Poolside Chat - parents of competitive swimmers continued

[Glittertwins]

Getting a bit close to the end of the previous one!

Yeah I saw that. The whole world is being very unreasonable to this lady it seems 🤦🏻‍♀️.

What the actual hell is he thinking?

Putting aside the whole trans debate RWAW stuff.

Why would a biological man with a penis think it appropriate to share a communal changing room with young girls at such a prominent (or any) swimming event?

Even the biologically female officials tend to find other toilets rather than be in the communal changing room.

Even I won't go into a closed room alone with swimmers. At our last meet 1 (girl) had a nose bleed and I'm dbs checked and first aider and TM.
I took her to the accessible toilet and left the door hooked wide open - as much to protect myself - actually more so.

Why would a biological man with a penis think it appropriate to share a communal changing room with young girls at such a prominent (or any) swimming event?

He says he has had full surgery, but he’s still a male and shouldn’t be in the female changing rooms.

@itsgettingweird - I avoid walking through changing rooms for exactly the same reason as well.

Yup, me too, though I am a lowly marshall!

He’s quite clearly doing everything possible to make headlines.

But yes anyone with any sense avoids changing rooms as far as they can. Plus changing room toilets are gross anyway, the other issues aside.

From his own website "I am determined to use female changing".
In other news, finally got a good PB today that was deemed satisfactory rather than "not very good PB" before.

I see a number of people have tweeted British Swimming and Swim England - would be good to see how they're responding to this given the safeguarding red flags.

Was exciting race to watch.

Well done your DS.

OW next? Or has he also got 400?

@itsgettingweird - no rest for the wicked, it's both!

Good luck to all your DC swimming in final day of British today.

You ladies deserve a good feet up 🍷 weekend after this

We've eaten quite well at the local restaurants to be fair!

Best of luck to him today.

Thanks, just missed the final. Aargh!

Ahhh no 😢

There have been some amazing swims at mid to long distance this year.

I'm thinking it's because it's probably the first season since 2019 one started that's been largely unaffected by covid.

I feel for the older swimmers who had 19-20, 20-21 and 21-22 affected when it's peak training time for them development wise.

I know 21-22 wasn't affected lockdown wise but I don't know what your experience was but we still had a lot of it about and for those who weren't affected it was their first full season in 2 years so we're just playing catch up rather than improvement iyswim?

We had no issue with covid once the pools re-opened and we've stayed totally clear of it as well so probably quite lucky. The 14/15 boys seem to be faster than the 16s this year as well.

Anyone at Rother Valley yet?

Nope but our swimmers are!!! It's been a non wet suit swim this morning.

Best of luck to your ds.

Good luck to the Open Water swimmers today.

We've some decent weather over here (Somerset), so I hope it is fine and not to windy down there.

I got a bit sunburnt 😆

Yes a bit of sunburn happening here. The wind made it not seem that hot!

DS did brilliantly but he isnt convinced as always. 6 minutes faster than he was last year and 7 minutes faster than regionals but they were held in horrific conditions so dont really count as a marker of performance.

Rumour is the reason for the change of venue was someone at Thrybergh got bitten by a huge pike so they couldn't risk it.

I was chatting to a mum of a local swimmer last week who said Rother Valley was much better anyway. The other place was full of duck loo apparently!

Duck poo

Oh no I've just heard open water masters has had to be cancelled because of a medical incident with one of the swimmers.

We had such a lovely fun day yesterday with our swimmers and their siblings enjoying the racing as well as the go karts and miniature train at Rother Valley but it just brings it home that ow swimming has its dangers.

Although I have to say all the safety crew and volunteers were absolutely fantastic yesterday and we are so lucky to have so many people giving up their time so we can have events like this.

Yes, it happened around 1pm. Cardiac arrest from what I've heard from someone who was there. Latest from SE is that they are in hospital so best wishes and speedy recovery to them.

I know SE were carefully watching the weather forecast for wind today, I don't know if the weather and water was a lot cooler than yesterday. I got a bit sunburnt and I was told the water temp was ok