Coach Dave Update

L-R Frank Flowers, Brad Alley, Sebasitian Rousseau, Shaune Fraser, BretFraser, Marco Laughran, Anthony Nesty, BJ Bedford-Miller, Gemma Lowe, Rada Owen, EvaFabian, Kristy Kowal, Eugene Tee, Alex Meyer, Gov Duncan Taylor. In front: Stephanie Proud, Gemma Spoforth, Bethany Robertson

First I want to say great job to those who swam at Vic Opens. The swims were solid for such an early season state meet. Congrats to those who swam PBS and medalled.

We swam a small intersquad meet here which saw some PBS and near PBS but the real action was at the Flowers sea swim.

The overall winners were pure open water athletes. Harvard graduate and USA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS TEAM member Alex Meyer went out very fast to shake off an impressive men's field to break the course record (and get the $5000US check) in a convincing victory. 5ft 2inch Eva Fabian is also on the USA National team competing at next month's World Championships(I think she is 5ft2inch-Eugene seemed to be measuring her up yesterday so best to check with him ;). Eva smashed the course record to win the women's event and place second overall. Do not think that the men's race was soft; it was not. Eva is simply an incredible swimmer. Her $5000US check was donated to her swim club's effort to build a new pool.

The official results are not yet posted for non-medallists but I think Cam Crabb and Lucy Smithson were top 10 male and female overall. The pack was intense and competitive making it tough to judge from my position. I will reupdate when the results post. What I can announce without question is that Eugene Tee and Bethany Robertson had huge swims.

Beth outswam GB Olympian and Florida NCAA powerhouse Stephanie Proud by 2 seconds to come SECOND. With 4 seconds seperating 2 and 4, it was an intense run through the funnel to the finish gate. Having seen Stepahnie's 400im, 500yard free, and 1000 yard free times as well as the sessions Florida was swimming here, I can assure you Beth had some serious competition. Well done!

Eugene had an even closer race in a come from behind battle that saw him make up 100m to join and overtake a pack that included Shaune and Brett Fraser, Sebastian Rousseau, and Bradley Ally. With a final surge at the finish, Eugene beat both Frasers and just outouched the big South African Olympian Rousseau to come 3rd behind second place surprise Ally.

Both Beth and Eug outswam multiple Olympians at the top of their game and a few others who were clearly retired. Well done Surrey Park!

Off to Stingray City soon...