Clan-Members » analysis: Rivers are tar-black; the lagoons near the

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Brooke Henderson has come a long way since her win last year in Portland.Back then she didnt even have LPGA Tour status. She was a Monday qualifier for the Portland Classic, urged to try for a spot in the field by her older sister.She went on to become just the second Monday qualifier to win an LPGA event, and she did it in decisive fashion, winning by eight strokes.She was just 17 years old.Its definitely been an incredible 18 months, turning pro at 17 and then didnt have status on the LPGA tour, and was trying to play my way into events and just trying to see what would happen, Henderson said. I really took the best advantage of the opportunities I was given and I won here last year, which really changed my whole career.The Canadian teenager has since climbed her way up the rankings, reaching No. 2. Shes third on the money list this year. And shes got a major championship -- she won the Womens PGA Championship two weeks ago by defeating top-ranked Lydia Ko in a playoff.Ko opted out of playing in Portland.With her Portland win last year, Henderson became the third-youngest champion in LPGA Tour history at 17 years, 11 months, and six days. She was the first Canadian to win on the tour since Lorie Kane in 2001.It was definitely a huge stepping stone for me, Henderson said. Right afterward I did try to soak it all in. Then I moved right into the Canadian Open, where it was a huge celebration all over Canada with Canadian fans and that was really cool. It definitely was a huge accomplishment here and I hope that maybe this year Ill win by nine.SKIPPING PORTLAND: Thirty-seven of the top 50 players are skipping the Portland stop. Many players are opting to take this week off ahead of the U.S. Womens Open next week in California. Normally the Portland tournament is popular among the women, but it was moved up in the schedule this year because the LPGA is taking three weeks off for the Olympics. For the past 11 years the event has been held in August.RIO BOUND: The field for the Portland Classic includes 20 players from 16 different nations who are set to play in the Rio Olympics this summer. Henderson will represent her native Canada, and Stacy Lewis is set to play for the United States.But South Africas Lee-Anne Pace announced Wednesday that she is withdrawing from the Olympics over concern about the Zika virus.I hope that everyone can understand that this was a very difficult decision to come to, however my health and my future familys health must come first, said Pace, who is ranked 38th in the world.Several PGA players have pulled out of the Olympics citing concern about the Zika virus (including Australian Jason Day and Irelands Shane Lowry this week), but none of their LPGA counterparts had until Pace.YOUTH IS SERVED: Mariel Galdiano earned a spot in the Portland Classic in the Monday qualifier. The 18-year-old, about to start her freshman year at UCLA, said the fact that Henderson won as a Monday qualifier is not lost on her. In fact, the average age of tour winners this year is just over 21.(It) definitely shows how young the game is getting and how close we are as junior golfers, how close our dreams are and how good we can become, she said.Galdiano comes from Hawaii where she went to the prestigious Punahou School, which boasts famous alumni including Michelle Wie and President Barack Obama.THE DETAILS: The Portland Classic is the longest-running non-major on the LPGA Tour, now in its 45th year. The 72-hole event at Columbia Edgewater Country Club starts Thursday and runs through Sunday, with a cut to 70 after the first 36 holes. This years purse is $1.3 million, with $195,000 going to the winner.Thanasis Antetokounmpo Jersey . Inter president Erick Thohir says in a club statement on Wednesday that Vidic is "one of the worlds best defenders and his qualities, international pedigree, and charisma will be an asset. Yi Jianlian Jersey . The 26-year-old Ireland striker, who has four goals this season, has signed a three-and-a-half year contract with his new club. https://www.cheapbucksonline.com/406t-glenn-robinson-jersey-bucks.html . -- The Missouri Tigers might not have a roster full of superstars. Bucks Jerseys 2019 . -- The plastic that was taped across the lockers in Oaklands clubhouse came down and the champagne that was on ice went back into the cooler. Vin Baker Jersey . - Oakland Raiders running back Rashad Jennings was speaking to a group of local high school students earlier this week when the conversation turned to the importance of being prepared when opportunities in life arise.RIO DE JANEIRO -- Just days ahead of the Olympic Games the waterways of Rio de Janeiro are as filthy as ever, contaminated with raw human sewage teeming with dangerous viruses and bacteria, according to a 16-month-long study commissioned by The Associated Press.Not only are some 1,400 athletes at risk of getting violently ill in water competitions, but the APs tests indicate that tourists also face potentially serious health risks on the golden beaches of Ipanema and Copacabana.The APs survey of the aquatic Olympic and Paralympic venues has revealed consistent and dangerously high levels of viruses from the pollution, a major black eye on Rios Olympic project that has set off alarm bells among sailors, rowers and open-water swimmers.In light of the findings, biomedical expert Valerie Harwood had one piece of advice for travelers to Rio: Dont put your head under water.The most contaminated points are the Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon, where Olympic rowing will take place, and the Gloria Marina, the starting point for the sailing races.Sampling at the Lagoon in March 2015 revealed an astounding 1.73 billion adenoviruses per liter. By this June, adenovirus readings were lower but still hair-raising at 248 million adenoviruses per liter. By comparison, in California, viral readings in the thousands per liter set off alarm bells.Despite a project aimed at preventing raw sewage from flowing into the Gloria Marina through storm drains, the waters remain just as contaminated. The first sampling there, in March 2015, showed over 26 million adenoviruses per liter. This June, over 37 million adenoviruses per liter were detected.The first results of the AP study published over a year ago showed viral levels at up to 1.7 million times what would be considered worrisome in the United States or Europe. At those concentrations, swimmers and athletes who ingest just three teaspoons of water are almost certain to be infected with viruses that can cause stomach and respiratory illnesses and more rarely heart and brain inflammation -- although whether they actually fall ill depends on a series of factors including the strength of the individuals immune system.Since the AP released the initial results last July, athletes have been taking elaborate precautions to prevent illnesses that could potentially knock them out of the competition, including preventatively taking antibiotics, bleaching oars and donning plastic suits and gloves in a bid to limit contact with the water.But antibiotics combat bacterial infections, not viruses. And the AP investigation found that infectious adenovirus readings -- tested with cell cultures and verified with molecular biology protocols -- turned up at nearly 90 percent of the test sites over 16 months of testing.Thats a very, very, very high percentage, said Dr. Harwood, chair of the Department of Integrative Biology at the University of South Florida. Seeing that level of human pathogenic virus is pretty much unheard of in surface waters in the U.S. You would never, ever see these levels because we treat our waste water. You just would not see this.While athletes take precautions, what about the 300,000-500,000 foreigners expected to descend on Rio for the Olympics? Testing at several of the citys world-famous beaches has shown that in addition to persistently high viral loads, the beaches often have levels of bacterial markers for sewage pollution that would be cause for concern abroad -- and sometimes even exceed Rio states lax water safety standards.Swimmers who ingest water through their mouths and noses therefore risk getting violently ill, Harwood said.Danger is lurking even in the sand. Samples from the beaches at Copacabana and Ipanema revealed high levels of viruses, which recent studies have suggested can pose a health risk -- particularly to babies and small children.Both of them have pretty high levels of infectious adenovirus, said Harwood, adding that the virus could be particularly hazardous to babies and toddlers who play in the sand.You know how quickly an infant can get dehydrated and have to go to the hospital, she added. Thats the scariest point to me.Dr. Fernando Spilki, the virologist and coordinator of the molecular microbiology laboratory at Feevale University in southern Brazil whom AP commissioned to conduct the water tests, says the survey revealed no appreciable improvement in Rios blighted waters -- despite cleanup promises stretching back decades.Unfortunately, what weve seen throughout all this time is that there is a variation in the levels of contamination, but it fluctuates much more as a result of climactic conditions than due to any measures that may have been taken to try to remove this contamination, said Spilki, one of Brazils most respected virologists.While local authorities including Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes have acknowledged the failure of the citys water cleanup efforts, calling it a lost chance and a shame, Olympic officials continue to insist Rios waterways will be safe for athletes and visitors.We would never, ever risk the health or the condition of any athlete for a competition, said Mario Andrada, chief spokesman for the local Olympic organizing committee. So the health of the athletes is our first priority. And the athletes dont run a risk sailing in Guanabara Bay.Though Rio is not testing for viruses, he acknowledged this may be science of the future.We do believe that virus testing can be the future for protecting urban water like Guanabara Bay.The committee has previously said that bacterial testing conducted by state authorities has shown the aquatic venues to be within state guidelines.The crux of the issue lies in the different types of testing used to determine the health and safety of recreational waters.Bacterial tests measure levels of coliforms -- different types of bacteria that tend not to cause illnesses themselves but are indicators of the presence of other, potentially harmful sewage-borne pathogens such as other bacteria, viruses and protozoa that can cause cholera, dysentery, hepatitis A and typhoid, among other diseases. Bacterial tests are the worldwide standard because theyre cheap and easy.But theres a growing consensus that theyre not ideal for all climates, as bacteria break down quickly in tropical weather and salty marine waters. In contrast, viruses have been shown to survive for weeks, months or even years -- meaning that in tropical Rio low bacterial markers can be completely out of step with high virus levels.That disparity was borne out in the APs testing. For instance, in June 2016, the levels of fecal coliforms in water samples from Copacabana and Ipanema Beaches were extremely low, with just 31 and 85 fecal coliforms per 100 milliliters, respectively.dddddddddddd But still, both had alarming readings for rotavirus, the main cause of gastroenteritis globally, with 7.22 million rotaviruses per liter detected in the waters of Copacabana, while 32.7 million rotaviruses per liter were found in the waters of Ipanema Beach.The testing also revealed alarming spikes in fecal coliform levels -- the very measure the state government uses to determine the safety of Rios recreational waters.If these were the reported values in the United States, lets say in California, there is definitely an indication of a problem, said Dr. Kristina Mena, a waterborne virus expert at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.According to Californias bacterial tests standards, 400 fecal coliforms per 100 milliliters is the upper limit for a beach to be considered safe for swimming. APs tests revealed that Copacabana Beach, where the marathon and triathlon swimming are to be held and thousands of tourists are likely to take a dip, exceeded Californias limit five times over 13 months of testing.Nearby Ipanema Beach, which is not playing host to any Olympic sports but is among the citys most popular tourist spots, exceeded California standards five times over 12 months, once spiking to nearly 50 times what would be permitted in California. One of two testing spots along the beach in the Olympic hub neighborhood of Barra da Tijuca once hit more than 60 times that limit over the five months testing was conducted there.If we had exceedances that consistently were in the thousands like Im seeing here, there would be a high likelihood that that beach would be put on our list of impaired water bodies, said Rik Rasmussen, manager of surface water quality standards at Californias State Water Board. That would lead to water quality warnings posted on the beach, possible beach closure, and the development of a program to root out the source of the contamination, he said.The beaches even violate Rio states own standards, which are much less stringent than those in California, many other U.S. states and beach-loving countries such as Australia and New Zealand. In Rio, beaches are considered unfit if bacterial tests turn up more than 2,500 fecal coliforms per 100 milliliters -- more than six times higher than the upper limit in California. But Copacabana and Ipanema even violated those much higher limits on three separate occasions. The state environmental agency, INEA, did not respond to repeated requests for comment.Rasmussen acknowledged that the higher thresholds might make sense in Rio, where sewage pollution has been a perennial problem, meaning that locals are regularly exposed to the pathogens lurking in raw waste from an early age and therefore build up immunities. But visitors are unlikely to have such immunities, putting them at risk for illnesses.After the APs initial report on the findings of the study in July of last year, the Olympics adviser on health matters, the World Health Organization, said it would carry out its own viral testing in Rios Olympic waterways. The agency later flip-flopped, finally concluding that bacterial tests alone would suffice.Athletes who have trained years for a chance at Olympic glory have resigned themselves to competing in the filth.Theres been a lot of talk about how dirty the water is and all the viruses, said Finnish team sailor Noora Ruskola. Im mentally prepared for this. Some days the water is totally OK, and some days there are bad days.However, tourists are unlikely to realize the dangers: Water quality warning signs used to dot showcase beaches, but theyre no longer there. Now, a brief item on the weather page of the local paper lists which beaches the state environmental agency has deemed safe for swimming.Most beach-going visitors are likely in the same situation as Raul Onetto, a 52-year-old bank executive from Uruguay recently soaking up the sun on Copacabana Beach.When asked whether he knew that the bacterial levels sometimes exceeded the norms in other countries and could indicate problems, he expressed disbelief.The water looks beautiful. I didnt know it was dirty, said Onetto. If its dirty, the public should know it. I came 2,000 kilometers to be on a beach.In Rio, the main tourist gateway to the country, a centuries-long sewage problem that was part of Brazils colonial legacy has spiked in recent decades in tandem with the rural exodus that saw the metropolitan area nearly double in size since 1970.Even in the citys wealthy areas, sewage treatment has lagged dramatically behind, with so-called black tongues of fetid, sewage-filled water common even on the tony Ipanema and Leblon Beaches. The lagoons in the fast-growing Barra da Tijuca region have been filled with so much sewage dumped by nearby glass-and-steel residential towers that vast islands of sludge emerge from the filthy waters during low tide. That lagoon system, which hugs the Olympic Park and Athletes Village, regularly sees massive pollution-related fish die-offs and emits an eye-watering sulfuric stench.Promises to clean up Rios waterways stretch back decades, with a succession of governors setting dates for a cleanup and repeatedly pushing them back. In the citys 2009 Olympic bid document, authorities pledged the games would regenerate Rios magnificent waterways. A promised billion-dollar investment in cleanup programs was meant to be among the games most important legacies.Once more, the lofty promises have ended in failure.Just over a month before the games, biologist Mario Moscatelli spent more than two hours flying over Rio in a helicopter, as hes done on a monthly basis for the past 20 years.Viewed from above, Rios sewage problem is as starkly visible as on the spreadsheets of the AP analysis: Rivers are tar-black; the lagoons near the Olympic Park bloom with fluorescent green algae that thrives amid sewage; fishermens wooden boats sink into thick sludge in the Guanabara Bay; surfers paddle amid a giant brown stain that contrasts with the azure of the surrounding waters.Its been decades and I see no improvement, laments Moscatelli, an activist whos the most visible face of the fight to clean up Rios waterways. The Guanabara Bay has been transformed into a latrine ... and unfortunately Rio de Janeiro missed the opportunity, maybe the last big opportunity to clean it up.---Associated Press writers Peter Prengaman, Stephen Wade and Diarlei Rodrigues contributed to this report.----Peter Prengaman on Twitter: twitter.com/peterprengaman ' ' '