seen on IMFL Forum: “the water has been severely choppy since we arrived on Saturday night. I can’t see the swim going if this keeps up. The swells yesterday looked like 4 feet. I tried swimming out past the breakers and it ain’t pretty. And I just got confirmation that someone drowned yesterday out practice swimming.”
Very bad news. I feel for the swimmer and his family. Anyone know what IMNA policies are for cancelling the swim? I would rather brave a tough swim than just do a du (I have trained for this for too damn long!)
I did IMF in 2002. I got there about 5 days early and the surf was huge. The waves crashing in must have been six feet or higher. By race day, however, they were only a couple feet. The water had swells (that made some people seasick) but it certainly wasn’t dangerous. After IMU (I was there too) I think IMNA is much more likely to cancel a swim due to “dangerous” conditions. I don’t know if they have any set criteria, other than waiting until race morning and just looking at how bad it is. Hopefully, the water will settle down in the next few days.
How awful for him and his family to have his dream turn into a nightmare.
Christ–just what I needed to see when I am getting in my last workout and packing up. But swimming in big waves is like rough sex. Very exciting. But I can see how they would have trouble watching everyone. I wouldn’t want my GF out in it.
A man was found floating face down in the Gulf of Mexico in the Long Beach area behind Pineapple Willies at Panama City Beach Monday morning.
The emergency call went out about 9:15 a.m. and when paramedics arrived they found Panama City Beach firefighters already giving CPR to the victim.
He was rushed to a local hospital where he died a short time later.
His identity is being withheld until relatives overseas are notified. He was a 53-year-old triathlete from Sweden and was here with his wife and children training for Saturday’s Iron Man competition when he died.
An autopsy is being performed to determine if the man actually drowned or died from other causes. Blue swimming flags were flying at the time of the mishap
In 99 or 00 PCB had a huge problem with beach erosion so they extended about 17 miles of beach rougly 200 feet out into the gulf. In time the natural sand bars and moderate slope will form, but in the meantime, their is an abrupt change in water depths as you near the shoreline. As all of you know, this is why it doesn’t take much of a storm/current to create a large surf in that area.
They won’t cancel the swim. My guess is they will go out the morning before the race, change the red flags to yellow, and then change them back after the race. Just be careful when you start diving into waves because when the surf gets up, the second sand bar can get VERY shallow and you may be diving straight into the sandbar. I know of one guy in the Half IM in 03 that dislocated his shoulder and another one that bruised his.
Once you get past the sandbars it won’t be to bad. Think positive and just keep swimming.
When I got to Panama City last year on the Wednesday the red flags were up and the waves were crashing in and there was talk of cancelling the swim. The flags were down by Thursday morning and it was choppy but safe for swimming. By Saturday morning the conditions were pretty good with only moderate chop out near the turnaround. Hopefully it works out again for the competitors this year.
It is always a trajedy when someone drowns and really hits home with those of us who would likely be pushing the envelope and trying to squeeze in a few final swims in preparation for the big day. I’m sure that all of the Slowtwitchers out there feel a great deal of sympathy for the family and friends of this athlete.
Man, I hope everthing works out for this. How terrible. It would kind of make me not even watn to race.
Now I am stressing about our customers down there. We sent a lot of people down there. I know one woman in particular was nervous about the swim. She did a few longer races but was concerned about the distance and the water conditions.
Last year at IMFL the water was as calm as I have ever seen the Gulf. I live in Pensacola and swim in the Gulf often. There was barely any water lapping up on the shore at all. It was as calm as a swimming pool. The next day there were some moderate swells. It can change on a dime around here. We will know for sure on race morning.
I will put my faith in the race officials, my fellow triathletes to exercise common sense, and my own training. I am sure that everyone will be just fine if they decide to have the swim, and if they don’t, we’ll just have to take what the day gives us. I’m sure that most are somewhat nervous about the swim. Something tells me your customers are probably better prepared than most. Best of luck to all. I hope to meet some of you slowtwitchers down there.
I’m certain that IMNA is very wary of these conditions after the Utah debacle, but GCT in '00 had rough surf and huge chop around the entire course, as well as wetsuit illegal temps. I recall that the year before (I wasn’t there) there were several people unable to get through the surf and DNF’d before they even got underway.
Oh yeah - the day after the race the Gulf was smooth as glass.
I did Gulf Coast there a few years ago and the waves were 4-6 ft. They didn’t cancel, and it was fine - and fun coming back to the beach.
Contrast that with Utah the year of the drowning. That water was REALLY dangerous because of the bathtub nature of the swells. Not in a pattern like in the open ocean. I was VERY happy to get out of that water.
I guess the only factor to consider in the ocean is a possible rip tide to ago along with those big waves. But I wouldn’t think the waves themselves should be an issue.
It may insignificant to point this out but the cause of death is unknown at this time. They will not know the root cause of death until after the autopsy. The news report said there were Blue flag conditions at the time this person was swimming. Blue flags are marine life warnings, not surf condition warnings. He could of swam into man-o-war jellyfish and had a bad reaction. They usually put the blue flags up when there are high levels of jellyfish or stingrays in the water.
I did a race in the Atlantic Ocean a couple years ago where the jellyfish counts were high. 22 athletes had to get emergency treatment after the swim. A couple athletes had some breathing difficulties, but not serious enough for a trip to the hospital. All 22 athletes were treated locally and released. I was stung on the face and the only reaction I had was numb feeling ‘Mick Jagger lips’ for the duration of the race. I didn’t even report that I got stung. By the time the race was over, all my symptoms had passed. But, some people do have very serious reactions and need immediate medical attention when they are stung.
Hopefully, the event coordinators will post as much information as they have available about surf and marine life conditions.
The swim should be fine. The north wind was already crushing the surf this morning. All the surf gromets were doing a day break before it’s all gone. It will be totally flat by tomorrow.
Thanks to hurricane Ivan I can see the surf much better on my drive to work. Our beach is pretty much gone. PCB’s beach was not effected by Ivan so the sand bar should be OK.
Have an excellent race. I’d worry about the cars, not the waves.
Depending on the brain aneurysm, the guy could have died instantly, or actually have been conscious and lost use of limbs due to temporary paralysis. This would then be enough for him to drown.
My sister had a brain aneurysm at the age of 24 back in 1991, but fortunately, she made a full recovery. She was at home after a party at 1 am when it happened, and her roomate stuffed her into a cab (literally as she could not move a leg) and got her to the Neuro unit at the Toronto Western hospital for the emergency brain surgury. New York Yankees first baseman John Olerud is also an aneurysm survivor. Any of us can actually be walking around with a blood vessel in our brain about to blow up. Luckily, many go through life without this happening. I feel bad for the guy in that it happened while swimming. You’d really have no hope !
