Editorial content for the 2015 Arena Pro Swim Series Santa Clara is sponsored by Arena. For full Swimming World coverage, check out our coverage page.
By Chuck Kroll, Aquatic Historian and Swimming World contributor
What a fantastic day!
1) As expected day 2 in the pool produced some very nice swims with Natalie Coughlin’s American record in the 50 Back, Katinka Hosszu’s 400 IM Open record, strong swims from Michael & Missy (at least their coaches seemed pleased) and where has Femke Heemskerk been since winning gold in 2008 and silver in 2012 Olympics?! She won in a strong 200 Free field of females aqualetes. My apologies to other winners and strong performances throughout the day but I only have so many words says my editor.
2) The swimmers themselves, their coaches, the sponsors (Arena and others), USA Swimming, the Santa Clara Swim Club, its professional staff and their parent support, all the other parents, grandparents, etc., the food vendors, the fans, the Hall of Famers present and even those of us with media credentials including Rowdy and Ted Robinson all combine to make for a wonderful sun soaked day at the pool. Thank you all! #funnestSport
3) I mentioned Hall of Famers. Wow! The pool deck was filled in the evening session with many Swimming Hall of Famers. ISHOF’s Bruce Wigo introduced the likes of Donna de Varona, John Nabor, Anne Warner Cribbs, George Breen, Sharon Finneran, Jeff Farrell, Divers Micky King & Tom Gompf, Bruce Furness, Shirley Babashoff, Coaches John Urbanchek and Dick Hannula, Karen Moe, Water Polo’s Monte Nitzkowski, and in the stands Rick DeMont, Tom Jager and Stanford’s Skip Kenny. Rowdy Gaines was in the TV announcers booth and received the applause he deserves for all he brings to our sport. Let me say it backwards…WOW! For those of you I may have missed and those who joined us later in the evening…you know who you are and that you are also appreciated for all your accomplishments and contributions.
4) The ISHOF P/P awards are a very special evening of honoring those individual Aquatic Professionals who contribute so greatly to the greater World of Aquatics. Competitive swimming, diving, synchro, polo, recreational swimming, water safety, learn-to-swim, adaptive aquatics and authors of swim related books were all categories where excellence is required and was on full display with all the recipients. Personal congratulations to Johnny & Cindy Johnson and Olympian Jeff Farrell. (Please go to ISHOF.org for a complete list and bio of those who were so honored).
5) Santa Clara & ISHOF. At this point it looks like ISHOF will be moving to California. Yes there is a ‘last ditch’ effort to keep the Shrine of Swimming in Ft. Lauderdale (part of me hopes it will remain in Florida and has a Santa Clara location) but if the Santa Clara movers and shakers have anything to say about it, it seems like it is a done deal. The mayor and at least two other city officials were in attendance and they understand the history of Santa Clara swimming and the value of bringing ISHOF to their city. Good on ya, folks!
