FEATURE Sports Complex Making Waves: IGLA 2004 Splashes Down in Ft. Lauderdale Jim Provenzano | September 28, 2004 A swimmer on the starting block at 2003's IGLA tournament - Photo by Jim Provenzano Only weeks after hurricanes ripped through southern Florida, members of the Nadadores of South Florida are busy preparing for the annual International Gay and Lesbian Aquatics (IGLA) tournament, Oct. 7-11, where as many as 1,000 GLBT swimmers, divers, water polo players, and synchronized swimmers will compete. "If there's another hurricane coming, there's not much we can do," says Jonathan Olsen, IGLA's 2004 co-chair. "We can't change Mother Nature." Florida has been hit by two hurricanes so far this season: Charley, which killed 27 people in southwest Florida last month and caused an estimated $6.8 billion in damage; and Frances, which caused further damage and several deaths. At press time, it looked as if Hurricane Ivan, which killed several dozen people across the Caribbean, would pass South Florida by. After Hurricane Frances struck, Olsen spent some time cleaning up debris in his yard - "a lot of palm fronds and tree branches," he says - before spending a day processing online and mailed registration forms for the swimming tournament, one of many duties he shares with co-chair Sean Frampton. The Nadadores use the Spanish term for swimmers in part to recognize the strong Latino presence among their club members. As at previous IGLAs, this year's will have a global presence, with several of the organization's 25 non-U.S. teams participating. Almost 50 American swimming and water-polo clubs comprise the bulk of IGLA members. More than 20 swimmers will be arriving from London's Out to Swim, with another few dozen from France's Paris Aquatique team. An entire water-polo team will be traveling from Sydney, where Gay Games VI's aquatics events were held at the former Olympic facility in 2002 (IGLA's annual tournaments are held at the Games every four years). Sydney's already swim-happy culture enjoyed a boost in their GLBT sports community after hosting the Games. "We are very excited to go to Fort Lauderdale," says Lorenzo Benucci of the Atlanta Water Jocks (AWJ). Originally from Italy, Benucci calls AWJ "a spin-off of Atlanta Rainbow Trout" (Atlanta's larger, older GLBT swim club). He and three other swimmers will team up in relays, as well as seek new Adult Masters personal bests. Benucci broke an Adult Masters swimming record at 1999's IGLA in Atlanta, and like many gay swimmers, the AWJ also recently competed at the Adult Masters Summer Long Course Championships, held in Savannah, Ga., in August. David Eng, also of AWJ, exemplifies the busy schedule of many ambitious swimmers, with his plans to compete in the 200-meter backstroke, 200-meter breaststroke, 200-meter butterfly, 400-meter Individual Medley, and the 1500-meter freestyle event. Hosting this year's IGLA tournament has helped the Nadadores grow from around 15 members in 2001 to 45 this season, with many more volunteering to help produce the tournament. New swim clubs - including swimmers from Phoenix, Ariz., which will send almost a dozen swimmers, and a fledgling team from Charlotte, N.C. - also get an affectionate welcome. When the San Francisco Tsunami hosted IGLA 2003 at Stanford's Aquatics Center, they had to bring in their own officials and statisticians. This year, Olsen says that the staff at the Fort Lauderdale Aquatic Complex, where IGLA 2004 will be held, will handle the majority of duties. The complex runs almost a dozen large-scale swim meets each year. Located only a few blocks from the shoreline, it was closed for weeks during the last hurricanes, but no serious damage to the facility occurred. One event the complex's staff may not be familiar with is the always-hilarious Pink Flamingo, a costumed water-ballet competition between clubs, with chorus boys and girls in over-the-top musical numbers fitting each year's theme (this year's is "Fun in the Sun"). IGLA 2004 will also include its first-ever open-water swimming competition. Olsen has already received more than 100 applications for the one-mile ocean event. With many IGLA members seasoned triathletes, it should be an exciting addition to an already packed weekend of competition and social events. Co-chairing IGLA 2004 is a way of returning the favor of all that swimming has given to Olsen, who began swimming as a child and competed at the University of Pennsylvania. He stopped swimming for several years, but returned with the goal of competing at 1994's Gay Games IV. "I quit smoking, started swimming, and haven't had a cigarette since," he says proudly. Olsen has participated in every IGLA tournament since then. With a $100,000 budget, the nonprofit group is able to raise funds for other groups, as they did at the Nadadores' recent Splendor party, which raised $10,000 for local Red Cross children's swimming programs. Despite a hurricane season that lasts through November, and no alternative plan should more extreme weather engulf South Florida, Olsen remains hopeful that IGLA 2004 will be a success. Even if future storms cause damage, he and his colleagues will be ready to rebuild and make the event happen. "I've boarded up my windows three times," Olsen says. "You do what you can. And if they say evacuate, you get out." Jim Provenzano is the author of the novels PINS and Monkey Suits. Read more sports articles at www.sportscomplex.org Related stories Putting It Together: Making Gay Sports Events Happen [14/09/2004] For more info on Gay Sport in South Africa contact Gay Sport SA