Parsons Doubled Up On Open Water Swimming

INFORMATION IN RED FROM ROGER, IN BLUE FROM VAL, BLACK FROM NED…..
Val a retired marathon swimmier, Both Honor Administrators in IMSHOF and jointly received the Davids Wheeler Award in 2004 from the International Swimming Hall of Fame for contributions to the administration of the sport. In particular they were both amongst the handful of individuals credited with getting FINA to accept open water swimming which led to inclusion in the Olympics.

Welcome and please say hello to the viewers

1. Please talk about you early involvement with the IMSHOF Honor Organization British Long Distance Swimming Association.
FOR ROGER: became involved in open water swimming after competing in the Solent Swimming Club’s Portsmouth to Southsea race in 1971. I enjoyed it so much I made enquiries on how to enter other open water swims which led me to the B.L.D.S.A. At that time I had just been seconded from the Royal Navy Submarine Service to the Department of Navy Physical Training and Sports to take over the position of Royal Navy Amateur Swimming Association Chief Coach from Swimming and Waterpolo.
In 1973 at the British 5 mile championships in Lake Consiton I first met Val in her capacity as International Secretary of BLDSA. At that time I had a squad of 6 swimmers who entered various BLDSA events. Later I was asked to stand for the Executive Committee of BLDSA and on election became the Assistant International Secretary. I also represented BLDSA at the Central Council of Physical Recreation (C.C.P.R.) in the Water Recreation Division.
Represented G.B. at the Hapoel Games in Isreal and in the Damm to Bruges International.
In 1975 – ROGER MASTERMINDED and organized, on behalf of BLDSA, the Captain Webb Centennial English Channel Relay Championships.
1976. ROGER MARRIED VAL!
DURING THE NEXT YEARS, HE WAS AN INSTRUMENTAL FORCE ON THE ORGANISING COMMITTEES FOR MANY BLDSA EVENTS, INCLUDING INTERNATIONAL TRIALS, SILVER JUBILEE EVENTS 1981-1982, AND MASTERMINDED THE BLDSA CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS EVENT.
1984: FIRST LONDON TO PARIS TRIATHON RELAY EVENT. ROGER WAS THE ORGANISER AND ADMINISTRATOR OF THE CHANNEL RELAY PART OF THIS THREE DAY EVENT, WITH VAL IN SUPPORT.
THE EVENT WAS MADE UP OF TEAMS OF FOUR, RUNNING IN RELAY FROM MARBLE ARCH LONDON TO DOVER ON THE FIRST DAY, SWIMMING THE CHANNEL IN RELAY ON THE SECOND DAY, AND CYCLING IN RELAY FROM CAP GRIZ NEZ TO ROUEN, AND THEN FINALLY IN TEAM PURSUIT TO PARIS ON THE THIRD DAY!
ON TOP OF THIS – ROGER & VAL SPONSORED AND ORGANISED A TEAM IN THIS EVENT!!!
1985: ROGER AND VAL AGAIN ORGANISED AND ADMINISTRATED THE CHANNEL RELAY PART OF A SECOND LONDON TO PARIS TRIATHLON RELAY EVENT.
1986: ROGER ORGANISED, WITH VAL ASSISTING, THE OPEN WATER SWIMMING SECTIONS OF THE FIRST LONDON, FIRST WELSH, AND FIRST SCOTTISH SHORT COURSE TRIATHLON CHAMPIONSHIPS.
1986: WAS A KEY MEMBER OF ORGANISING COMMITTEE 1ST FINA WORLD CUP, WINDERMERE
AFTER THIS, THE PARSONS EMIGRATED TO SPAIN, AND NO LONGER HAD AN ACTIVE PART IN BLDSA.

FOR VAL: IT ALL BEGAN IN 1970 AFTER COMPLETING A 6 MILE SPONSORED SWIM FOR CHARITY WHEN SHE WAS TOLD THE TIME SHE HAD TAKEN, WAS FASTER THAN THE CURRENT LADIES BRITISH RECORD HOLDER IN LAKE BALA, IN WALES. JOINED THE BLDSA IN 1971 AND OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS SWAM IN A TOTAL 43 RACES, WINNING 38 OF THEM AND ALSO FINISHING AHEAD OF ALL THE MEN IN 17 OF THOSE RACES.
1973 ELECTED TO NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE BLDSA
& WAS ELECTED TO A NEWLY FORMED POST OF INTERNATIONAL SECRETARY BLDSA
She began her quest, to compile as comprehensive a list as possible of all open water swimming events around the world as she could, and share this information back to everyone. To this end, Val took the FINA handbook and wrote to all of the Member Federations, with a questionnaire asking if they were running events, would they send full information, and if entries would be welcome from swimmers from other nations etc.
She also asked all Organizers and Governing Bodies to indicate if they would be interested to attend a meeting or forum if ever one could be put together. Her motivation for this work was to try and get National Governing Bodies of Swimming to acknowledge Open Water Swimming within their national programmes and break down the existing barriers; In many countries it was forbidden for amateur swimmers to compete in professional events that offered prize money or that were not organized/sanctioned by the National Governing Body for Swimming, (you could lose your amateur status and be banned!).
Val even went to the lengths of paying the membership fee to make her father become a member of the World Professional Marathon Swimming Federation, just so that she could receive the information on all their professional events and their organisers, so that she would not endanger her own amateur status!
Sadly, other than finding a few previously unknown races in Europe and the USA and making up a list, it ended up as just an interesting paperwork exercise – it never got any further than that because of lack of finance or support from ASA, and certainly BLDSA had no funds to offer either.
THE BEST THING TO COME OUT OF THE EXERCISE, WAS OUR FIRST CONTACT WITH DALE PETRANECH IN THE USA WHO WAS A KINDRED SPIRIT, AND VAL, DALE, AND ROGER, WORKED TO TRY AND GET FINA INTERESTED IN LOOKING AT OPEN WATER SWIMMING. THEIR SUBSEQUENT INTERCHANGE OF INFORMATION AND IDEAS, AND DALE’S PERSISTANCE ON THE DOORSTEP OF THE FINA OFFICES EVENTUALLY LED TO A MEETING WITH THE FINA SECRETARY
DUE TO PERSONAL COMMITMENTS,
1976: VAL INAUGURATED AND RAN BLDSA INTERNATIONAL TRIALS FOR GB TEAM SWIMMER SELECTION
1976: VAL & ROGER GOT MARRIED. NOW IT WAS OFFICIALLY ‘TEAM PARSONS’
1977 UNTIL 1983 VAL WAS BRITISH TEAM MANAGER & ORGANISED ADMINISTRATION OF ALL SWIMMER ENTRIES TO OVERSEAS EVENTS. VAL RETURNED TO THE POSITION OF GB TEAM MANAGER FOR THE 1986 BRITISH TEAM COMPETING IN THE FINA WORLD CUP IN EGYPT.
1979. VAL WAS PRESENTED WITH THE JAMES BRENNAN AWARD BY THE BLDSA, THE HIGHEST AWARD THAT CAN BE PRESENTED TO AN OFFICER OF THE ASSOCIATION FOR OUTSTANDING SERVICES TO THE SPORT”
MARCH 1981 TO MARCH 1982 WAS THE SILVER JUBILEE OF THE BLDSA. VAL WAS SECRETARY OF A VERY BUSY SILVER JUBILEE COMMITTEE.
DURING THIS YEAR, WITH ROGER, VAL INAUGURATED AND RAN THE ALL AGE-GROUP INTERNATIONAL ONE HOUR POSTAL SWIM – WHICH THEN BECAME AN ANNUAL EVENT IN JANUARY OF EACH YEAR (AND IS STILL RUNNING TODAY!) . (This was based on the very successful formula of a similar event run in the USA, DALE PETRANECH WAS THE ORGANISER OVER THERE. Val sought and received their kind permission to copy their format and set up the UK event). VAL WAS THE SECRETARY AND THE ADMINISTRATOR OF THIS EVENT FOR FIVE YEARS FROM 1982 TO 1986 – WHEN PRESSURE OF WORKLOAD MADE IT NECESSARY TO PASS THE RUNNING OF IT TO A NEW SECRETARY.
VAL & ROGER PROPOSED THE MANUFACTURE OF A LIMITED EDITION OF SOLID SILVER BLDSA MEDALLIONS WITH A BEAUTIFUL BLUE ENAMELLING DETAIL. EACH MEDALLION WAS HALLMARKED AND NUMBERED, AND PRESENTED WITH A CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICITY. THESE WERE SOLD AS A SPECIAL COMMEMORATIVE SOUVENIR TO MEMBERS OF THE BLDSA. ONLY 47 MEDALLIONS WERE ORDERED AND MANUFACTURED. THEY ARE NOW A TRULY LIMITED AND VERY RARE ITEM WITHIN THE ASSOCIATION. OF COURSE, VAL TOOK ON THE ADMINISTRATION AND DISTRIBUTION OF THIS TASK TOO.
1982. ROGER MASTERMINDED THE IDEA OF A NEW EVENT: THE CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS. THE IDEA WAS TO SOLVE THE ARGUMENT OF WHO WAS BETTER – THE FASTEST SWIMMERS OR THE ONES WITH THE BEST ENDURANCE. IT WAS MADE UP OF A SERIES OF THREE EVENTS ON THE SAME DAY, 5 MILES, 3 MILES AND 1 MILE RACES WITH SHORT GAPS BETWEEN EACH ONE.
VAL TOOK ON THE POSITION OF ORGANISING SECRETARY, AND OF COURSE WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ROGER THEY RAN A VERY SUCCESSFUL EVENT.
THEY WERE ORGANISERS OF THE EVENT FOR THE NEXT SIX YEARS, UNTIL THEIR EMIGRATION TO SPAIN IN 1988.
THIS EVENT HAS WEATHERED THE TEST OF TIME – AND 35 YEARS ON IT IS STILL ONE OF THE BLDSA PREMIER EVENTS EACH SEASON.
1982: VAL & ROGER TOGETHER, INAUGURATED AND ORGANISED ANOTHER NEW SET OF EVENTS IN SANDWELL NEAR BIRMINGHAM AS PART OF THE SANDWELL SPORTS FESTIVAL, UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE BLDSA. THIS WAS WITH A DELIBERATELY SHORT COMPETITION OF 3KMS TO TRY AND INTRODUCE AND ENCOURAGE NEW INTEREST AND MORE COMPETITORS INTO OPEN WATER SWIMMING. THERE WERE JUNIOR, SENIOR AND THE FULL RANGE OF MASTERS
1982: VAL & ROGER WERE JOINTLY PRESENTED WITH THE BLDSA JAMES BRENNAN AWARD – (THE HIGHEST AWARD THAT CAN BE PRESENTED TO AN OFFICER OF THE ASSOCIATION FOR OUTSTANDING SERVICES TO THE SPORT”). VAL RECEIVED THIS IN 1979 AS WELL. THE FIRST TIME IN THE HISTORY OF BLDSA THAT THE AWARD HAS GONE TWICE TO ONE PERSON.

a. What did BLDSA do: amateur versus professional BLDSA did not accept professional swimmers into any of their events. All BLDSA events were for amateur swimmers only.
b. Your direct involvement – Val Honorary PRESIDENT of the British Long Distance Swimming Association – 1986/1987 – Rest of direct involvement listed above under the early involvement with BLDSA
ROGER Was the Organiser of the BLDSA Captain Webb Centennial International Channel Relay in 1995 . Co-Founder with Val, of the BLDSA One Hour Postal Swim
Again – most of direct involvement is listed under the early involvement with BLDSA
c. World Long Distance Swimming Championship: (Lake Windermere, England) 1966 -1990 (every 4 years) – your involvement/what was it AMATEUR .The correct title for this event was THE B.L.D.S.A. WINDERMERE INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS. YES IT WAS AMATEUR.
VAL: THIS WAS ALREADY RUNNING BEFORE OUR INVOLVEMENT WITH BLDSA
BLDSA WINDERMERE INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS. FIRST ONE WAS IN 1966 (16km) THEN 1970 TO 1990 (OVER 25km)
THE 1974 EVENT I COMPETED IN. (2ND PLACE WOMAN)
THE 1978 EVENT VAL WAS THE ORGANISING SECRETARY, ROGER ASSISTING.
1982, AND 1986 EVENTS VAL & ROGER CONTINUED AS PART OF THE ORGANISING COMMITTEE
THE 1986 EVENT BECAME THE FIRST FINA WORLD CUP EVENT, THE YEAR VAL WAS PRESIDENT OF THE BLDSA IN 1982 – OUR OWN STEVEN MUNATONES WON THE MENS CHAMPIONSHIP.

2. Now bring early FINA work into the timeline
a. Roger represented England on the initial FINA Open Water Commission and was largely responsible for adapting the British Long Distance Swimming Association and Channel Swimming Association rules into the FINA Open Water Swimming Rules. Mention IMSHOF Honoree Dale Petranech please. When things started to come together with trying to get FINA interested in Open Water Swimming we struck a deal with Dale Petranech namely we would support him being elected as Chairman of the FINA Long Distance Swimming Commission and in return he would support our request to that commission that the BLDSA Windermere International Championships be the first demonstration event under a FINA banner. Although other members of the commission took part is was mainly Roger and Dale who formed the rules and regulations. At these first FINA meetings, and every subsequent IMSF/IMSA meeting that Roger was involved in for the next 11 years, so was Val, diligently sat writing a precise record of all the discussions taking place – so that Roger would have complete freedom to participate in and fully contribute his knowledge and wisdom in these important times. Afterwards, Roger used Val’s accurate written record to produce the Official Minutes. This was a working partnership, which was respected and appreciated by everyone involved. Val was officially voted as Administrative Secretary to IMSA acknowledging her contribution.

b. FINA Long Distance Swimming World Cup: 1986 (2 different races held that year) every 2 years to 1996.(NO) Mention IMSHOF Honoree Steven Munatones won 1982. STEVEN DID NOT WIN WORLD CUP – HE WON WINDERMERE INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP IN 1982. SEE ABOVE
1ST: AUGUST 1986: LAKE WINDERMERE, ENGLAND
2ND: OCTOBER 1986: SUEZ CANAL/EGYPT
3RD: JULY 1987: LAC LEMAN/FRANCE
4TH: JULY 1992: LAC ST.JEAN/ROBERVAL/CANADA
NOT SURE BUT THINK 1982 WAS THE LAST FINA WORLD CUP EVENT UNDER THIS FORMAT. RIGHT NOW, CANNOT FIND ANY REPORT DATA OR RESULTS DATA BEYOND THESE.
(FINA HELD ITS FIRST 25KM OPEN WATER WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS IN PERTH AUSTRALIA IN 1991)

3. In parallel as FINA relaxed its rules on professionalism, you were instrumental in starting the International Marathon Swimming Association but combining 2 existing organization and bringing along the European Championships. It sounds a tricky political accomplishment. Describe the sport at that time and some of the big successes and the biggest challenges ***Not looking to name the bad folks
When we were invited to watch the Capri Naples swim and met with some of the promoters and swimmers it became apparent that the all the basic ingredients for a World Series were already in place and, if everyone involved could be persuaded to become part of something much bigger, then it would only be a logistical and administrative task to get a FINA World Series using the existing professional events. The promoters were cautious as some, in the past, had not had good relationships with their national swimming body. Swimmers were supportive but only providing they would have the right to continue to compete if it was under a FINA banner. I mediated between all parties to get a consensus and an initial agreement between them.
At the 1990 FINA World Championships held at Perth Australia, the FINA congress accepted the rules and conduct of Long Distance Swimming as compiled by the FINA Long Distance Swimming Commission. We were give assurance that Long Distance Swimming would be put forward as part of the FINA Olympic programme (but only after a new synchro swimming event and syncro diving events had been accepted by Olympic Committee ( in other words an eight year wait).
At the congress I made a presentation outlining the benefits of including long distance swimming into National Programmes. Also gave a coaches “headsup” on what is required to prepare swimmers for any open water competition at international level. At the end of the session I made a rash statement that Valerie and myself would be willing to assist any national governing body in establishing their own rules of competition and in training officials at no cost to them.
When the meeting finished the Vice President of Swim Canada, Trevor Tiffany, came and asked if what I had just said was correct. When told him it was he said that he would like to confirm that Swim Canada would like to take us up on the offer. Swim Canada asked me to prepare a discussion document on rules of competition, venues and preparing officials for long distance competitions in Canada. In addition they requested that we took responsibility for the organization and staging of a PANPAC 25km Open Water Competition as part of the PANPAC Swimming Championships to be held in Edmonton.
When we arrived back in Spain from Australia I was contacted by Norman Sarsfield, Secretary of L.E.N. asking me to draft Long Distance Swimming Rules for L.E.N. The first L.E.N. Long Distance Championships were to be held at Split which was then Yugoslavia.

c. Marathon Swimming World Series Championship: 1992/93,(Fina 1993/94) 1994/95, 1995/96 and 1996/97
5 x World series in total. – the second one became the Fina World Series

d. Moving to Canada: prize money, female/male competition and not for $. Say something like: “took a career break….and while eventually receiving a small honorarium essentially were volunteers and self funded
Our approximately one year stay in Canada started in Ottawa with me working at Sports Canada headquarters. I drafted rules for competition and put together a recommended course of action to promote Open Water Swimming. With a few minor changes these were accepted by the Swim Canada Executive Committee. We then travelled to Edmonton to find a venue for the PANPAC 25km Swim. The second lake we visited was ideal for staging an event. Sylvan Lake is part of a National Park. The town had about 800 residents and the park ranger was 100% up for us staging the event in his lake. On the day of the PANPAC 25km over 400 residents assisted with the staging of the event. During that time Swim Canada paid my airfare to the various events I attended as their long distance swimming adviser. At events accommodation was provided however we paid to rent our own accommodation in Ottawa and all Val’s airfares.
When we returned to Ottawa the promoters of the Lake Memphremagog Championships offered us office space in Magog to work on a “World Series”.
We moved from Ottawa to Magog and settled in to our new home & office surroundings. It was from that office that we prepared a full project for discussion with the promoters, swimmers and FINA, and continued the ongoing work for Swim Canada.
Just to be on the side of caution we prepared two versions of the same documents one set using FINA as the controlling body and one set using IMSF as the controlling body. When the FINA representative, FINA Secretary Ross Wales, was unable to confirm that all promoters and swimmers who had competed in previous events would have the right to apply to take part in the new World Series then the swimmers and promoters declared their intention to stage a World Series of Marathon Swimming under the International Marathon Swimming Federation. Once again we paid for our own rented accommodation just outside Magog and we also paid from our own pockets all travel costs around Canada and to attend the other IMSF events around the world. At the meeting to confirm events in the second World Series the Treasurer of IMSA, Dick Van der Laan proposed that Val and I receive a total honorarium of 1,000 dollars per month to assist with the cost of our travels. Essentially we were volunteers and self-funded throughout.
e. He became the Executive Secretary of the International Marathon Swimming Association (IMSA) and along with Val, attended virtually all the IMSA swims in Europe, South and North America for the next four years.. Val became Administrative Secretary, supporting Roger’s work.
WORLD RANKINGS: ROGER WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN THE FORMULATION AND SETTING UP OF A WORLD RANKING POINTS SYSTEM. This was updated at the end of every swim – and was controlled and executed by Roger and Val as the results came in. They were usually positioned close to the finish of every event so that points and new rankings could be calculated. This entailed staying at the finish of the event until the last swimmer came home, after which they checked calculations and printed out the new provisional world rankings. (No posh computer programme in this day and age – all done by hand, manually entering and calculating totals into the computer). In addition to this, Roger had to work on a very early ‘portable’ computer that weighed a ton and needed a shoulder strap on a suitcase size carry case, plus a printer. They always managed to get this completed in time for the presentation ceremony so that the swimmers had the information, even at the end of a very long day of competition – quite often with them being the last people to leave the site when it was all over.
The World Rankings were listed on a current roll over basis after each and every qualifying event. When the new ranking points were calculated, those given 12 months previously at the same event were deleted from the totals.
WORLD SERIES POINTS SYSTEM. ROGER ALSO INSTRUMENTAL IN FORMULATION AND SETTING UP OF THIS POINTS SYSTEM. This was also calculated alongside the world rankings, and a separate current World Series points list would be produced.

f. Talk about FINA doing a start/stop in taking 1993/1994 FINA Marathon Swimming World Series ….and then dropping it SEE 4. BELOW

3. Help us understand how it came to be that in 1997 FINA restarted the FINA Marathon Swimming World Series and while they have branded several different series/cups and world championships – they fully embraced and took over the open water competitions
After formation of IMSF I was permitted to act as a catalyst between the two organisations so FINA was keep updated with the IMSF preparations to stage a First World Series for Marathon Swimming to commence 2nd February 1992 at Rio Coronda, Argentina. Publicity showed both FINA and IMSF participation. In July 1991 at the FINA Long Distance Symposium held in Roberval, Canada Gunnar Werner, FINA Vice President, informed that FINA would not be supporting, “in the forseeable future” Open Water events as part of the FINA Olympic Programme.
The IMSF constitution stated that “the IMSF seek the inclusion of Open Water Swimming within the Olympic Programme” and its members agreed that the way ahead now was to seek application into the Olympic Programme as a body independent of the FINA. The IMSF was duly registered as a company and also registered the World Series of Marathon Swimming as its property.
The IMSF First World Series for Marathon Swimming had eight events: Rio Coronda, Argentina. Riviera Marathon, Italy. Capri-Napoli, Italy, Lac Memphremagog, Canada. Lac St Jean, Canada, Atlantic City, U.S.A. Sylvan Lake, Canada and the First World Series Final at Rio Coronda.
The prize money for the First World Series was equal for men and for women the only difference being that in the mens event prize money was given down to 15th place whilst in the womens it was given down to 13th place.
After the success of the First World Series the FINA were prepared to accept the standing of the IMSF as the organisers of the World Series and it was agreed that a FINA logo would in future be displayed on the World Series results and newsletters. The first four World Series were part and parcel of the property of the IMSF/IMSA and it was only after FINA had agreed that all promoters and swimmers who had competed in the IMSF/IMSA World Series would be permitted to apply to continue to be part of a FINA Marathon Swimming World Series that the IMSA faded into the background.
There will be other people far more qualified to explain how the sport developed from then on because from 1997 onwards we were no longer involved.

The Future.
1. The use of the title Marathon.
It is my opinion that damage has been done to the ideals and reputation of “Marathon Swimming”. Experts told us that 25km was the shortest distance that should be called a “Swimming Marathon”. Today we see 10km and even 5km swims being called “marathon”. Where is the challenge in that especially when using swimsuits that give added buoyancy.

2. Safety of Swimmers.
All open water swimmers in competition should have escorts. In 25km swim and longer each swimmer should have an individual escort boat in which should be an observer to ensure all rules and regulations are adhered to, a coach or swimmers representative to look after the wellbeing of the swimmer and a person to handle the escort boat. I am appalled to watch 10km and 25km swims with competitors crashing into each other and making it impossible for spectators to understand the swimmers positions. It is not rocket science to organize a marathon swim all you need is the ability to read the IMSA handbook.

3. Olympics.
The current format is doomed. There is no spectator interest in the way the events are conducted and little of value for the media companies. Marathon swims should be from point A to point B or a “double Course” event. Each escort boat should be equipped with hand held video cameras so that pictures are sent back to the spectators. Use of GPS identifiers also have a place showing the relative positions of the escort boats.

25km or longer events staged as part of the Olympic games using a proper format as detailed in both the original FINA handbook and the IMSA handbook are not difficult to organize so why did we end up with lots of swimmers splashing about and banging into each other at every turn?

FINAL COMMENTS
Throughout all of our involvement with open water and marathon swimming it has always been our objective to see it accepted as an Olympic sport, with “amateurs” and “professionals” competing together in open competition as equals.
We have always volunteered and worked without any political or personal agenda, for the future benefit of the sport, the swimmers, promoters and governing bodies.
We wanted to give back and improve on what we have got out of the sport ourselves. We hope that our efforts have gone some way to achieving this.