All the Speedsters are headed to Minneapolis, do you have your tickets?

The University of Minnesota Golden Gophers are hosts for the 2011 NCAA Division I Men’s Swimming & Diving Championships THIS WEEKEND.

The “Fastest Swim Meet in the World” was last here in 2005, so one can expect that it may be another 6 years before it returns. With typical venues like Indiana last year, as well as Texas, California, and Georgia, you may never get this close again for a long time.

They call it the “Fastest Swim Meet in the World” because the competition is at the 25 yard length. So with yards being shorter than meters and for this level of competition, time are subsequently much faster than the USA Nationals or Olympics.


Which is where many of these collegiate swimmers and divers are headed after this meet is done. Before they return to their schools next fall, many have a date with history. Next summer the Olympic Swimming Trials will be held in Omaha Nebraska in June and the 2012 London Olympics start late July.


On top of the fast swimming, many of these NCAA divers will be competing to make our Olympic Team as well. One already has, Purdue’s David Boudia, a 2008 Olympian in Platform diving will be in attendance and is favored after dominating the Zone Qualifying to get to NCAA’s. At the Big 10 Championships held recently at the U of MN, Boudia set new Big Ten & Pool records in all 3 diving events. One dive off the 3 Meter springboard scored him 6 10’s and a 9.5!


So this Thursday - Saturday if you can’t be on deck like some people I know, I would surely look to be in the stands. You may not see the chance again for some time to come!