Rubber Gloves and Hoop Skirts
Among the more notoriously campy events was the Pink Flamingo pageant, with ten teams performing what Atlanta Meet Director John Brown called "Broadway musical meets Esther Williams." Flowery bathing caps blossomed amid wacky water ballet and poolside antics, hosted by local drag MCs Bubba and Jane Russell.

Most fulfilled the theme "Hot Donna Summers Nights," featuring the music of the pro-gay/anti-gay/pro-gay disco diva. Team Dallas's routine offered the most thorough historical account of the famed singer's rumored "Adam and Steve" statements and her subsequent fall from gay grace.

Others paid homage to their affable Southern hosts, and even straight pool staff laughed and sang along to excerpts of "The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia," "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" (Team New York's two-stepping in red chaps were a highlight) and even a Deliverance tribute by Philadelphia's team, complete with canoeing drag queens abducted by hillbilly boys.

New Pink Flamingo entries included Ohio Splash, while San Francisco's Team Tsunami offered a tribute to "Rubber Ducky." Paris Aquatique's winning entry offered brilliant choreography, both poolside and in the water, set to "Gay Paree/Le Jazz Hot" from Victor/Victoria.

By day, IGLA board members had meetings while participants trekked to club events by night. For some, it proved to relax them enough to perform better the next day, as SF's Tim Lane (50 meter Breast stroke) attested, proving that nightclub dancing helped him get "a few personal bests. It helps to be with a bunch of gay guys and women," he said, noting that he swims better in a gay environment. "It's a different kind of camaraderie."

Others enjoyed a bit too much Southern hospitality, missed their Sunday morning heats, and understandably asked not to be identified.

At the weekend's awards banquet, trophies, honors and more than a few jokes were doled out. The new IGLA Medium Team Trophy was awarded for the first time to Queer Utah Aquatics Club (QUAC). The Seattle Orcas won the Small Team Trophy, and Washington, DC's Aquatic Club won the Large Team Trophy for the fourth year in a row.

For complete scores from IGLA '99, visit their website at www.igla99.org. Team Tsunami info: (415) 487-6614, www.sftsunami.org. USF Masters (415) 422-6247 2000's IGLA tournament takes place in Paris. For info, visit their website, www.igla2000.org, or write IGLA Paris 2000/Paris Aquatique 8 bis, citè de Trevise, 75009 Paris.