Last Day-Open Water on Long Island

The swimmers are now in the air on their way back home. Our last stop was in New York with one last host; Mrs. Bea Hartigan. A grandmother and feisty New Yorker, Ms. Bea met us at La Guardia airport personally. Outside was Holder another USA swimming local official whose child is also long out of the sport. The kids were happy to be met in a real American yellow school bus from the company that Holder manages-he was more than happy to give up 6 hours waiting, driving, and loading luggage in the New York summer for a group of Aussies he had never met. The next day his bus was the shuttle before and after the swim. During the race, Holder did some time officiating. I would comment that this bus was not like the ones I remember. The school buses of my youth were about a city block long and had no AC or seat belts. This 20 passenger bus was brand new with both. Holder, originally German with a wife from Singapore, is a proud American father of a former distance swimmer now US Army officer soon to return to Afghanistan. "Swimming is the best sport for kids. I owe it to all of the others who helped my boy. It is no trouble."
Ms. Bea had arranged for the use of the firehouse to serve lasagna and salad. Cam told me he has had more salad on this tour than in his entire life; not sure if he meant that as a good thing. Ms. Bea's son in law is the assistant chief of the volunteer fire station and was to host Max. The view over the Huntington Bay was amazing. Hopefully the swimmers will provide photos when the edit this blog.
Our host families were excited to meet the kids and ask questions about kangaroos. Max was delayed in being picked up because of a suspicious order alarm that sent a half dozen men from everywhere in the area to the fire station to suit up. The only photo I do have is of Max waiting for the all clear. The comment was made that if we called the fire station every time there was a suspicious order on the this tour...anyway.
All of our host families have been incredible. Gina Hoile from Grand Rapids got Lucy to a doctor when her illness wasn't getting better. Rushing past 3 nurses all of whom were saying the doctor cannot see her, Lucy was seen and treated. Gina is a fireball of a swim mom originally from a much larger swim team in Chicago. That Chicago intensity does not seem diminished even after her ongoing battle against breast cancer. Still currently on chemo, Gina was a flurry of activity insisting on looking after everyone. After we left Mun spent his time in Grand Rapids with Gina's husband Nick who drove him around in a competition tricked out M3 BMW from his company which makes "big boys' toys." They bought Mun lunch and waited with him before his 330pm flight which ended up being a 50 hour journey. Well done Mun keeping your cool throughout a painful ordeal. At last report, Mun's luggage was either in storage or already in Australia. Virgin Australia...ouch.
Back to New York, the Huntington swim was in water that was a little colder than claimed. The younger races involved swimming back and forth through anchored boats and other swimmers heading straight out and back. Alex and Phoebe had a ferocious battle with Phoebe leading at the halfway and Alex taking the finish. The girls were determined not to get robbed of the placing as happened at the Motor City Mile. Alex hit her arm on something hard, maybe Phoebe, and had to be taken to the hospital to be checked out. In the end it was muscle spasms from the hit made worse by the cold but turned out to be OK...and they got there first and second placings.
The course was a little long which sometimes happens in open water with shifting tides yet both Tom and Anna raced very hard in their 5k. The conditions at Hazelwood will be a cake walk in comparison. Sarah also had a very impressive 3k. Tash and Cam had a more casual 5k but finished.
In the 10k event, Jack Fabian's Greenwood kids made a 9 hour drive after their four weeks of racking up nearly 400,000k just to race us. They looked great and our time spent pool racing, visiting, and not having a normal training schedule showed. After an intense start, Max had a shoulder lock up and made only 2 hours into the race. Beth and Seb raced on to a strong finish and at least a valuable lesson learned.
My comments on blogs are not a play by play so those not mentioned; it ain't personal.
After the race, we were driven by Michael and another driver who are fond of saying "Forgettaboutit" in a strong New York accent. Thanks to Heidi for setting it up.
The kids went to the massive Roosevelt Field Mall where they ate, shopped, and ate.
With only minor drama at check in, all the kids and Amy made it to Qantas for the return trip. Amy is to be commended for her calm in the last week and it was useful here certainly when on the last two flights there were challenges at check in.
Overall, the trip was, as always, unbelievable. The complexity of putting all of these elements together could never happen without the support of Surrey Park back in Australia and the amazing people we get to meet here in the USA and Cayman.
The homestays provided an element that money cannot buy and I hope that all of the swimmers keep in contact.
Every single swimmer learned valuable lessons about themselves and their swimming. Whether a skill from an Olympian or coach, or a new perspective from a host family. We were cooked for, transported, honored, and given access that normally no one gets.
The Surrey Park kids are great kids. We were unlucky with some illness that started early on the tour and spread. Still, a lot of in season, lifetime bests, and even national qualifying standards were found at a time of the year that very few Australian kids normally swim fast. We faced the usual and unusual challenges that encourage kids to find strengths they never knew they had. For me, getting to know these kids "warts and all" makes them in my eyes even greater. I only ask that they hold onto the lessons, both pleasant and unpleasant, and use them. This has been a special time and a series of unique experiences that at some point will come up in conversations for the rest of your lives.
Cayman, Rockwall, Austin, Detroit, Grand Rapids, New York...piece of cake...forgettaboutit.