December 3 - Holiday Brunch! - see the Calendar below for details
Gay Games
are Coming!
Winter may finally be here, but even so, August is not that far away. It’s a great event, and we want everyone who wants to go to be able to afford to do so.
Register and let QUAC know you are planning to go. Remember that registration rates go up on January 1 or until they hit 2000 more participants.
We will be staying in the 11th arrondissement a quick walk from the nightlife in the Marais. We were able to book just a few double occupancy rooms (2 twins) in this nice hotel before those rooms booked up. We have a second hotel booked as well which is just an 8 minute walk from this one, but those who commit early get dibs at a bed in this hotel – the Mercure Bastille Marais.
Ooooh – pink.
Plus a bar.
Swimming
South Davis Masters Swim Meet, November 11
Photo by Thad Applegate
QUAC took 11 swimmers to the Veteran’s Day affair and had great success. And how about a special shout out for Kit and Kleo Kobe for an amazing mother-daughter performance!
Here are swimmers that finished in the top three in their event and age group: Ian Madsen, 1st 100 back, 1st 50 free, 2nd 100 fly; Jason Markey, 1st 100 back, 2nd 50 fly, 1st 100 fly; Magda Michalowicz, 2nd 50 free, 2nd 100 free, 2nd 50 back; Kleo Kobe, 3rd 100 IM, 1st 50 breast, 3rd 50 back; Kit Kobe, 1st 50 free, 1st 100 IM, 1st 50 fly, 1st 100 breast, 1st 50 back; Barb Nash, 1st 50 free, 1st 50 breast; Swen Nielsen, 1st 50 free; 1st 50 fly; Curtis Roberts, 2nd 50 free, 1st 100 IM, 1st 50 breast, 1st 100 breast; Josh Reusser, 2nd 100 IM, 1st 100 breast; Duncan Chalmers, 3rd 100 IM, 1st 50 free, 3rd 50 breast.
Unfortunately, team results have not been posted, so we will have to get back to you on that.
Calendar
December 3 - Holiday Brunch – Sunday, Dec. 3, 1–3 pm, 1211 South 2100 East, SLC.
Please join us as we celebrate our friendships at
the annual QUAC Holiday Brunch. We will
provide beverages and a main dish.
Please bring a side dish to share.
January 1. QUAC Gives Back! Century Swim – New Year’s Day. Our 2018 Century Swim is on Monday, January 1 from 11:00 am until 2:00 pm at the Fairmont Aquatic Center. This year QUAC will be swimming again to benefit Race Swami .
Founded in 2011, Race Swami provides opportunities in swimming for underserved youth from the west side of Salt Lake City. Race Swami teaches "life skills" through swimming, hosting character education classes, sharing information on the importance of good health and nutrition, by participating in community service work, and by providing mentoring opportunities. The team started with just 9 members and now has 82 swimmers participating.
QUAC swimmers will set a goal to swim 100 repetitions of a distance: 25 yards, 50 yards or 100 yards! Please sponsor them for a fixed amount or for an amount per 25 yards swam. For example, if your swimmer sets the goal of 100 x 25 yards and you sponsor them 25 cents for every 25 yards swam, your total sponsorship would end up being $25.00
Sign up to sponsor a swimmer on the QUAC website.
Polo Notes
For this issue of the Digest, we asked some of our most active water polo players about what they like about the QUAC polo program.
Duck Digest: what made you keep coming back to polo practices after your first few weeks of playing water polo as a polo newbie?
Duncan Chalmers: It was a lot of fun. I was never that good at sports involving ball throwing (ex. baseball) but water polo has been fairly easy to pick up. Previously I participated in swimming and running (and skiing).
DD: why is it difficult sometimes to attract new polo players from QUAC swimming? Is the idea of competing with others intimidating?
Josh Bytendorp: I think they believe the practices are really difficult. Once they get into it though, they realize that it’s not what they think. Not too many players worry about the competitions because once you are practicing regularly, you are prepared. We have the only master’s level beginner water polo program in the city, which is huge.
Audra Lambert West: I think people watch YouTube videos and see a bunch of suit grabbing and get a little freaked out. Our competitions are nothing like that. Other players are much more respectful. Some players hate competition in general, whether it’s swimming or polo. Those who like to compete do fine in the competitions. Treading water is also an issue for some. When they don’t know the technique, it is a lot of work to tread the whole time. After that it comes as naturally as walking.
DD. How often do you practice each week and what do you like about QUAC practices?
Jason Olofson: I practice twice a week on Mondays and Thursdays mostly. The Thursday practice is with the U of U players and a few other high-caliber master’s level players. It’s really tough because you feel like you can’t mess up. People might not say anything but you feel that pressure. QUAC practices on Monday are much more relaxed and it gives you the opportunity to try things without that pressure.
Farook Khan: I practice six days a week. A few practices are with QUAC and others are with a mix of U of U and other master’s players. With the QUAC practices, I get to slow down and really think about what I’m doing. I get to make sure I’m in the right position so I can work on my skills. That’s just not possible with the other practices where things are moving much more quickly.
In the next issue, you’ll hear from a few more of our players, so stay tuned!
Duck Digress
While thoughts are drifting forward toward Europe and the Gay Games in Paris next summer, let’s not forget about the World Aquatic Championships held last July in Budapest, not that far from Paris. There are lots more events in the Worlds than in Olympic aquatics, including the seemingly contradictory solo synchronized swimming. The New York Times interviewd the gold medal winner, Svetlana Kolesnichenko of Russia, who said “I get many questions online.” The main question she gets: What, exactly, is the synchronization in solo synchronized swimming? “My answer would be: It’s a different type of work,” she said. OK, that explains that. It makes about as much sense to me as the sport, but who am I to judge? Think Pink Flamingo.
Solo synchronized swimming made its Olympic debut in the Los Angeles games in 1984, with U.S. swimmer Tracie Ruiz winning the gold medal. But in 1992 it was unceremoniously dumped. Other discontinued Olympic sports include the tug-of-war, rope climbing, and in Paris, only once in 1900, obstacle course swimming and live pigeon shooting. What comes to mind when you think of Paris?
Obstacle course swimming of course. In the 200 meter event in the River Seine, competitors first had to climb over a pole, then climb over a row of boats, and then swim under another row of boats. The winner was Frederick Lane of Australia in a one-and-only Olympic record time of 2:38.4.
Fred Lane completing his
record-setting swim in 1900.
Watch out, Fred!
Hope to see you at the Holiday Brunch and in the pool. Wishing you a merry and obstacle-free Christmas season.
Barb Nash, Editor, with thanks to Katherine Thom for the water polo conversation.
|
