No Duel in the Pool in 2017; “Could Return in the Future”

USA Swimming will not hold a Duel in the Pool event in 2017 “due to sponsorship changes,” a USA Swimming spokesperson said, but the event could return in the future.

The former biannual competition, held in short course meters, was sponsored by Mutual of Omaha since its inception in 2003. Mutual of Omaha dropped its sponsorship with USA Swimming earlier in 2017 after 15 years. In the first 3 editions, in 2003, 2005, and 2007, an American all-star team faced off against an Australian all-star team twice in the U.S. and once in Sydney.

In 2009, the series shifted to a USA vs. Europe meet, where the Americans have faced European all-start teams of various national configurations. The first USA vs. Europe meet took place in Manchester England from December 19th-20th, 2009, with intense attention because this was one of the world’s last meets where the now-outlawed polyurethane boats suits were used, resulting in 8 World Records being broken by the Americans. In a twist, those records were never ratified as American Records, because USA Swimming had already outlawed the suits.

Team USA has won all 7 editions of the event, though the most competitive running came in 2013 when the meet finished in a tie, with a mixed 200 medley relay worth 1 point deciding the winner.

While not exactly the same format, in the absence of the Duel in the Pool, USA Swimming has participated in a separate “National Team vs.” series in each of the last two years: the USA College Challenge, which pits the American National Team against an all-start team made up of swimmers from a different NCAA conference.

Duel in the Pool matches

Year	Winners	Score	Runners-up	Host city	Venue
2003	United States	196–74	Australia	Indianapolis	Indiana University Natatorium
2005	United States	190–102	Australia	Irvine	Woollett Aquatics Center
2007	United States	181.5–129.5	Australia	Sydney	Sydney International Aquatic Centre
2009	United States	185–78	Europe	Manchester	Manchester Aquatics Centre
2011	United States	181.5–80.5	Europe	Atlanta	Georgia Tech Aquatic Center
2013	United States	132–131	Europe	Glasgow	Tollcross International Swimming Centre
2015	United States	155–107	Europe	Indianapolis	Indiana University Natatorium