Industry News: Myrtha Pools USA to Sponsor USA Swimming and Provide Competition Pools for 2008 Olympic Trials

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., July 13. MYRTHA Pools USA and USA Swimming are partnering on what will be the first indoor temporary pool for a U.S. Olympic Team Trials and the largest event in USA Swimming’s history. Myrtha joins USA Swimming as its latest corporate sponsor through 2008, with Myrtha providing swimming pools for the competition at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Omaha, Neb., June 30-July 7, 2008.

This progressive approach in pool construction has helped USA Swimming grow the appeal of swimming’s marquee domestic event from a competition that hosted 64,000 spectators in 2000 to 100,000 in 2004 to the expected 140,000 in 2008.

To say Myrtha’s approach is “ground breaking” is figuratively true, but not literally. Myrtha will provide two above-ground temporary pools to be placed in the Qwest Center replacing what is normally a hockey rink, basketball court or concert stage. One 50-meter pool will be used for the competition in the main arena and another 50-meter warm-up pool will be placed in the adjacent convention center space – both within a 30-second walk from each other. Options for the third pool provided by Myrtha are still being explored, with one potential use being in the Aqua Zone fan experience area in Omaha.

Myrtha is predominantly known as a manufacturer of permanent, in-ground pools for private and commercial projects. However, their innovation in temporary pools along with temporary grandstands helped create the venue for the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Long Beach, Calif. Following the event, those pools were sold to private buyers to be placed in communities as permanent, in-ground projects. The same will be true for the pools in Omaha, helping not only create a spectacular event, but it will also leave a legacy within other communities in the United States.

“Myrtha has helped us take events to another level and in the process is helping us grow our sport’s attractiveness to spectators,” said Chuck Wielgus, USA Swimming’s Executive Director. “We are even more thrilled that these pools can be placed in communities to be permanent reminders of the event, as well as create new opportunities for learning to swim, recreation and enjoying the sport.”

In addition to Long Beach, Myrtha pools were used at the 2005 FINA World Championships in Montreal, the 2004 Short Course World Championships at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis and the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta.

Myrtha has constructed permanent pools for schools, hotels, recreation centers and private use in more than 60 countries.

“We look forward to working side by side with USA Swimming to improve the quality and quantity of competitive pools in the United States as this is one of our most important markets,” said Roberto Colletto, Managing Director of Myrtha’s parent company A&T Europe SPA. “We believe that our partnership with USA Swimming will greatly benefit the development of competitive swimming, and we also look forward to working with the Club Development department to provide affordable, reliable and low maintenance pools to the membership.”

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