Glad this didn’t happen to us! Aussie news site reports: “Hundreds of open water swimmers were left boiling mad by a decision to cancel their World Masters Games race because the water was too cold. Many slammed the ruling as ‘crazy’ and ‘unbelievable’ as they stormed off from the Sydney Harbour starting point, where one swimmer abused a Games volunteer.” Hypothermia was the fear. We learn: “A Games spokeswoman said regulations of the world swimming body FINA barred ocean events in water temperatures below 18 degrees, and the water in Chowder Bay, Mosman, was around 13 degrees (celsius or 55.4 Fahrenheit). . . But Australian ex-pat Gerry King, 56, who lives in California, questioned the accuracy of the official temperature.. . . ‘But like everyone who has swam out there, it was nowhere near 13-and-a-half. It was a lot warmer.’ ”

Here’s the whole article:

     Swimmers boiling over cold water ruling 

By Josh Jerga And Doug Conway

 

Hundreds of open water swimmers were left boiling mad by a decision to cancel their World Masters Games race because the water was too cold.

Many slammed the ruling as “crazy” and “unbelievable” as they stormed off from the Sydney Harbour starting point, where one swimmer abused a Games volunteer.

Some had flown from the other side of the world especially to compete in what had been billed as one of the biggest and most visually arresting events of the Games.

Organisers apologised to the 600 disappointed swimmers of all ages, whose numbers included Wallabies great Phil Kearns and Olympic gold medallist Chris Fydler.

They promised to refund the $220 Games registration fee to competitors whose only event was the three kilometre swim.

Officials called off the race just moments before the scheduled start, with hundreds of swimmers lining the shore.

Briton Rob Steel, 52, who had been training for it all through the English summer, said he was astounded.

“Everybody was numbered up, capped up, told to warm up and then next thing they said it was cancelled,” he said.

“I’m really disappointed. I’ve swum in much colder temperatures than this back in England.

“It’s a bit of health and safety gone mad.”

A 75-year-old British woman stormed off after forking out more than $3,000 in air fares to fly out solely for the open water event.

New Zealander Steve Prescott, 55, who had already won five gold medals at the Games, intended to use the race to finish on a high.

“It is crazy, people should be able to make their own decision,” he said.

“We’re all bloody adults. We should have been given the choice to swim.

“This is not cold compared to New Zealand where you’re swimming in below 11 degrees in my home town of Dunedin.”

Prescott swam in the same event at the 2005 World Masters Games in Edmonton, Canada, where he said the temperature was twice as cold.

“It was freezing and they still ran it,” he said.

“They just had everyone there when they finished, had thermo blankets and hot soup, so they had it all covered.”

A Games spokeswoman said regulations of the world swimming body FINA barred ocean events in water temperatures below 18 degrees, and the water in Chowder Bay, Mosman, was around 13 degrees.

Swimmers were at risk of hypothermia, she said.

But Australian ex-pat Gerry King, 56, who lives in California, questioned the accuracy of the official temperature.

“I understand if it is 13-and-a-half degrees out there, then it’s cold,” he said.

“But like everyone who has swam out there, it was nowhere near 13-and-a-half.

“It was a lot warmer.”

A statement on the Games website said the race would not be rescheduled for Sunday, the final day of the nine-day festival which has drawn over 28,000 competitors from 95 countries.

The water temperature and conditions also ruled out other options, such as postponement and shortening the course, the statement said.

“The main concern is for competitor safety, and the risk of hypothermia was too high,” it said.