The Daily Nationals Enquirer August 13, 2008

NATIONALS ENQUIRER DAILY

AUGUST 14, 2008

You Be The Star - Videos at Nationals No longer do you have to rely on that boxed set of “Sex and the City” DVDs for entertainment! After this meet, you will be able to dazzle your family and friends with a DVD of all your swims at the Aquatic Center! Northwest Game Films will be recording every race, every day of the meet. You will be able to review your swims (and those of your nemeses) on Northwest’s custom-made DVD. Check out Northwest’s website, www.nwgamefilms.com, and drop by the Northwest booth during the meet for more information.

Dispatches From China Colette Crabbe, Oregon Masters Swimmer, USMS All American and 1976 Olympian (Belgium; 200 Breaststroke, 400 IM), will be missing Nationals this year – she is traveling with her husband to the Olympics in Beijing. Time and technology permitting, Colette will be sharing her experiences with us. Here is her first report: I am currently in Hong Kong where it is hot and humid. The buildings and town are really impressive. The hospitality of the people from Hong Kong is incredible. They will do anything to help you and be friendly. Most of the people do speak English so language is not really a barrier in Hong Kong. Everything is kept really clean and you probably have the biggest concentration of luxury

stores per square foot. Hong Kong is also the host city for the Olympic equestrian events and has big screen TV in many malls tuned to the events happening in Beijing. The current medal count standing is also often displayed. We also visited Macau. The country belonged to Portugal until 1999 and is now the Las Vegas for Hong Kong as well as the Chinese people. Their economy is completely fueled by the revenues from the lavish casinos. It is an interesting small country as it is a mix of the Chinese, British and Portuguese cultures. We are also of course following the performances of Michael Phelps but it is on TV like everybody else in the States. Tomorrow we are heading for Shanghai but we will not be in Beijing before Sunday (end of your meet). We are looking forward to seeing the big water cube.

Weather Watch: Heat Alert!!! Thursday and Friday are predicted to reach 95 degrees in Gresham, so plan to drink lots of water, and to stay in the shade. The outdoor spectator stands are in the sun in the morning, but mostly shaded in the afternoon. The below pictures were taken just after noon Wednesday, as warm-ups started. Notice that the stands in the background are already mostly shaded.

Rainy Oregon? Val Jenkins and Karlyn Pipes-Neilsen got some swimming in between chats.

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NATIONALS ENQUIRER DAILY

AUGUST 14, 2008

Nationals Enquirer Updates Volume III, Swimming and the Athletic Ideal – Here is some more thought-provoking reading on the doping issue: Let the Games Be Doped, John Tierney, New York Times, August 11, 2008 Volume II, Race Analyzer ~ A Secret Weapon For Improvement by Alex Nikitin – See how athletes at the Olympic Trials used Race Analyzer in this article: A Race That’s Short but Far From Simple, Karen Crouse, New York Times, August 12, 2008 Volume III, Distance Butterflyers Therapy Session – Meet Director Dennis Baker, claiming he has injured his back lifting a box of BlueSeventy suits, has scratched from the meet. The Distance butterflyers therapy session, originally scheduled to occur while Dennis attempted to complete the 1500 Meter swimming butterfly, has been rescheduled. It will now occur at the McMennamin’s Edgefield bar on Saturday night, with Dennis in attendance demonstrating his “over the barrel” technique.

Wake Up Masters Swimmers! If you are able to receive emails from the Nationals Enquirer editors, then you must also have access to that mysterious tool of the modern age called “the internet.” The internet is a wondrous thing. It has ALL THE ANSWERS to the questions that you have been emailing to us, your editors, e.g. “I am swimming the 800, do I have to check in;” “How do I get from PDX airport to the Aquatic Center;” “I need directions to the Holiday Inn Express,” “Can I check in online;” “Is there a timeline for the 800 M heats;” and “Check me in for the 400 IM.” The editors

Volunteers Stuff Your Goodie Bags

are very handsome and intelligent people, but they don’t have the answer to ANY of those questions! Try going to: www.usms.org and www.maps.google.com. On the other hand, the editors would welcome your contributions to the Enquirer! If you have thoughts on swimming that would educate or entertain our readers, please feel free to submit them! [email protected]; [email protected]

We All Scream for Ice Cream!

This publication (if you want to call it that) is not the official, or any, communication of USMS, OMS, Mt. Hood Community College, or any other responsible organization, nor is it a communication attributable to the Meet Directors, who are men of few words (but mighty deeds in most situations). This publication is intended solely as entertainment by athletes, for athletes. The opinions expressed by the editors and contributors are entirely their own, God help them. Other editions available at www.lcnationals.2008.net