Northwestern University Athletics
Erica Rose Wins National 10K Open Water Title
6/25/2001 12:00:00 AM | Women's Swimming and Diving
June 25, 2001
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Erica Rose, who recently completed her freshman year at Northwestern, took the women's 10-kilometer Open Water National Championship title Saturday here in Daytona Beach, Fla. Fighting scours of jellyfish just as much as the other competitors, Rose and Elizabeth Lavell qualified for the U.S. team that will compete in Fukuoka, Japan, this July. John Flanagan and Patrick Dideum will represent the men's team.
Rose won her race by almost 400 meters to take the women's title, and beat most of the men in the process.
"I kept looking back during the race, but it felt great. It was a fun race, and it was fun for me to catch the guys," said Rose, who will be competing in her second World Championships. "The more experience you have, the better it is."
Lavell, swimming in her first Open Water National Championships, was encouraged by her dad, her coach at the Naval Academy Aquatics Club, to enter the race and take a shot at making the World team after success at a smaller open water race earlier in the year.
"I knew that Megan and Erica would be up there, trying to get a spot on the team, so I knew that if I just stayed with one of them I had a shot, so I stayed with Megan the whole way."
The men's race was dominated by Canadian David Bilodeau until Flanagan caught him around the 5K mark.
"It scared me a little bit to see someone go out like that, but I just tried to stay back and swim my own race," said Flanagan.
"I made my move after the first 5K, when I could see his feet. I just caught up to him in little surges, and tried not to pull the rest of the pack with me."
Mark Leonard, the second place finisher for the men, will be representing the U.S. in the 25K and the 5K at the World Championships in Japan this summer.
"All of the competitors at Worlds will be pretty good. There will be 10 solid guys, if not more, in the races, so there will be three great races," said Leonard.
this story was excerpted from the USA Swimming website
