Pip Taylor won the 2009 Australian and Oceania Long Course Championships held Sunday in Hussikson, Australia. The race is a qualifier for the ITU World Long Course Championships to be held in October in Perth. Taylor took the lead out of the swim to earn her first title of the 2009 triathlon season and finished the 3km swim, 80km bike and 20km run in 4 hours 22 minutes and 31 seconds.

“I have to say a big thanks to all the support I received today. I don’t get many opportunities to race in Australia these days so that was pretty special for me to get crowd support as well as to come away as the Aussie Long Course Champ.”

The French Swimming Federation has named TYR elite coach Lionel Horter as their head coach of the national program. In his new role, he will work to further develop the sport of swimming in France while coaching a highly talented national team for competition on the world stage. 

Horter is known for his years of coaching experience with the Mulhouse Swim Team and has earned wide praise for working with top French swimmers including Olympic medalist, and current world record holder, Amaury Leveaux.

In a record time of 2:07.46, Mary DeScenza finished the USA Swimming Missouri Grand Prix with a new meet and Mizzou pool record in the 200-meter butterfly.

DeScenza won the 200-meter backstroke in 2:11.06, over two seconds ahead of the next competitor. This weekend, she earned victories in the 100-meter backstroke, 200-meter backstroke, 100-meter butterfly, 200-meter butterfly and the 200-meter freestyle. DeScenza leads the field with 15 gold medal finishes and a 32 point lead in the USA Swimming Grand Prix series.

Also in Columbia, Amanda Weir placed first in the 50-meter freestyle and 100-meter freestyle. She touched the wall in 25.11 and 55.13, respectively. Adam Ritter helped his Tucson Ford teammates earn gold in the 400-meter freestyle relay in 3:25.55.

The next stop on the USA Swimming Grand Prix circuit will be Austin, Texas on March 5-8th.

At the Missouri meet, Olympian Amanda Weir scored a gold medal in the 50-meter freestyle when she touched first in 25.11. She lowered her personal best in the sprint race in her first Grand Prix meet of the season. 

Mary DeScenza garnered top podium success in the 100-meter backstroke with a winning time of 1:01.46. She posted the second fastest time in the 200-meter individual medley against a deep field of competitors in Columbia. DeScenza’s time of 2:14.40 marks a personal best in the pool. With one day of competition remaining, DeScenza earned an impressive 14 gold medals in the overall Grand Prix Series.

The 2009 USA Swimming Missouri Swimming Grand Prix began this evening as Mary DeScenza won the 200-meter freestyle in 1:58.25. She bettered her personal best by over a second at the Mizzou Aquatic Center. DeScenza earned the 100-meter butterfly title, marking another personal best 58.11. 

DeScenza is among these swimmers competing for the opportunity to win a $20,000 purse in the overall Grand Prix Series. She currently leads the field and is looking to add to her point total in Columbia.