Natalie Coughlin post swim in Dubai

We’re so proud of Natalie’s performance at the Short Course World Championships of Swimming in Dubai!  She set two new American records (and also personal best times) in the 100 back and 100 free, and also took home a silver in the 400 free relay.  Job well done!

Also worth noting is Ryan Lochte’s new world record in the 400 IM.  This is the first world record set in 2010 since FINA banned the highly technical full body suits like the Speedo LZR.

And, coming off his feature in Sports Illustrated, our own Slater Trout was just named one of “The 5 Most Influential Stand Up Paddlers of 2010” by Chris Bishow, not a bad way to close out 2010.

Natalie Coughlin is swimming in there! Photo of the outside of the Pool in Dubai taken by Natalie herself.

Both H2O Audio Ambassador Swimmers are tearing up the competition in the pool lately, while our youngest team member was featured in Sport Illustrated!

Michael Phelps competed close to home in the North Baltimore Christmas Invitational over the weekend.  He took first in the 50 free, a race he doesn’t usually compete in, narrowly missing his personal best time.  Then later, blew the competition out the water in the 100 backstroke.

Natalie Coughlin is currently racing in the Short Course World Championships in Dubai.  Due to her strength in turns and underwater swimming, Natalie usually excels in the short course format (racing in 25 yard increments instead of the 50 meters found in the Olympics) so we’ll be sure to keep you posted on how she does.

And lastly for today, our 15 year old Stand Up Paddle phenom, Slater Trout was recently featured in Sports Illustrated’s “Faces in the Crowd” section that highlights up-and-coming young athletes.  We’re excited not only because it’s huge for Slater, but also for the sport of Stand Up Paddle itself!

Team H2O Audio Swimmers are back in action!

Natalie Coughlin is preparing to travel to Dubai at the end of the week for the Short Course World Championships.  A meet with some of the worlds best has a bit of a heavy feel this year, as the United Arab Emirates was where distance swimmer Fran Crippen passed away during an open water swim less than two months ago.  Natalie didn’t have any hesitation competing in this event thought, she was quoted as saying, “It was [Fran's] dream to be an Olympian, so I think the best way to pay homage to him is to do the sport we love and compete.”

Michael Phelps will also be in the competition pool soon.  He’ll be staying a bit closer to home, competing in the North Baltimore Athletic Club Christmas Meet.  Michael is looking forward to this meet as he always loves to perform in front his home town fans.

As for the rest of the team, our favorite triathlete couple, Greg and Laura Bennett is training hard in Noosa Australia, and Paddler Slater Trout is toting his SUP boards around Maui in his new truck.  So that’s the update for this week!

Heading into the holidays, things are understandably quiet with Team H2O Audio.

Michael Phelps was scheduled to compete this past weekend in the Minnesota Grand Prix, but scratched siting no specific reason.

Natalie Coughlin is back from Italy and back to her training regiment.

Greg and Laura Bennett are chasing an endless summer and head back to Noosa, Australia in a few days.

And youngest team member Slater Trout continues to go to school, work on his driving skills and of course, paddle, paddle, paddle!

So now you’re up-to-date!  Keep checking back every Tuesday for the latest news from H2O Audio Ambassador athletes.

The Natalie-Coughlin-Eye-View of the competition pool in Bolzano, Italy.

It’s Tuesday, so it’s time to check in on what Team H2O Audio is up to:

Michael Phelps is gearing up to jump back into the competition pool this weekend at the kick-off event to the USA Swimming Grand Prix Meet Series in Minneapolis.  This is the first meet in a series of seven that runs into June, 2011.

Natalie Coughlin has been on the road and in the pool abroad.  Currently she is finishing up an International meet in Bolzano, Italy.  In between spending time with the Speedo Italy team, she posted good times in the 100 free, 100 IM and 100 fly.

Greg and Laura Bennett are getting back into training after a short break and Greg will soon be an official US citizen!  Today he tweeted that this afternoon will be his official swearing in ceremony.  Watch out US men, Greg Bennett is going for the 2012 Olympic USA triathlon team!

And last but certainly not least, Slater Trout and his family are settling back into home on Maui, Hawaii.  Nearly 16 years old, Slater recently used some of his prize winnings to buy himself a truck and also posted about helping to raise money for his old elementary school.