Danes select 17 for ‘Viking’ squad

The Danish Swimming Federation today announced 17 swimmers selected for their ‘Viking’ squad, which is the squad consisting of swimmers already on the national team, and those potentials who are very close to qualifying for major international senior meets.

More a rebranding of an already existing squad, than a follow-up to the Great Danes project, the 7 male swimmers are still all except Marcus Krøyer Svendsen from the group of 13 young and talented male swimmers, that were selected for the Great Danes project last year.

The selection procedure for the Viking squad was described (in Danish) in this info letter earlier this year, with accompanying qualification standard times. Swimmers can still qualify for the activities planned, but have to make the standard times before a deadline set for each activity.

The 17 selected as of now

• Julie Levisen, Ã…lborg Svømmeklub*
• Emilie Beckmann, Tune IF/GTI
• Mie Ø. Nielsen, Ã…lborg Svømmeklub*
• Maj Howardsen, Sigma Swim Allerød*
• Louise B. Dalgaard, Ã…lborg Svømmeklub*
• Julie Kepp Jensen, JGI/A6
• Rikke Møller Pedersen, STM / Herning Svømmeklub*
• Jeanette Ottesen, Lyngby Svømmeklub / NTC*
• Pernille Blume, Sigma Birkerød/NTC*
• Julie Aglund Lauridsen, Sigma Allerød/NTC*

• Viktor B. Bromer, Ã…lborg Svømmeklub*
• Magnus Westermann, Herlev Svømning
• Frans Johannessen, Esbjerg Svømmeklub
• Frederik Siem Pedersen, Farum Svømmeklub
• Marcus Krøyer Svendsen, Svømmeklubben Kvik, Kastrup
• Daniel Skaaning, STT/VAT-Copenhagen/NTC*
• Daniel Steen Andersen, Horsens Svømmeklub/NTC (subjectively selected)

*Berlin 2014 team member

Missing from the Berlin 2014 squad are US-based Lotte Friis, Mads Glæsner, Anders Lie Nielsen and Anton Ørskov Ipsen, plus Sarah Bro.

Daniel Steen Andersen is marked as ‘subjectively selected’, most likely because of the injury that prevented him from participating at the Berlin 2014 European Championships.

Activities planned for ‘The Vikings’ are

• 7-9 November 2014: North Sea Swim Meet 2014
  (Deadline for qualification 15 October 2014)
• 5-15 January 2015: Warm Weather Camp
  (Deadline for qualification 1. december 2014)
• March 2015: International meet, to be determined
  (Deadline not yet set)
• 29-31 Maj 2015: Bergen Swim Festival
  (Deadline for qualification 1 April 2015 – Danish Open)

Photo by hans s