I thought you might find this article in the West Australian today a little amusing as you prepare to pop back down to squad this week. The full article can be read here:
Hotting it up in Hong Kong:
So whilst the pool was closed (which, if I might say is splendidly clean and fresh now!), I took the opportunity to head up to Hong Kong for several days of coaching with the local triathlon and open water swimming community. I had a fantastic experience and felt like I was treated like royalty which was really unexpected but very, very nice indeed.
I ran two 1-day Swim Smooth Clinics (each for 15 swimmers) and yet were inundated with demand for these sessions, so we ran a special open water skills session (a-la the Saturday 1-2pm squad session here in Perth) on the third day and also a special seminar on open water skills which was attended by nearly 100 people at the exclusive Football Club off the race course. It was a great experience and I very much look forward to returning. I even had the opportunity to work closely with six of the local coaches and to help them start the process of delivering Swim Smooth material regularly up there in Hong Kong - four of the six were former Olympians too, which was really humbling to know that we have that kind of support and interest up there in Asia.
Here are a few of the photos from my trip for your interest and amusement:
Stanley Park
"Proper" Peking Duck
The view from my room at Coach Dom's place (Mid Levels)
All smiles after the open water skills session
With all the past and present members of the Hong Kong Triathlon committee
Getting posh at the Football Club
Working with former Olympian, Anne-Marie Munk
Working with former Olympian Sandy Chan
Drafting during the open water skills session in water that was 34ÂșC!!
Taking a "chill pill" between the sets
Eagle-eyed Newsome looking for occasional flaws in an Olympian's stroke
End of Day 2 of the Swim Smooth Clinic series
With coaches Dom and Craig
End of Day 1 of the Swim Smooth Clinic series
Putting them through their paces with a CSS test
With 3-time Olympian (in two sports no less - swimming and rowing) Coach Fenella Ng
Coaches Dom and Anne-Marie - Anne-Marie has been trying to get me up to Hong Kong for 7 years! Wish I'd gone sooner now knowing how great it was!
Focusing on the catch
Torpedo kick race!
The classic Y-T-W-L stretch routine
Coconuts in the pool with Coach Anne-Marie (we should get these down at Claremont Pool - awesome hydration!)
The view from the Peak - spectacular
It was absolutely FAB having Paul here in HK. The Tri/OW scene in HK is rocking and to have Paul share his wisdom with our swimmers was simply magic.
ReplyDeleteCalling Perth crew (some of whom I had the pleasure to meet in April), do come visit.
There are some iconic OW races here, including the 15km Clean Half Marathon Swim (solo/teams in Oct), as well as the Cold Half (solos/pairs in Jan) as well as the Cross Harbour Swim.
Check it out:
http://openwaterasia.com/events/swimming/clean-half/