Rod Gilmour in The Daily Telegraph is reporting that the second installment of 2009's Duel in the Pool will take place in Atlanta on Dec 18-19 this year. Keeping the same format as the original event, it will be a European select team, but with a twist.
"The European team are likely to be joined by the Russians and Hungarians in a bid to overturn the trouncing handed out by the Americans at the inaugural event last December."This should come as great news to swimming fans on both sides of the Atlantic. The last event was a resounding success, despite the mismatch in the final score. It was the Duel in the Pool that got this blog started and I stick by my first ever post, that with a full strength European team (which needs to include France, Holland, Spain and Sweden), we
I don't get why only the Russians and the Hungarians. Why not just let the best swimmers from any European country who wants to go, go, and see how that goes. I predict another one-sided score to the US.
ReplyDeleteOk, now I'm excited. Atlanta is only about a six-hour drive from here! I think I'll have to talk to some people, pull some strings with this one. I feel like a little kid (oh wait...), but I really wanna go!
ReplyDeleteI agree 100% with you. Surely they have learnt their lesson from the last time around, we need a full-strength European team, especially for a meet on US soil.
ReplyDeleteI guess political/sponsorship issues might get in the way, but I really hope they don't. Last time around Laszlo Cseh was keen to swim but wasn't allowed.
David, do they have a short course meter pool in Atlanta? I'm trying to figure out whether this will be SCY, SCM or LCM.
ReplyDeleteGeorgia Tech has a long course pool with two bulkheads (and will be used for Short Course Nationals next year). They can position the bulkhead at 25m, which I would expect they will. Unfortunately, the warm-up pool might only be 25 yards, depending on if the pool's length includes the bulkheads.
ReplyDeleteFrance would be key here, and Britain and France clearly have some sponsorship agreements they can't work out. Kinda sad, but the goal is an even match, I would think. Not that this is an even match.
It looks an awesome pool!!
ReplyDeleteNice blog. Image is very cool. Swimming is a good exercise.
ReplyDeleteSwimming pools are really a great fun and swimming is also a good exercise.
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