Open Water Swimming

Open Water Swimming can be very intimidating to many, and to others they thrive on all the excitement and the challenge is invigorating. Open water swimming is to pool swimming as trail running is to track running. There is a freedom and challenge swimming in open water and you can simple enjoy your surroundings.

The fun part of racing in open water is you will not have to worry about land dividers or challenging flip turns. During open water racing your stroke technique, strategy, and muscular ability play a big role in your speed.

Wet Suits
When at all possible use a wet suit for open water swims. The wet suit promotes bouncy and body position so for novice swimmers, wet suits can gain around 10 percent faster then without. In most triathlon events there is a requirement for use of wet suits above specific temperature so make sure to bring it along just in case.
When shopping for wet suits there are various types of wet suits to choose from, you have sleeves or no sleeves or even full body Lycra suits. The full body Lycra suits are more expensive and may not last as long as others may. It depends on personal preference, whatever style is most comfortable for you, make sure you practice in it and get used to the difference before race day.
Learn to don your wet suit and swim in it before your race day. cooking-oil spray can help in donning and removing the suit quickly. The zipper is in the back and they fit very snugly until you get into the water and loosen them up.

Race Tips

Position: Don’t start at the front or middle of your wave if you are not a strong swimmer. t can be quite rough in the front or middle of the pack if you don’t have much experience with open water swimming .The best advice for beginners would be to start at the end of the pack and off to the side, this prevents you from getting in the way and being trampled.

Know the course: Look at the map of the swim and figure out which direction you will need to swim and when. Also if possible, Talk to people who have previously done the race. It might be a good idea to take another racer with you and swim the course in advance.

Sighting practice: Hopefully, you have practiced sighting buoys in the pool and worked on balancing your stroke. You may need to stress one arm stroke or another to compensate for currents or weaknesses in your own technique.

Stay Relaxed: If the water is cold and this happens, relax, your body is adjusting to the water temperature. Concrete on breathing deeply and think about your technique while swimming.

Drafting: Once the swimmers break up, many of the experienced swimmers will follow behind another to take advantage of drafting; Just make sure you stick behind a swimmer slightly faster then yourself. The best place to be is usually behind the swimmer’s feet, also 45 degrees on either side of their feet also works well.
It is common for swimmers to go all out hard and fast in the beginning of a competitive swim. If the swimmer is falling behind, pull backward or move to the side and out of the way. At this stage, it may be best to manoeuvre your way around this swimmer and find another drafting target. When you have a drafting target in your sights before you follow behind make sure they are navigating the buoys correctly. Any lead you may have gained will all be lost and not make a difference if your lead person has no idea where the buoys are located.

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