might begin to think that the triathlons and triathletes might be a better investment than swim meets and swim stars. In fact, sports agents may suffer over this too. If TYR isn't signing, and NIKE isn't signing, then there goes their "bidding wars."

I think FINA will soon begin to feel their pain in the form of fewer sponsored meets and lots of corporate acrimony for the investment dollars they have been summarily lost will not be taken lightly.

D'Arcy barred from Olympic camp - Cowley will need surgery!

Note the picture to the right of Nick D'Arcy. He does not even have one bruise to his face. He has been charged "grievous bodily harm." From the SMH: [Link]

Simon Cowley, to undergo corrective surgery - From livenews.com.au: "... Controversial swimmer Nick D'Arcy will not particiapte an Australian Olympic Team Orientation Camp as the fallout from his alleged assault of fellow swimmer Simon Cowley at a Sydney nightclub.

D'Arcy was charged with assault following his alleged involvement in a pub brawl that left Cowley nursing multiple facial fractures, and will miss the camp to be held later this month. ...

D'Arcy has spoken of his "deep regret" over his involvement in the incident and the serious injuries suffered by Cowley, who is due to have surgery tomorrow. ..."

Doctors are waiting for the swelling to subside before performing corrective surgery for numerous facial injuries, including a fractured jaw and broken nose. ..." [Link]

My take: Cowley will probably have scars and perhaps permanent damage to his eye socket as a result of this beating but at least charges have been filed against D'Arcy who goes to court on April 21st. I found NO reference to Simon Cowley being charged, just D'Arcy. Hence, let's see what sort of defense D'Arcy puts up.

But you know what really "blows" for Australia? Some of their best swimmers witnessed this and now they will have to explain to the public, their sponsors and to the police what they were doing when this was all going down and they will do so under oath.

I can only cheer for the Australian women's team now. I can't even cheer for Grant Hackett after he meekly defended D'Arcy. Now I hope Larsen Jensen, Eric Vendt and even Park Tae-Hwan hand him his ass.

Next, Olympic great, Kieren Perkins said the The Age.Com.Au: "... Dual Olympic gold medallist Kieren Perkins said swimmer Nick D'Arcy had failed as a role model and should be banned from competing at the Beijing Games. ... I really can't see how we could possibly take somebody in that scenario onto an Olympic team," the 34-year-old told ABC radio.

"It is a group of people that are representing our country at the highest international level.

"Yes, we're sports people. Yes, we want to win. Yes, we want to see that we're the best in the world - but at what price? ..." [Link]

The 'TYR Tracer Light' speed-suit is quasi-water proof?

At the TYR site is a short flash movie of the new TYR Tracer Light. According to the athletes on the video;Larsen Jensen, Amanda Weir, they hint that it is water proof since it dries so fast [Link]

All of the above pimp it quite solidly with comments about how light, how smooth, how water repellent it is and fast. I am not paid to pimp TYR but the athletes on their payroll are. I wear TYR because their suits have proven demonstrably faster than Speedo for me. In fact, I am giving my Speedo leggings away after setting three personal bests in a TYR at the SPMA Bellmont SCM Championship meet this past weekend.

Ian Thorpe front view as compared to Grant Hackett and Larsen Jensen

I see Ian Thorpe's catch and pull closer to his body than say Grant Hackett as seen below. Larsen Jensen's is more to the side. Larsen comes in at the center line, appears to skull out to the front of his shoulder and then pulls towards the side. I actually find Jensen's the most symmetrical stroke.

Coach Jon Urbanchek says torque is more important than power in swimming

Coach Jon Urbanchek, swim coach for Michigan, states on video at a USC practice that torque; (fancy word for acceleration), is more important than power.

No wonder I am better at long course and open water than I am short course. It is all about the turnover, baby!

He states it on video at Flowcast.org/swimming while attending a USC practice with Larsen Jensen and Oui M., and Klete Keller: [ Video is at the bottom of the page - Link]

Erik Vendt turned and burned and went hydro-ballistic in the 1500m

Erik Vendt stormed the 1500m breaking the 15-minute barrier in a time of 14:57.o1. (Did you know that when you break the 15 minute barrier in the 1500m free a very large bubble pops in your wake and nothing but super-heated, hydrogen steam busts out as the oxygen atoms separate from the H2? It's true! I kid you not! Go ask Erik, Larsen or Grant Hackett.

Erik's splits were SICK! his first 50m was a 27+ and he held 30 seconds for each 50 the whole way. The splits were tighter and more precise than Kate Ziegler's. Here is a link to them: [Link]

This swim was a personal best for Erik, thus violating his last personal best set 7 years ago. (For a swimmer, that is like waiting in dog-years!)

Anyway, Larsen Jensen placed second just two seconds later breaking 15 minutes as well.

I think Grant Hackett is potentially in trouble here.

Here is a detailed writeup at Lane 9 News: [Link]

Something in the water at Mission Viejo? Yeah, distance swimmers!

Let's see, they have that saying: "birds of a feather flock together" but that phrase doesn't work when describing aquatics. How about: Fish of a flipper pod with a good skipper?

Okay, It's official, I am no poet!

Chloe Sutton, an open water swimmer who swam well at worlds is moving down south to the Natadores so as to train with the likes of Larsen Jensen, Sachiko Yamada, Fran Crippen and other aquatic-comic-book-hero-types under the guidance of Coach Bill Rose.

Lane 9 News, our most linked to swim news source has the details about who is there and some quotes from the coach regarding such talent: [Link]

Mission Viejo is becoming both a distance and open-water Mecca, err... Atlantis, for potential distance oriented Olympians. (I can't mix metaphors if I want to be a good writer. You know "fish of a Flipper", Atlantis, Olympics; it all blends now.)

More on Chloe at the Washington Post: [Link]

Hackett versus Vendt in the 1500m at Mare Nostrum: This went completely under my radar!

Grant Hackett and Erik Vendt went toe-to-toe in the 1500m at the Mare Nostrum meet yesterday with both of them nearly swimming under the 15:00 barrier. When all was said and done, less than a second separated Grant Hackett's victory over Vendt.

"...Hackett came out on top in 15:00.58 with Vendt not far behind in 15:01.54. ..." [Link]

Erik has to be stoked since he not only held the Olympic champion to less than a second but that he could be swimming faster than Larsen Jensen; (Larsen Jensen swam an 8:12 for an 800m yesterday at the TYR Swim Meet of Champions in Mission Viejo. Vendt swam nearly twice as far at a faster pace.)

According to Timed Finals Larsen Jensen wants to be a Navy SEAL. Yes! That Larsen Jensen, the one with the Silver and Gold medals from the 2004 Athens Olympics.

If true, I commend him for his desire to serve our country. However, if the reasons printed over at my very favorite swim blog, Timed Finals, are accurate and this is an actual quotation, and these are the ONLY reasons he wants to serve and protect our country, I would suggest that his parents, friends, and neighbors sit him down and tell him how much they love and appreciate him for I don't feel his reasons for joining are appropriate given the job description of a Navy SEAL.

Here is the quote: “I can’t think of a more honorable profession. And I look forward to using my degree in political science in politics or business. But ultimately what motivates me is making my family, friends and country proud of me. If I do that, and I become someone that they can look up to, then I will never have any regrets.”

His plans are to join post Beijing. Since Larsen has a degree hopefully they will make him an officer rather than a soldier on the ground.

After looking at these swimming requirements at Navy-SEALs-dot-com, I have to say I am underwhelmed by them especially the 2 mile swim with fins expected to be completed in 75 minutes. Larsen won't have any trouble I am sure but I don't think they are looking for swimmers but rather warriors.

PHYSICAL EVOLUTION REQUIRED TIME

FIRST PHASE

50 meter underwater swim PASS/FAIL
Underwater knot tying PASS/FAIL
Drown proofing test PASS/FAIL
Basic Lifesaving test PASS/FAIL
1200 meter pool swim with fins 45 min
1 mile bay swim with fins 50 min
1 mile ocean swim with fins 50 min
1 l/2 mile ocean swim with fins 70 min
2 mile ocean swim with fins 95 min
Obstacle course 15 min
4 mile timed run 32 min

POST HELL WEEK

2000 meter conditioning pool swim without fins Completion
1 1/2 mile night bay swim with fins Completion
2 mile ocean swim with fins 85 min
4 mile timed run 32 min
Obstacle course 13 min

SECOND PHASE

2 mile ocean swim with fins 80 min
4 mile timed run (in boots) 31 min
Obstacle course 10:30
3 I/2 mile ocean swim with fins Completion
5 1/2 mile ocean swim with fins Completion

THIRD PHASE

Obstacle course 10 min
4 mile timed run (in boots) 30 min
14 mile run Completion
2 mile ocean swim with fins 75 min