General Observations at first warm up session (a lesson from the Chinese) - Kazan, Russia

Well good news luggage arrived, never been so thankful for clothes.

So yesterday we went for our first swim at the pool, which is located in the village. I'll speak more about the village experience in another blog. Back to the pool. While Nuna warms up, I observe all the nations here. What stands out is that USA Swimming does not stay in the village, they have a hotel. Very interesting to find out that this is the first time for a World Championships to have an athletes village, maybe hey should have told USA Swimming.

Well the best thing I saw, except for Nuna doing her 8x50's BR - looking good I may add, was the Chinese team and coach. During a packed and I mean 12-20 in a lane, Men & Women, not Boys and Girls. He spread out 4 swimmers, in 4 lanes, to race each other in a set of 150's. One was Sun Yang. They were going fast, swimming all around the other swimmers, turning fast, swimming in the middle of the lane, (Nathon Burwick would have loved that), to my surprise no one got upset. After each repeat, the coach barked some times, instructions etc. and then yelled jhehfjhxxjwx, well that's what it sounded like and off they went on another 150.

They were not going to let anyone dictate their warm up, which I think is a good lesson for our swimmers. The Chinese were not bullying or being disruptive, they simply had a job to do and no one was going to stop them.

Getting to the 2015 World Championships

I have the distinct honor of travelling to Kazan, Russia and having one of our RAYS Nuna compete for her fathers country.

I'm going to write some thoughts and observations as we go on our 2nd, of many, I hope adventures.

Second adventure? Yes we went to Qatar in December, as the guests of FINA (Swimming's International Federation). That was a week long camp, with over 400 athletes from around the world, all under the age of 18. It was a terrific experience for both Nuna and myself.  I might blog about that separate experience one day.

Back to Russia. Well so far we had a layover in Moscow, so we had a guide for 8 hours that took us around the various sites in Moscow. What a beautiful city and very clean. Visiting Red Square was mine and Nuna's favourite place, to think of all the history that has passed through that square is unbelievable. After a nice Russian meal we went to catch our flight to Kazan, which is approximately 300 miles east of Moscow.

Great trip, but NO LUGGAGE! well my neighbor told me that would happen, so I was prepared.