There may not be a better-prepared open water swimmer in the U.S. now than the diminutive Eva Fabian. The young dynamo from New Hampshire is open water swimming's version of Janet Evans, with a high-tempo windmill stroke and a fearless attitude. "We've focused her training to compete well in every condition and every situation," said Fabian's open water coach, Gerry Rodrigues.
"We have a very specific, year-round, open water training program for her and all our athletes. She does POW—Pool Open Water—training, deck-ups, paceline sets, race simulation sets, high-altitude training and cold-water practices. Not only do we regularly discuss tactics, but our workouts are aimed at enabling her to shift gears at different points in the races. Eva may not be among the fastest pool swimmers in Long Beach, but she is not to be discounted. Pool speed in very important, but specific open water skills are of high value. You need both to be successful at the highest levels."
The 16-year-old Fabian has also been instructed by Rodrigues to develop her field of vision like Peyton Manning on the football field. "After every race, I ask her—as I do with all the pro triathletes I coach—to draw her race out with X's and O's," explained Rodrigues who has coached triathletes since the early 1980's. "She needed to learn where and why she won and lost races. By drawing out the situations around each buoy, start and finish on paper after each race, she has developed her field of vision in the open water. Now, she not only recognizes every possible situation in competitive situations, but she can also intentionally create situations or appropriately avoid being in suboptimal positions. Long Beach is going to be two hours of strategy and tactics where even with her phenomenal aerobic conditioning, it may end up with an all-out sprint to a dramatic finish."
Contenders in the Men's Race
The men's race is also going to be dramatic and tactical, especially in the easy-to-navigate, glassy flat venue in Marine Stadium, where pulling away from a very tough field will be nearly impossible. Besides the top Americans like world championship team members Alex Meyer and Sean Ryan, the field that will include 2005 world 10K champion Chip Peterson of North Carolina and Olympians Csaba Gercsak of Hungary and Sergiy Fesenko of Azerbaijan.
But, like Michael Jordan in basketball, open water swimming has a closer: Fran Crippen of Philadelphia.
The six-time national champion—four in the open water and two in the pool—has a Philly toughness that is so critical to success, both physically and psychologically. Coming down the stretch, Crippen wants the ball in his hands. If he is close to the lead in the final few hundred meters, he will be a force to deal with.
Finesse swimmers like Peterson and Gemmell, who both have a high navigational IQ and the ability to break up the lead pack with long repeated surges, may try to take the sprint out of Crippen by initiating a faster pace early.
Because the water temperature is hovering at 61°F and no wetsuits or tech suits are allowed, the temperature is going to influence the race. With a large field, the race will start off fast and then go from there.
Swimmers...to your mark...
For more information, visit www.pacificopenwater.com.