A confession: I don't even know if Ryan Lochte's going the Austin Prix, or if Katie Hoff is. I know Michael Phelps isn't and Dara Torres is. I've been too busy to glance at the psych sheet. I've also been nursing a sick daughter in-between working.
There's been a lot going on outside of the pool, lots of drama, though I'm not naming any names. You'd have to be dead not to know what rocked the swimming community back on Super Bowel Sunday.
But I think the Austin Grand Prix is this year's tipping point, a time when swimming gets back to serious competition.
Chris LaBianco (Chief of the USA Swimming Foundation) and I traveled to Tiburon last weekend. The Austin Grand Prix was on older swimmers minds while we attended a party for a former USA National Team member. The party was a birthday party for Bob Placak, founder of the famous RCP Tiburon Mile, one of the greatest open water races on the planet. Bob's full of life and always inspiring to see. He entertained Olympic gold medalists Klete Keller, Erik Vendt and me. He also took us all on a bit of history lesson about swimming. Check it out! It's worth seeing:
ON THE ROAD: Bob Placak from Mel Stewart on Vimeo.
Bob's what makes swimming feel so much like family. Through his RCP Tiburon Mile he has invited the best of the best into his home each year, as well as swimmers who simply swim recreationally.
The Grand Prix competitions feel like a family reunion every time too. I can't wait to see Dara Torres. She's at the epicenter of nearly all coaches and athletes. There probably won't be a face at the meet she wouldn't recognize.
Garrett Weber-Gale is someone I've been watching closely. I'm a fan of his blog, and his tips on eating healthy. Garrett looked tired at the last Grand Prix in Missouri. I know he's been in heavy training, and that he doesn't usually swim that close to his best times until the end of the season. Unlike many gold medalists from 2008 Olympics, Garrett got back in the water pretty quickly. For an in-depth look at Garrett, go to swimnetwork.com. My new talk show, GOLD MEDAL MINUTE, breaks it all down.
Like I said, I don't know if Ryan Lochte or Katie Hoff are going to be in Austin. I think so, and hope so. They're exciting to see swim and fantastic interviews. I'll be covering the event for swimnetwork.com. And I'll be grabbing some quick interviews, aside from the serious stuff, just for fun.
Check out these two videos with Lochte and Hoff. They were nice enough to say a kind word about the USA Swimming Foundation's towels, and they're fun to watch:
Essence of Ryan "Reezy" Lochte: The Foundation Towel from Mel Stewart on Vimeo.
Katie Hoff, "Support the USA Swimming Foundation" Cause Page from Mel Stewart on Vimeo.
This is the piece the paper did about Ryan being in Canandaigua, which is actually in western NY, the beautiful Finger Lakes region. http://gannett.a.mms.mavenapps.net/mms/rt/1/site/gannett-rochester-070-pub01-live/current/launch.html?maven_playerId=sect_default&maven_referralObject=1054393323
Canandaigua Academy is one of the better teams in the area. My son competes against CA in this pool.
Posted by: Sandy | March 10, 2009 at 04:48 AM
Katie's in Austin with Bob. Dara was interviewed on the Morning Swim Show and mentioned seeing them.
Posted by: Kate | March 04, 2009 at 11:32 PM
hi mel! one of my friends from update NY just sent me an email - she lives in Canandaigua, NY. She said she heard that Lochte is doing something at the YMCA Thursday and Friday.. (she thinks) i guess no grand prix. ps. update ny has the best town names....
Posted by: Bianca | March 04, 2009 at 05:36 PM