DOLPHINS PREPARE FOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS AT ALTITUDE AND ON THREE CONTINENTS
AIS, Canberra, May 13: The Telstra Australia Dolphins have completed their six-day training camp at the AIS in Canberra, including a successful Duel in the Pool against Japan, and will now split up into respective coaching groups to fine tune preparations for the FINA World Championships in Rome this July.
As part of the preparation for the year's major meet, groups coached by Michael Bohl, John Fowlie, Vince Raleigh and Shannon Rollason will train and race at three different altitudes, while Grant Stoelwinder and his swimmers will head to Europe for a six-week block of training and competition in Barcelona, Canet, Monaco, Paris and Northern Italy.
In all, 41 swimmers and 11 coaches will clock up more than 50,000kms in air travel, across three continents over the next two months, with Swimming Australia Head Coach Alan Thompson highlighting the importance of this period of racing and training ahead of the World Championships in July.
"It's going to be difficult to keep an eye on everyone that's for sure, but the opportunity to train and compete in these different environments ahead of the World Championships was just too good to pass up," said Thompson.
"In terms of the altitude study we're really interested in what results we'll get there. Three groups will be replicating similar training, testing and racing programs at three different locations, at similar altitudes and then taper accordingly going into Rome."
"To be able to compare the results over three different groups at the same time, will give us up like-for-like analysis and this type of study is a first for the Dolphins."
Thompson will travel to Europe to follow three of the training groups during their competition in the Mare Nostrum series, but before that will head to Lausanne in Switzerland for a swimsuit approval meeting with FINA on Monday 18 May.
"I've been invited to the meeting to represent the international coaches and will be pushing strongly to finally get some clarity on the issue," said Thompson.
"I've said all along we need to get back to talking about athletes and their performances, and not whether or not a suit is legal or otherwise. But to do this we need to clarify the issue once and for all."
"We need to ensure all new guidelines are in the best interests of the sport, and we need to ensure those guidelines are followed."
The FINA swimsuit approval meeting will not start until 2100 AEST on Monday 18 May, with any announcement from the meeting not expected to be made until Tuesday 19 May at the earliest.
PLEASE NOTE: Once the meeting has convened, and FINA has made an official statement on the swimsuit approval decision, Swimming Australia Head Coach Alan Thompson will be made available via phone for interviews.TELSTRA DOLPHINS TRAINING AND RACING SCHEDULE FOR MAY / JUNE
Coach: Michael Bohl
Swimmers: Kenrick Monk, Ryan Naploeon, Meagen Nay, Stephen Parkes and Stephanie Rice
Training Schedule:
May 15 to June 5 training at Flagstaff Arizona (2133 meters above sea level)
June 8-10 training at Tuscon
June 17 return to Australia to train in Brisbane at St Peters Western
Competition Schedule:
Jun 6-7 compete at South West Invitational at Tuscon
June 11-13 compete at Santa Clara International
Coach: John Fowlie
Swimmers: Tommaso D'Orsogna, Felicity Galvez
Training Schedule:
May 15 to June 5 training in Sierra Nevada, Spain (2320 meters above sea level)
June 12 return to Australia to train at the AIS in Canberra
Competition Schedule:
June 6-7 compete at the Mare Nostrum in Barcelona
June 9-10 compete at the Mare Nostrum in Canet
June 20-21 compete at the Grand Prix 2 event in Melbourne
Coach: Vince Raleigh
Swimmers: Ashley Delaney, Nick Ffrost, Robert Hurley, Patrick Murphy, Kirk Palmer, Brenton Rickard
Training Schedule:
May 15 to June 5 training at Flagstaff Arizona (2133 meters above sea level)
June 8-10 training at Tuscon
Competition Schedule:
Jun 6-7 compete at South West Invitational at Tuscon
June 11-13 compete at Santa Clara International
June 20-21 compete at the Grand Prix 2 event in Melbourne
Coach: Grant Stoelwinder
Swimmers: Matt Abood, Andrew Lauterstein, Eamon Sullivan, Libby Trickett
Training Schedule:
May 14 -29 train in Sydney at NSWIS
May 31- June 5 train in Barcelona
June 15-16 train in Antibes, France with French world record holder Alain Bernard
June 17- 19 train in Paris
June 22 to July 14 train in Varese, Northern Italy at the AIS European Training Centre
Competition Schedule:
June 6-7 compete at the Mare Nostrum in Barcelona
June 9-10 compete at the Mare Nostrum in Canet
June 13-14 compete at the Mare Nostrum in Monaco
June 20-21 compete at the Paris International in Paris
Coach: Stephan Widmer
Swimmers: Sophie Edington, Kyle Richardson, Jessicah Schipper, Christian Sprenger, Chris Wright
Training Schedule:
May 13 to May 30 training in Brisbane
May 31 to June 5 training in Barcelona
Competition Schedule:
June 6-7 compete at the Mare Nostrum in Barcelona
June 9-10 compete at the Mare Nostrum in Canet
June 13-14 compete at the Mare Nostrum in Monaco
Coach: Shannon Rollason
Swimmers: Merindah Dingjan, Sally Foster, Belinda Hocking, Tarnee White
Training Schedule:
May 14 to June 19 train at the AIS while living in the AIS Altitude House (simulated to 3000 meters above sea level)
June 22 to July 14 train at the AIS in Canberra
Competition Schedule:
Jun 6-7 time trials at the AIS Pool in Canberra tbc
June 11-13 time trials at the AIS Pool in Canberra tbc
June 20-21 compete at the Grand Prix 2 event in Melbourne
Coach: Rohan Taylor
Swimmers: Sarah Katsoulis
Training Schedule:
May 14 to May 31 training in Melbourne
June 2 to June 4 training in Tuscon, USA
June 22 to July 14 training in Melbourne
Competition Schedule:
Jun 6-7 compete at South West Invitational at Tuscon
June 11-13 compete at Santa Clara International
June 20-21 compete at the Grand Prix 2 event in Melbourne
Training in Home States and Competing in the Grand Prix 2 in Melbourne June 20-21
Swimmers: Cate Campbell, Samantha Hamill, Blair Evans, Melissa Gorman, Emily Seebohm, , Ellen Fullerton, Lachlan Staples, Adam Pine, Shayne Reese (Matt Targett will return to Auburn University on May 25)
Coaches: Simon Cusack, Matt Brown