Much ado about .....

If some famous TV character can get away with a show "about nothin'", then
certainly I am allowed to write about nothing.

Again ! This is my second article about nothing, and it's highly addictive.
The reason is I spend all my time doing something (stats of some form or
another, combined with small-mileage, low-intensity training) that
it's high time I would waste some time writing about nothing.

First piece of all-important nothing-news is the USMS convention in early
Oct 98. (USMS stands for United States Master Swimming, thanks for nothing).
They have decided that yards swimming will remain based on real age, but
meters swimming (SC or LC) will be reported with the FINA age system.

You don't know what the FINA age rule is ? You don't know nuthin', then !
Maybe you should keep reading this article !

Will Ontario become the 51st state ? Will Ontario rejoin the fold, or ignore
the whole thing ? Watch this space for further installments.

World famous (it's a small world actually) Lynn Marshall was at the Nov 28-29
meet in La Salle, Que where I delivered the news to her. Nothing much, she
smiled back, the records are done with the FINA rule already. (You don't know
what the FINA rule is ?).

Some taping was done at the meet to highlight the well-deserving DDO team.
A prior installment had been done at a DDO training session (high mileage,
high intensity, nothing for me). This was shown on Saturday Dec 5 at 18:30
where millions of unsuspecting Canadians were brutally introduced to the fine
art of adults-only swimming. It was a well-done report actually, and I am sure
it will be a plus for Masters in our short history.

DDO has been the leading Canadian master club for several years now, winning
the Quebec provincial title for 5 years in a row, and leading the national
club ranking on points for as many years.

To my knowledge it is only the 4th time that a masters meet had been taped for
TV. The 96 nationals in Winnipeg, and the 98 Manitoba provincials were taped.
A long segment on the 1989 nationals in Ste-Foy was never shown on TV.

The taping was indeed shown on Dec 5, and however short we had the pleasure of
seeing DDO coach Alain Bernard (next household name after Tom Landry and Scotty
Bowman ?), provincial record-holders Ann Kouri (Kremer) and Lorraine MacRae.
Paul Guerard (MSC treas.) of STL was sound-bited for a full minute, and Mrs.
Everywoman, Louise Ahdoot, explained why she was a Master (good stress relief).
All in all, a good view of Masters with training and competition shots.

I keep receiving meet results from all over, and BC is off for a strong start
again (WR claims by Marge Anderson and Dianne Foster). On the Alfred Marshall-
like point scale used, the total points 'scored' by Canadian masters so far in
'98 is 750 000, summation of SC and LC scores. Nice milestone.

Regarding World Records, the November 98 FINA update will be received, but in
the meantime I have updated the site with the May 98 update. The Marge Ander-
son records do not show up yet, and some records by Canadians have been 'lost':
Jack Kelso's 100 IM, Norbert Artus' 800 free, one of Nick Templeman's BR's and
3 of Lynn Marshall's free races. On the other hand, more of Bonnie Pronk's and
Dianne Foster's records have been approved, and an omission for Vinus van Baa-
len has been rectified.

So that as of May 98, Canadians officially own 25 Wr's (and some more unof-
ficially).  They are: women SC 11 (Lynn Marshall 1, Dianne Foster 2, Bonnie
Pronk 3, Judie Oliver 2, Catherine Kerr 3), men SC 8 (Serge Score 2, John
March 1, Vinus van Baalen 1, Jack Kelso 1, Nick Templeman 3), women LC 4
(Lynn Marshall 1, Dianne Foster 2, Catherine Kerr 2), men LC 2 (Nick Temple-
man 1, Norbert Artus 1). That's a total of 5 for Catherine Kerr of Manitoba.
And it means that 5 of 11 WR holders are from BC, holding 15 of 25 records !

Although not a Canadian, it is hard to omit the amazing swims recording by
US swimmer Karlyn Pipes-Nielsen (not to be confused with another great one,
Sandy Neilson-Bell). Karlyn now owns 35 WR's (13 LC, 22 SC). At one time,
Clara Walker (now 70+) had more, but Karlyn' range is incredible, holding
records in all 5 strokes (free, bk, fly, br and IM). The mind goes blank
trying to come up with a proper qualifier for her achievements (4'52+ IM,
1:15+ br etc ... all at age 35 !).

                                      And that's all folks !