Samantha Harris for Seafolly

Samantha Harris will follow the path of many Australia supermodels and join forces with iconic swimwear and lifestyle brand, Seafolly. After appearing on the cover of Vogue Australia, Harris will join top model Jessica Hart, to help launch the Seafolly Summer 2010 campaign.

Seafolly has launched many successful Australian models including Miranda Kerr, Catherine McNeil, Kristy Hinze and Alyssa Sutherland. The campaign was shot on Queensland’s Brampton Island in June by photographer, Max Doyle.

Seafolly is available at major department stores, Seafolly Concept stores and selected boutiques around the world. For further information or to find your nearest Seafolly stockist, phone 1300130 715 or visit www.seafolly.com.au

BLK1 Article: SUNNY BURNS

Images and Article: © BLK1 2008-2010. All Rights Reserved.

The 2009-2010 USA Swimming Grand Prix concluded in Los Angeles on July 11, with Chloe Sutton crowned the overall Grand Prix Series High Point winner, collecting a total of $20, 000 in prize money. 

The Grand Prix series consists of eight meets, beginning in Minneapolis on November 13, 2009, with the Los Angeles meet added to the calendar for the first time this year.

The Los Angeles meet was held at the University of Southern California from July 8-11.

Ms Sutton, who was a member of 2008 USA Olympic swimming team, put in an overwhelmingly dominant performance throughout this Grand Prix series, winning a total of sixteen gold medals, six silver and one bronze, earning a total of 99 points.

Her win is even more remarkable considering Ms Sutton did not compete in the Santa Clara meet of the Grand Prix series.

The race for second and third place in the Grand Prix series was much tighter, with Dagny Knuston coming in second place with a total of six gold medals and seven silver, earning 52 points and managing to narrowly defeat Dana Vollmer, who came in third place with a total of nine gold medals as well as one silver and bronze, earning 49 points.

Three meet records fell on day four of competition in Los Angeles, with Dana Vollmer setting a new record in the women’s 100m butterfly with a time of 57.39.

Rebecca Soni set a new record in the women’s 100m butterfly with a time of 1:06.23 and Kosuke Kitajima also established a new record for the men’s 100m butterfly, finishing the event with a time of 1:00.02.

Mr Kitajima also set a new meet record in day three of the meet in the men’s 200m breaststroke with a time of 2:11.14

On Day 3 of the Los Angeles meet, Katie Hoff shattered a ten year record in the women’s 400m freestyle, which had been set by Claudia Poll in 2000.

Ms Hoff completed the women’s 400m freestyle with a time of 4:06.21, which was almost three seconds faster than the record set by Poll, which was 4:09.04

And finallykick-started the Los Angeles meet with a bang by setting a new meet record (8:31.05) in the prelims of the women’s 800m freestyle

On day two, Ziegler followed up this performance by managing to shatter her own record in the finals of the women’s 800m freestyle, with a time of 8:25.89, which beat the record she had just set on day one by five seconds

BLK1 Article: [Justin Macdonald] BLK1 Photographer: [PETER SOLLNER OR OTHER PHOTOGRAPHER]

Images and Article:

The big news in swimming this week was sparked by the dwindling numbers of professional swimming coaches. On the back of a string of high profile retirements, the number of elite coaches in Brisbane has dropped from 13 to nine. Scott Volkers, the coach responsible for the swimming legends like Susie O’Neill and current head coach at the Queensland Academy of sport believes it all boils down to the leasing of public pools to large leisure companies. The poor funding and lack of resources available to coaches is resulting in fewer new faces emerging and aging coaches are either retiring or being snapped up by international programs. Previously, councils would lease pools to coaches who would earn revenue from swimming lessons, gate takings and the kiosk while devoting large amounts of time to the less-profitable art of coaching. Now companies like leisure operator Belgravia, which runs 11 aquatic centres in Queensland’s south east, are taking up the rights to pools. Volkers says high-performance coaching, which reaps rewards on an international scale but does little for the bottom line of pool operators, is often the first activity tobe pared back. As a result, professional swimming could become a sport of yester year, because without the high quality coaches, there will be no swimmers.

Actor Steve McFadden has credited swimming as his secret weapon in his war against weight. Steve, 50, will don a wetsuit to take part in the British Gas Great North Swim on Sunday, September 13. The challenge will see him making waves in Lake Windermere, Britain’s largest natural lake, with depths of up to 220ft. He is doing all this to raise money charity.

Erin McNaught takes the catwalk during the Miss Universe 2006 Preliminary Competition in Los Angeles

On a more social note, Erin McNaught isn’t letting her recent break-up with Braith Anasta cramp her style. Last weekend she was spotted with yet another sportsman – Eamon Sullivan. Confidential spies said the good looking pair were dominating the dance floor at Kings Cross nightclub Kit and Kaboodle on Friday night.

BLK1 Article: ALEX SHLEIBS Photographer HECTOR MATA

Images and Article: © BLK1 2008-2009. All Rights Reserved.