Short Course Grand Prix Coming Soon

==Insights from Swimming World, Lane 9 ==
PHOENIX, Arizona, October 7, 2006. WITH the initial short course Grand Prix event only five weeks away, teams are scrambling to make plans to attend the meet.
The meet, to be held at the Palo Alto College Natatorium, Nov. 10-12, 2006, has the complete backing of USA Swimming and the United States Olympic Committee, as evidenced by a conversation with National Team Head Coach and General Manager Mark Schubert.
"The USOC will pay for the travel costs to this meet incurred by anyone who made the World Championship, World University Games or Pan American rosters," Schubert said.
Additionally, the new short course Grand Prix event is one of the first indicators that USA Swimming will continue to emphasize short course competition within the states.
"We tried to create a better and more productive winter season meet schedule (with the addition of the short course Grand Prix meet)," Schubert said. "We are very delighted that Alamo Area Aquatics is hosting the event. (The Palo Alto College Natatorium) is a great facility. (Alamo Area) really stepped up, and it is a start. Our goal is to provide a short course Grand Prix event the weekend before Thanksgiving of each year. The University of Minnesota will likely be the site for this annual event."
George Block, the head coach of the Alamo Area Aquatics Club, is also thrilled to host the event.
"This is the first-ever short course yard Grand Prix meet in the United States," Block said. "The cuts are soft, so we hope for a good turnout. It is a good opportunity for some top swimmers to get two swims in with the top 24 returning for the finals session. The Palo Alto College Natatorium is a fast pool."
The introduction of the meet follows recent announcements by USA Swimming in which the short course movement continues to gain momentum. Recently, USA Swimming reinstated its Short Course National Championship to commence in December of 2007. The Grand Prix event will be the opening of the USA Swimming short course season each year. 
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