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Grunions Shine at 2009 World Outgames in Copenhagen |
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Written by Raul Reis
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Sunday, 09 August 2009 12:01 |
You can see some very happy Grunions at the above picture, as we sat right outside the beautiful Bellajøv Aqua Arena in Copenhagen on the last day of the 2009 World Outgames.
The Outgames were an amazing experience for Grunions such as myself, who had never been to an international competition of this magnitude before, as well as to more experienced Grunions, who had competed in Paris, Chicago, Amsterdam and other international venues, but still were amazed by the quality and diversity of the athletes swimming here.
As we got ready to leave Copenhagen this past weekend, we reflected on an incredible week of accomplishments and new experiences. Less than a week before, we had all gotten here tired and jet lagged, but the vitality, diversity and enthusiasm we found all over the city energized us to compete and give it our best shot.
Half of us swam the 1500m freestyle still jet lagged and groggy with the time difference, right on Monday morning, at the beginning of the competition. As we marveled at not drowning or colliding head-on with the other competitor swimming in our lane (!), we compared our battle scars and felt good about improving (or at least maintaining) our times.
Throughout the week, we cheered each other on, met fellow swimmers from other countries, comiserated about how small the warm-up pool was, and just had a blast sharing some pretty incredible moments.
There's something completely unique about attending an international competition such as IGLA and the Outgames. All of a sudden, we realize how the world is much smaller than we thought, and how the amazing experiences we have as Grunions are similar in many ways (and also different in many ways) to the experiences lived by our fellow LBGT swimmers all over the world.
Don't worry if you missed the Outgames, because the Gay Games in Cologne, Germany, are only a year away, and I highly recommend that you start getting ready for them right now! |
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Coach Cole, Our Very Own "Fastest Woman in the Pool"! |
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Written by Raul Reis
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Sunday, 09 August 2009 11:55 |
 She came, she saw, she conquered! It wasn't enough for Coach Jac Cole to become our highest point scorer at the 2009 World Outgames-she went ahead and became the fastest woman in the whole pool as well, recording the fastest time during the 50m women's freestyle event.
Yes, she got a gold medal for the fastest time in her age group, but she also got the fastest time overall, beating all the other female swimmers in the event's five heats! 
Since each swimmer could only enter five individual events, Jacquie had to content herself with "only" five gold medals. A shout-out also to our other high scorers, Anita Cole and Ken Bixler (who got first place for all breast events in his age group), without forgetting everyone else who swam their hearts out on all relay and individual events! |
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"Slut Spurt!" and Other Copenhagen Pearls Heard at the 2009 Outgames |
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Written by Madame Aqua
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Sunday, 09 August 2009 11:51 |
by Madame Aqua Did you miss me, dahhhhlings? Madame Aqua has been here the whole time, always pricking up her little ears better to hear all that locker room chatter and pool deck banter (not to mention those unquotable chats I've overheard at our socials!). I haven't been gone--just saving my poison, I mean, wit, for a few special occasions.
And of course no occasion is more special than IGLA, Gay Games or Outgames, when all that international attention kicks things up a notch for many a Grunion. Not that most Grunions need an excuse to ratchet it up a bit, mind you...
So, what with all those "sluts" in Copenhagen? Don't worry, dear Outgames Grunions, I'm not talking about any of you in special. I'm talking about the "Slut Spurt!" signs screaming from all store windows in the Danish capital.
Before you get the wrong idea and think that Copenhagen's shops were being too creative with their marketing to get the Outgames crowd, you have to understand that "Slut Spurt" roughly translates from the Danish as "Come in right now because we have this insane summer sale going on!"
Not that your dedicated Outgames Grunions had a lot of free time to do any significant shopping. OK, who am I kidding? Crisis or no crisis, did you really expect a group of 10+ Grunions that included Yuji and Anita to refrain from shopping?
If only shopping had been all that kept your swimmates busy! Some fellow Grunions soaped and scrubbed so much in Copenhagen, they'll get back home squeaky clean, if you get my drift. From what Madame Aqua heard, the Italians and the French offered the Grunions an extra incentive (and visual stimulation) for all that cleanliness!
But besides being clean, you already knew that the Grunions are a very friendly species, right? Madame Aqua's little informers also let her know that Michael Dirlam was extra friendly with his fellow international swimmers, and that's why the Madame offers him the Outgames Miss Congeniality sash.
Madame Aqua also heard that several Grunions, including Daisy and Bart, had to butch up for some kind of Viking sailing trip. Did I hear this right? If yes, her heart goes out to the poor little things, because the Madame knows all about chipped nails and frizzy ocean hair. The horror, the horror...
Last, but not least, Ken and James are the recipients of Madame Aqua's first "Emily Post Hostesses of the Outgames" award, for opening up their spacious Copenhagen flat for a wine & cheese soirée for their fellow Grunions. Nothing like a little vino to get the Madame (and everyone else) in a party mood, right, boys & girls? |
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All Fun and Games in Copenhagen |
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Written by Raul Reis
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Sunday, 09 August 2009 11:43 |
 OK, we dutifully went to the Aqua Arena and swam all of (or most of) our individual and relay events, but we also had a lot of fun exploring beautiful Copenhagen.
Besides sight-seeing and participating in some of the many cultural events going on in the city, we also found time to relax over wine and cheese at the Bixler-Quintanilla's, roam the grounds at Tivoli Gardens, go up on church spires and round towers for breathtaking views of Copenhagen, take the Aqua Bus for a special tour of the canals, and admire the crown jewels and other museum collections, among other fun activities.
We don't quite have the space here for too many pictures, but please check the Grunion web site galleries as we upload more pictures of the trip. Also, check the web site for a couple of videos I have posted, including the Grunions' performance at Pink Flamingo.
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