"World" championships

evmoevmo SydneyAdmin
edited March 2013 in General Discussion
The last few comments have been off topic, and frankly don't do justice to the thoughtful content in the rest of the USMS Sanctioning thread.

@Niek, if you have a problem, take it up with @Munatones, a.k.a. "WOWSA."

[From comments split from: USMS OW SANCTIONING.]

Comments

  • gregocgregoc Charter Member
    @Niek boy are you wound tight. I believe registration is still open. World wide in fact. You should sign up.
  • ChickenOSeaChickenOSea Charter Member
    It's open to all!! If I were not already committed that weekend I'd go and come DFL on behalf of Downunder :)))
  • IronMikeIronMike Northern VirginiaCharter Member
    @ChickenOSea, I thought you were from Chicago? ;)

    We're all just carbon, water, starlight, oxygen and dreams

  • bobswimsbobswims Santa Barbara CACharter Member
    Niek wrote:
    Only one major problem with this:
    Hey USA your not the whole of America and certainly not the whole world.

    I'll make a note of that.

    :-)

  • lcolettelcolette Charter Member
    edited March 2013
    deleted at @lcolette's request
  • IronMikeIronMike Northern VirginiaCharter Member
    So if the WOWSA hosted a 10-mile world championship somewhere in Europe, it still couldn't be called a world championship?

    I agree it is stupid we call the pinnacle of baseball the world series with only teams from two nations taking part, but I think the wOWSA can host their championships anywhere in the world and call them world championships.

    We're all just carbon, water, starlight, oxygen and dreams

  • loneswimmerloneswimmer IrelandCharter Member
    Just a reminder to everyone of the note at the top of the home page:

    Lively discussion is welcome - but please, no personal attacks.

    loneswimmer.com

  • FilFil Derby, VTCharter Member
    @ Niek and those who share the sentiment. A fair issue. Who are we in the relatively remote Northeast Kingdom of Vermont to host a "world" championship event?

    We are a friendly, high spirited group which is committed to making our wonderful lakes accessible to the worldwide open water swimming community. Our organizing committee has members from Cork to San Fransisco. We have a world class venue and world class accommodations (everything from grand hotels, to B&B's to camping and some wonderful restaurants on both sides of the border).

    This is not like professional baseball that hosts the "World Series" but limits the teams that can compete for that title. The use of the word "world" to our way of thinking describes the scope of the invitation. If the world wide community sees the value in what we offer, responds, and takes the challenge, then this event will will grow to be a true "world" championship. That's one of the reasons for the 5 year agreement, to allow us time to build this event.

    Our venue is a 2 hour drive from Montreal. 3.5 hours from Boston. NEKOWSA also hosts In Search of Memphre, a 25 mile international swim the length of Lake Memphremagog in September and 7 days of swimming in a variety of relatively pristine lakes in northern Vermont and the Eastern Townships of Quebec over the course of 9 days in August. On line registration and more information is at:

    http://www.kingdomswim.org/NEKOWSA.php

    (It will take about a week for us to revise the website, but online registration is open, active, and effective to reserve your place in any of these events.

    We very much appreciate WOWSA, which truly understands and supports our brand of open water swimming -- long legs, few buoys, sometimes "frisky" conditions, great support out on the water and on land, and a wonderful and growing group of good spirited open water swimmers. No Lanes - No Lines - No Limits.

    Hope you'll join us for a great swim and a great time.

    Fil
  • david_barradavid_barra NYCharter Member
    @Niek, Lake Memphremagog is not unknown to the international community, as the professional circuit will attest, so do come on over... and bring us your stroopwafels!

    ...anything worth doing is worth overdoing.

  • sharkbaitzasharkbaitza LondonMember
    for the record... The World Baseball series is named after the initial sponsor (The World newspaper). But hey, I'm from SA so I don't really care about baseball... Give me a 5 day test any day.

    However, although I'm not going to jump on the anti-USA bashing wagon (or any bashing wagon) I do think that for any swimming compo to be called a World Championship, surely it would need to fall under FINA. Irrespective of where it is held?
  • timsroottimsroot Spring, TXCharter Member
    However, although I'm not going to jump on the anti-USA bashing wagon (or any bashing wagon) I do think that for any swimming compo to be called a World Championship, surely it would need to fall under FINA. Irrespective of where it is held?

    I understand the logic, but FINA only offers world championships for their 2 international open water series, and at 5k, 10k, and 25k distances. Since they don't offer a 10 mile championship, I think it's fair game to have one.

    To me, it's kind of like World Superbikes vs. MotoGP (at least before MotoGP bought SBK). I believe that both competitions call their winners "World Champions", even though they didn't compete against the other series. Sure, it's a bit dubious, but whatever.

    Honestly, I don't anticipate being in the running for any world championships, even within my age group, so I'm just going to go swim an enjoyable swim and have a good weekend out of town.
  • gregocgregoc Charter Member
    I view FINA swimmers as professional OW competitors and the other OW events around the world that do not pay out for placing as amateur events. They usually attract two different classes of OW swimmers. Of course there is always crossover. Maybe for clarification the Kingdom 10-mile should be an "Amateur World Championship".
  • HaydnHaydn Member
    The swimmers will decide. Just see if the best attend and claim the titles.
  • MunatonesMunatones Charter Member
    A few points that may be of interest:
    1. FINA limits its participation in its world championship open water events to 2 athletes per country. Every country has different qualification standards.
    2. FINA limits its world masters championship events to shorter races.
    3. FINA has no full-time employees devoted to supporting or promoting open water swimming.
    4. Professional swimmers are also invited to the Kingdom Swim which places no limits on the number of athletes per country.
    5. Most professional swimmers, at least those on the 2 FINA professional circuits, operate in a deficit situation. That is the prize money they earn on the circuits are not adequate to cover their training, travel and miscellaneous expenses, let alone provide them with a living that would be defined at above the poverty level in the United States. Where they can earn money is corporate and private sponsorships - just as many amateur athletes do for their own marathon swims.

    Steven Munatones
    www.worldopenwaterswimmingassociation.com
    Huntington Beach, California, U.S.A.

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