Women's 100-meter Immersion at Dutch Open Finswimming Championships

By Robert H. Kelly
Executive Director-Texas Finswimming Association

DEER PARK, TEXAS (May 31, 2009) Below is a very good clip showing the women's 100-meter immersion at the Dutch Open Finswimming Championships on May 16, 2009 at Eindhoven, The Netherlands.

Notice the deep water kicking technique and how the finswimmers come to the surface to turn at the 50-meter mark. The deep water kicking is better for the race, and one has less chance of their monofin breaking the surface and causing resistance. The shallow turning technique allows the fin to come out of the water on the flip to, enabling a fast turn at the half-way point.

Notice the times of the five competitors:
1st place: Nicloe Matthes :41.51
2nd place: Carolin Haase :46.52
3rd place: Ghita Puts :49.32
4th place: Sandra HaBler :49.40
5th place: Sabine Steenken :59.34

The United States women's senior and junior finswimming national records for the 100-meter immersion are as follows:

Senior 100-meter immersion: Jenny Thompson :49.88 at Dunaujvaros, Hungary (1996)
Junior 100-meter immersion: Kristine Kelly :58.48 at Palo Alto, California (2000)