Posted in: Rules

Team Time Trial Races to Begin Worldwide

13.Feb.10   |  posted by: steve munatones  |   filed under: Rules   |  (1) comments

Among the dozens of major decisions announced by the FINA Bureau in Bangkok this year, FINA approved the establishment of a three-person team time trial event (with at least one person from each gender) starting at the 2011 FINA World Swimming Championships in Shanghai, China.

The European Championships have already proved the excitement of this team time trial format by successfully conducted this unique event that requires winning teams to act as one, effectively drafting off of one another.  The Americans are expected to soon add a team time trial event to their national open water swimming championship weekend, perhaps as early as 2010.

The team event as a time trial consist of 3 swimmers, either 1 man and 2 women, or 2 men 1 woman. Every team starts with all 3 swimmers together 60 seconds after the team ahead of them. The starting positions of the teams are randomly decided by automatic draw. The final time of each team is decided by the individual time of the third swimmer of the team.

Photo shows the winning Italian team of Ferretti, Bruni and Volpini at the 2009 European Open Water Swimming Championships.

Fresh or Salt, Flat or Rough?  What Will It Be In Shanghai?

16.Jan.10   |  posted by: steve munatones  |   filed under: Rules   |  (0) comments

The decision on which venue to select for the 2011 World Open Water Swimming Championships in Shanghai, China is between a freshwater lake, a rowing basin and the ocean.

Flat water vs. rough water? Fresh water vs. salt water?

With Serpentine Lake in Hyde Park the spectacular venue for the Olympic 10K Marathon Swim at the 2012 London Olympics, it is our guess that FINA will ultimately decide on a flat water, freshwater course.

But the decision on the site of this critical event - where at least ten finalists on both the men's and women's side for the Olympic 10K Marathon Swim for the 2012 London Olympics will be selected - is still pending.

A test event will be held at the venue that ultimately will be selected and announced to the FINA global community.

Movers and Shakers in American Swimming

2.Jan.10   |  posted by: steve munatones  |   filed under: Rules   |  (0) comments

Swimming World Magazine wrote about the key movers and shakers within the sport of swimming in the USA.

Sid Cassidy, was identified as the Open Water Swimming Guru, within USA Swimming, a description richly deserved. We have frequently referred to Sid as Mr. Open Water due to his influence and passionate behind-the-scenes work at the local, national and international levels.

Quite simply, the man's fingerprints are everywhere.

Sid was aptly described by Managing Editor Jason Marsteller as follows, "Known as one of the most influential people within the sport of open water swimming, Cassidy is in a position to push for major change within the burgeoning sport. Once open water was given the credibility of being an Olympic sport with the addition of the 10K event at the 2008 Beijing Games, Cassidy's overall influence potential skyrocketed."

Sid was joined by Bob Bowman (North Baltimore Head Coach and Coach of Michael Phelps), Peter Carlisle (Michael Phelps' Agent), Cullen Jones (Olympic Gold Medalist and Make a Splash Ambassador), John Leonard (American Swimming Coaches Association Executive Director), Evan Morgenstein (President and CEO of PMG Sports), Dale Neuburger (FINA Vice President), Aaron Peirsol (Olympic Gold Medalist and FINA Athletes' Commission U.S. Representative), Michael Phelps (Olympic Gold Medalist), Eddie Reese (University of Texas Head Coach), Jack Roach (USA Swimming National Youth Team Head Coach), Mark Schubert (USA Swimming National Team Head Coach and General Manager), Trent Staley (USA Swimming Athlete Representative), Mike Unger (USA Swimming Assistant Executive Director), Chuck Wielgus (USA Swimming Executive Director), Jim Wood (USA Swimming President) and Carol Zaleski (FINA Technical Swimming Committee Chairperson) as the power brokers in the American swimming community.

Eco-swimming

29.Nov.09   |  posted by: steve munatones  |   filed under: Rules   |  (0) comments

Eco-tourism, adventure travel, sustainable tourism, responsible tourism, nature-based tourism, green tourism have entered our lexicon with multiple meanings and interpretation. As our world gets smaller (figuratively) and the world's population grows (literally), mankind's impact on the environment will continue - both for the good and the bad.

From the United Nations' designation of 2002 as the International Year of Ecotourism to the Center for Responsible Travel's goal to transform the travel industry as a driver of positive change, eco-tourism has been a building awareness since the term was first used over 30 years.

But with our Earth covered over 70% with water, the global open water swimming community is quietly, steadily and increasingly doing its part on the grass-roots level in this global movement.

We call these efforts, eco-swimming.

The Open Water Swimming Dictionary defines eco-swimming as any open water swim, relay, stage swim, race or charity swim that (1) aims to protect, conserve or call attention to the environment or ecology, (2) improve or protect the welfare of marine life or the local or indigeous area, (3) incorporates education of the natural environment or ecology, (4) is conducted in an ecologically-sustainable or environmentally-friendly manner, (5) is held in areas that are under environmental protection or that protect marine life, (6) aims to create or enhance environmental or ecological awareness, (7) raises money or provides direct financial benefits for consevation, marine life or environmental protection, research and/or education, (8) builds awareness or provides education of a local community or culture, (9) lobbies local governments or officials for access to, protection of or a clean-up of a waterway, or (10) minimizes the impact of mankind on the environment.

The sport has hundreds of examples of admirable solo and community efforts: Lewis Pugh's upcoming 1K solo swim in a lake on Mount Everest calls attention to climate change while Aaron Piersol's televised Race for the Oceans in Florida calls attention to the conservation of ocean resources and the Bonaire EcoSwim founded by 2008 World Open Water Swimming Man of the Year Randy Nutt is the namesake of this movement.

Eco-swimming is done all over the world from the Clean Half 15K Marathon Swim in Hong Kong that features the carbon-neutral relay option (where outrigger canoes are used instead of motorized boats, see photo above) to a new multi-race swim in Acapulco that calls attention to the protection of the fragile coastlines of Mexico.

Eco-swims also include charity swims that collectively raise millions of dollars for a variety of causes, such as James Pittar's solo efforts on behalf of the Fred Hollows Foundation, the upcoming Great Barrier Reef Swim by Rob Hutching and Todd Cameron to protect the Australian fragile ecosystem and the efforts of the swimmers in the RCP Tiburon Mile who have raised money for Hospice care for the past decade.

We foresee the eco-swim trend not only continuing, but expanding expotentially as the sport grows with grass-roots efforts from the Baykeepers who help fight pollution in San Francisco Bay to the Dialog Across the Sea Project in North Africa become more numerous over time.

We tip our swim caps to those in our global open water swimming community who are doing their part to stay green and protect the environment which we all enjoy, utilize and share.

Pushing the Sport Forward in Dubai

25.Nov.09   |  posted by: steve munatones  |   filed under: Rules   |  (0) comments

Just over the last 12 months, The Daily News of Open Water Swimming has covered all kinds of new developments in the world of open water swimming. From Ireland (Swim Ireland Open Water Swimming National Committee) to Japan (Japan International Open Water Swimming Association), the organization of the sport is picking up its pace. From grass-roots initiatives taking hold nationwide in Great Britain (Outdoor Swimming Society) to fabulously exciting races televised from South Africa to Brazil, the sport is offering more and more to its athletes.

With more events, comes more athletes. With more athletes, comes more media coverage. With more media coverage, comes more sponsorship. With more sponsorship, comes increasingly attractive events. The circle of success continues - which is especially heartening in times when the global economy is still reeling.

The sport's advantages are numerous: the event locations are scenic and natural - oceans, lakes, bays, rivers. The autonomy of swimming with hundreds or thousands of swimmers is often less stressful and more enjoyable than standing up on a starting block alone in a pool. The challenge and enjoyment of swimming from start to finish is tangible.

So we are not surprised to report another new organization has been announced. The Dubai Open Water Swimming Sports Association (DOWSSA) will hold its first event, a 6.5K sea race from the Atlantis The Palm Hotel on Palm Jumeirah to Mina Seyahi (meaning 'Port of Travelers'), in Dubai on November 27th. The Palm Open Water Challenge Cup is part of Sea Dubai Week, hosted by Dubai International Marine Club.

DOWSSA, created by Saeed Hareb and Sid Bensalah of the Dubai International Marine Club, seeks to establish and promote competitive open water swimming in Dubai as well as sanction new events.

Adam Winter, another DOWSSA founding member, was overflowing with excitement, "We have some very exciting plans in the pipeline that will blow the minds of swimmers and sports fans alike. The creation of DOWSSA is truly an exciting development in the world of open water swimming sports. Dubai has some of the most fantastic and globally recognizable settings around which to host such events and, crucially, the support from all levels within the community to really attain our vision of making Dubai a leading destination for open water swimming sports."

DOWSSA will focus five initiatives:

1. To promote and encourage those living in Dubai to participate in all forms of open water swimming sports
2. To make participation in such sports easy and enjoyable for everyone involved
3. To promote health and fitness through competitive open water swimming sports
4. To cooperate with other organizations for the betterment of open water swimming sports, with a focus on establishing new facilities and gaining permissions to host events
5. To establish Dubai as a world leading destination for open water swimming sports

The world is 70% covered with water and new organizations like DOWSSA continue to push the sport forward.

The Man in the Grey Suit

24.Nov.09   |  posted by: steve munatones  |   filed under: Rules   |  (0) comments

Fish (noun): the term occasionally used on a channel crossing or a marathon swim by an experienced support crew for the type of fish with a cartilaginous skeleton and a highly streamlined body with a tough usually dull gray skin, commonly known as a shark. Sharks are typically active predators that fascinating and frightening, found in all seas, ranging in size from 17 cm to 12 meters, with a few species sometimes dangerous to humans.

The support crew saw the fish near the swimmer, but did not point to it in order to avoid scaring the swimmer. Synonyms: Shark, The Man in the Grey Suit, Mack, Old Toothy, Garbage Can of the Sea. [Some scholars believe shark is derived from the German word schurke, meaning villain.]

Excerpt from the Open Water Swimming Dictionary (2009 American English

To Record or Not Record, That Is The Question

19.Nov.09   |  posted by: steve munatones  |   filed under: Rules   |  (1) comments

The Sport Industry Group, creator of the Sport Industry Awards, ran an article about FINA, the world's governing body of aquatics, that is considering recommendations to adopt two sets of world records for pool swimming: one for times set using the performance-enhancing apparel and one without.

As Sport Industry Group reported, the FINA Coaches Commission recommended the creation of a "World Textile Mark" which would honor swimmers who beat world records that stood prior to January 2008.

The world of open water swimming is sheltered from this debate on world records. World open water swimming records are not kept by FINA simply because of the dynamic nature of open water venues. Competitions can differ in actual length, water conditions, water temperature, weather conditions, the presence of jellyfish, the position and number of feeding pontoons, the number of swimmers in the race, the position and number of turn buoys, the shape of the course, use or non-use of a lead boat or kayak, currents, tides, winds and surface chop. All of these variables have a direct impact on the overall times of the swimmers.

To demonstrate this point, we reviewed the men's 10K winning times at each of the races on the 2009 FINA 10KM Marathon Swimming World Cup circuit. The winning times ranged from 1 hour and 34 minutes to 2 hours and 5 minutes, a remarkable 31-minute time differential:

Setubal (Portugal): Thomas Lurz, 1:34:16
Dubai (UAE): Thomas Lurz, 1:44:53
New York (USA): Thomas Lurz, 1:47:41
Sharjah (UAE): Trent Grimsey, 1:48:17
Lake Annecy (France): Thomas Lurz, 1:52:08
Chun An (China): Thomas Lurz, 1:55:10
Lac St-Jean (Canada): Alexander Studzinski, 1:57:25
Copenhagen (Denmark): Thomas Lurz, 1:57.40
Hong Kong: Thomas Lurz, 1:58:22
Varna (Bulgaria): Thomas Lurz GER 2:01:31
Shantou (China): Thomas Lurz, 2:03:15
Santos (Brazil): Simone Ercoli, 2:05:44

Even when we reviewed the winning times on the same course year-to-year (2008 vs. 2009), there are still significant differences:

Hong Kong: 1:46:1 in 2008 vs. 1:58.2 in 2009
Shantou: 2:06:5 in 2008 vs. 2:03.1 in 2009
Lac St-Jean: 2:04:1 in 2008 vs. 1:57.2 in 2009
Setubal: 1:52:4 in 2008 vs. 1:34:16 in 2009
Dubai: 1:48:5 in 2008 vs. 1:44:5 in 2009
Santos: 1:58:42 in 2008 vs. 2:05:44 in 2009

So rather than time or records, finishing first is the goal of elite open water swimmers. After his 2009 world championship victory in Rome, Thomas Lurz answered a question from the media about why he swam off-course, "My goal was to finish first, not to be worried how far or where I swam."

Although FINA does not recognize world records for its 5K, 10K, 25K and Grand Prix events (that can range up to 88K / 54 miles), there are some open water swimming organizations that maintain world records for their marathon swims. The English Channel and Catalina Channel fastest times are maintained and touted as world records for those particular waterways.

Another interesting difference between the pool world is open water swimming's more expansive definition of records. Records are recognized for not only the fastest swimmers, but also the oldest, the youngest, the most times accomplished, the earliest completed in a season, the latest completed in a season, the longest time in water and date of the first crossing.

And while records are great, the self-satisfaction and sense of achievement for open water swimmers can be profound for those of any age or ability. For all those open water swimmers who stuggle to finish a 1-mile swim or those marathon swimmers who literally crawl onto shore, making it - finishing a swim - crossing the finish line - is truly a reward in itself.

Different viewpoints for different folks in different swimming disciplines. It's all good.

Do It In Stages

17.Nov.09   |  posted by: steve munatones  |   filed under: Rules   |  (0) comments

Stage race (noun): A type of timed competition conducted over the course of two or more consecutive days where the distance of the individual stages can vary on each day and the starting point of the subsequent stages begins at or near the same point as the finish of the previous day's swim. The overall final time of the each competitor is the culmination of the swimming times of the individual stages. The overall final distance is the distance measured from the starting point to the finish point in miles, nautical miles or kilometers.

The finish on the final day can be at the same location or at a different location than the start on the first day. The 3-day staged race began at the foot of the river and ended at the bay. Synonyms: stage swim, staged swim, stage race and staged relay.

Stage relay (noun): A type of timed relay competition conducted over the course of two or more consecutive days where the distance of the individual stages can vary on each day and the starting point of the subsequent stages begins at or near the same point as the finish of the previous day's swim. The overall final time of each relay is the culmination of the swimming times of the individual stages. The overall final distance is the distance measured from the starting point to the finish point in miles, nautical miles or kilometers. The finish on the final day can be at the same location or at a different location than the start on the first day. The staged relay from San Francisco passed by the Golden Gate Bridge on its eighth day. Synonyms: stage race, staged race, stage swim and staged swim.

Stage swim (noun): A type of solo swim, relay or race conducted over two or more consecutive days where the distance of the individual stages can vary on each day and the starting point of the subsequent stages begins at or near the same point as the finish of the previous day's swim. The overall final time is the culmination of the swimming times of the individual stages. The overall final distance is the distance measured from the starting point to the finish point in miles, nautical miles or kilometers. The finish on the final day can be at the same location or at a different location than the start on the first day. The staged swim from Los Angeles to San Diego was conducted over ten days. Synonyms: stage swim, staged race and staged relay.

Definition excerpt from the Open Water Swimming Dictionary (American English version 2009).

An Insider’s View of the Manhattan Island Marathon Swim

10.Nov.09   |  posted by: steve munatones  |   filed under: Rules   |  (0) comments

The venerable Ned Denison, the Swim Ireland National Open Water Committee chairperson who completed a circumnavigation around Manhattan Island in 2007, was recently named to help select the swimmers for the 2010 Manhattan Island Marathon Swim, one of the world's most popular marathon swims.

Marathon swimmers around the world have frequently wanted to know what goes into the selection of swimmers to the Manhattan Island Marathon Swim.

Ned shared his insights and perspective with the global marathon swimming community of the inside selection process of the Manhattan Island Marathon Swim:

"For anyone unfamiliar with the MIMS entry process, it entails [up to] several hours of non-swimming preparation: pulling together information about one’s swimming background and training, detailed entry on the website and eventual uploading of biography, swim history/witness statements, extensive medical check-up and certificate, charity activities, names of crew, anticipated swim workouts and the dreaded essay: "Why I want to swim around Manhattan." The best prepared applicants had their website sections 95% completed well before enrolment day.

[On] the appointed day, the entries opened and the scramble began. Within fifteen minutes, 25 entries had been received. In one hour, when they decided to turn off the enrollment due too much interest, 34 entries had been collected. By the end of the day 15 solo entries had been accepted.

Every solo swimmer with a fully completed application and a recent record of cold water marathon swimming was accepted. Interesting to note – being fully prepared gave applicants for MIMS 2010 a guaranteed place. This was only evident in hindsight and for sure some year will not happen. In addition, these 15, by coincidence, met the diversity criteria: alumni, newcomers, women and non-Americans.

Three days later, the MIMS selection committee met – mostly by global phone conference call. We discussed the swimmers who either didn’t fully complete the application (example missing medical certificate) or didn’t have recent cold water marathon swimming experience. The committee ruled out any applicants who missed the deadline. This was done simply, in our judgement, to be fair to the applicants who were on time. The committee started down the list in the order of applications completed and if not completed, received.

The committee ruled out any swimmers who did not have substantially complete applications. This was easy – we all had bad experiences chasing swimmers in the past for money, medicals, crew names, etc. and we were too old and too smart to go down that road again. Is that fair? You only need to be a member of one committee and do one bit of chasing and you’ll agree with us on this one! It also showed a lack of desire or commitment – both of which are needed by the swimmer over the long winter training and long trip around the island.

We divided the remaining swimmers into two groups: the "almost complete applications" were reviewed in the order accepted and the "less complete applications" were reviewed as a group. For the first swimmer on the "almost complete application" list there were some questions – the applicant’s history looked a bit odd: a blazing English Channel time, no real competitive swim background and a very short ramp up to marathon swimming. I knew him personally, once lost a swim against him and was able to verify his short channel ramp-up. The committee accepted him as solo swimmer number 16.

We then looked at the remaining ("less complete") applications as a group – no more preference on order received. A few were quickly accepted – mostly based on recent cold water marathon swimming experience. Some were ruled out because they didn’t have it. Is that fair? For safety reasons, we want every swimmer to complete the swim – and in good health. We were just not prepared to put a swimmer in the water who had never done a 5 mile open water swim or completed a long relay.

Then we discussed the last group chasing a limited number of slots. The first mile of MIMS can be a tough tide to swim against and the current switch at Hell’s Gate must be beat, so the organisers have established cut-off times. A few were eliminated on speed considerations. In the end, we selected the last entrants and named a three-swimmer waitlist. How were the last ones entrants selected? A few of the local New York swimmers had proven steady progression over the years, a few very compelling biographies/essays and a few committee members made a pitch for an individual swimmer. We discussed and agreed a list – this is the result of any committee.

No doubt the committee turned down some great swimmers. No doubt a different committee would have had a slightly different list. No doubt, we will upset a few people - it was not the intention. The committee was actually lucky this year – we could easily explain why we chose and didn’t choose. As the newest member of the committee, I was volunteered to write up my experiences to help demystify the selection process. Some year in the future, 50 well-qualified swimmers may fully complete their applications on time and the committee will not be able to have the same kind of explanation – we were just lucky for 2010!

I enjoyed reviewing the swimmer’s applications and the committee discussion. I learned several things about setting up a comprehensive process to give a selection committee the best chance to end up with the most experienced, most prepared and most committed swimmers to compete in one of the world’s most compelling open water marathon races.

So here is the secret to competing in MIMS in the future. Build up your cold water marathon swimming experience and put in the time to 100% complete your application. The NYC Swim staff and committee members are also available to advise on the process through the year. Finally, be quick on the entry and you will get a shot."

If you do not know Ned, this is what he does in the water: Ned's solo swim in the Santa Barbara Channel in California can be seen here:

Minimum Age Requirements For Marathon Swimming

3.Nov.09   |  posted by: steve munatones  |   filed under: Rules   |  (0) comments

We read a recent article about 10-year-old Swapnali Yadav, nicknamed in India as the 'Little Mermaid', who completed the 10K Bermuda Round the Sound Open Swim in October. This article reported that Swapnali was chosen by world governing body FINA to participate and represent India in the Bermuda Round the Sound Swim, organized by the Bermuda Swimming Association under the aegis of FINA.

The Bermuda Round the Sound Swim is not an event sanctioned or organized by FINA, but is instead produced and organized by 2008 World Open Water Swimming Man of the Year Randy Nutt who does a masterful job hosting this annual event.

FINA and most of the world's governing bodies in open water swimming have established minimum age requirements for marathon swims. All too often, the sport has seen pre-teen athletes being obviously pushed by their parents or coaches. While the physical exploits of these young athletes are impressive, it is usually the case that these athletes are never again heard of in the world of open water swimming.

There are exceptional athletes who set world records, like when Lynne Cox set the overall English Channel record at the age of 15 in 1972, but marathon swims in the pre-teen years is frowned upon by nearly all the different governing bodies in open water swimming.

We prefer to see athletes take up marathon swimming as a life-long pursuit only after the athlete has the physiological and psychological foundation to freely, willingly and enthusiastically push themselves as a marathon swimmer.

Different opinions are welcomed, of course. in our open forum.

Photo shows the Grotto Bay Beach Resort, headquarters to the Bermuda Round the Sound Open Swim.

Fighting the New York City Crowds

2.Nov.09   |  posted by: steve munatones  |   filed under: Rules   |  

Hundreds of open water swimmers, coaches, fans, media representatives and family members around the world will be poised in front of their computers today at 1:00 pm New York time for the 2010 Manhattan Island Marathon Swim registration. The registration for the June 12, 2010 event is scheduled to open at 1:00 PM EST today.

Same-day (in fact, same-hour!) enrollment and a complete application is absolutely essential to qualify and be accepted into the always popular and always sold-out Manhattan Island Marathon Swim for solo swimmers and open relays. Enrollment for fundraising and corporate relays will open in February 2010.

In recent years, the Manhattan Island Marathon Swim registration has closed out within 90 minutes for solos and open relays. Information on the application procedures is here for one of the legs of the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming.

Ohio Open Water Officials

9.Sep.09   |  posted by: steve munatones  |   filed under: Rules   |  (0) comments

While the sport of open water swimming grows from Scandinavia to the South Pacific, it is interesting to see how race directors and governing bodies are handling this growth from a logistical and operational perspective.

In the state of Ohio, Chip Carrigan has been on the forefront of pushing for standardization and education of open water swimming officials.

Note: the officially often dress colorfully in order to stand out during a race (see photos on left and below).

Effective this May, the Ohio Swimming issued its new certification standards of all its open water swimming officials who must meet the following criteria to become certified:

• Be a member of USA Swimming
• Attend one certification clinic (in spring or fall)
• Pay the annual clinic fee
• Complete the USA Swimming online testonline test at USA Swimming's website with a score of 80% on the open water section.
• Attend the Open Water Officials Clinic (pre-session official briefing)
• Work one sanctioned Open Water Meet

For open water swimming officials who wish to renew their certification, they must meet the following criteria:

• Annually renew their USA Swimming membership
• Pay the annual clinic fee
• Attend a mandatory rules interpretation clinic held annually in spring or fall
• Provide proof on the official’s certification card of working at least one meet as an Open Water Official once every two years.

In its first year, the new program is effective with 18 officials working the Vein Solution Ohio Open Water Championship for 387 athletes competing in 8 divisions ranging from 1K to 4K. Seven officials earned certification by passing the Open Water Officials Test, attending the pre-meet Officials Briefing, and apprenticing in multiple positions during the meet. These officials included:

1. Tom Mantkowski of Cincinnati Aquatic Club
2. Steve Schlosser of Sycamore Flying Fish
3. Paul Baumgartner of Cincinnati Marlins
4. Michael Bockstiegel, Ohio Swimming LSC Officials Chair
5. Jeff Raker of Cincinnati Marlins
6. Rich Wills of Cincinnati Aquatic Club
7. Chip Carrigan of Cincinnati Aquatic Club

Cold-Water Contingencies

26.Aug.09   |  posted by: steve munatones  |   filed under: Rules   |  (1) comments

The 19th annual Big Shoulders 5K and 2.5K races will be held in Lake Michigan on September 12th. This year, the Big Shoulders 5K race will also serve as the US Masters Swimming 5K Open Water Championships.

The site of the Big Shoulders race is very near the proposed 2016 Chicago Olympics course.

What makes the situation noteworthy and thought-provoking is that the current water temperature in the Big Shoulders course is 56°F (13.3°C) - and Lake Michigan can rapidly change temperatures. According to experienced and local marathon swimmer Marcia Cleveland, the water temperature has been documented to shift as much as 20°F (11°C) in one 24-hour period.

Under FINA rules, that are used by the International Olympic Committee, races are not held if the water temperature is under 16°C (60.8°F). The rule is as follows, "The water temperature should be a minimum of 16°C. It should be checked the day of the race, 2 hours before the start, in the middle of the course at a depth of 40 cm. This control should be done in the presence of a Commission made up of the following persons present: a Referee, a member of the Organising Committee and one coach from the teams present designated during the Technical Meeting."

USA Swimming has a similar rule for its open water swimming events that states, "The water temperature should be a minimum of 16°C (60°F)."

However, there is another USA Swimming rule that allows for wetsuits in non-championship events:

"Events/Meets. Wet-Suit Events - Meet directors may request permission for their LSCs to allow the use of wet-suits in any non-championship event. If approved, there shall be separate classification for wet-suit swimmers which shall be clearly stated in the meet information and on the accompanying entry form. Swimming using wet-suits shall be scored separately from swimmers competing without wet-suits."

US Masters Swimming does not have water temperatures guidelines at present. However, the Big Shoulders 5K race committee is very carefully monitoring the water temperature and has made several different contingency plans.

Other than the traditional solo swims across channels and lakes, many open water events nowadays have both wetsuit and non-wetsuit categories. Some races have specific limitations on what type of technical swimsuits are allowed (e.g., the RCP Tiburon Mile, the NYC Swims, the Big Swim and the Byron Bay Ocean Swim Classic). Some races have no specific rules at all concerning technical swimsuits or wetsuits (e.g., thickness, coverage) unlike the triathlon world. And, of course, the interpretation of these current (and evolving) rules is up to the individual referees at each event.

But the number of open water swimmers and the number of locations where open water swims continue to grow, the rules, their interpretations and contingency plans vis-a-vis water temperatures will be discussed, debated and settled for the safety and enjoyment of all.

To be continued.

Photo shows athlete after a cold-water event. Note: she recovered quickly after being professionally attended by the medical personnel at the venue.

Keystone Cop

17.Aug.09   |  posted by: steve munatones  |   filed under: Rules   |  (0) comments

Triathlete Chad Holderbaum was cited for open water swimming in Keystone Lake in Pennsylvania.

Chad's story on this incident is here.

Footnote: he finished his swim at the local YMCA.

Online Open Water Swimming Certification Test

9.Aug.09   |  posted by: steve munatones  |   filed under: Rules   |  (0) comments

Under the leadership of Chip Carrigan (shown on left), John Kinney and the USA Swimming On-Line Testing Sub-committee, USA Swimming has added a new online Open Water Certification Test on its website.

Any registered member of USA Swimming is eligible and encouraged to take the latest and newest test at USA Swimming.org.

Instructions on how to take the test can be located here on the USA Swimming website (under Volunteers > Officials > Officials Online Test.

The purpose of this 50-question test is to certify the knowledge and understanding of open water swimming rules by officials who are working at USA Swimming national championship events and Local Swim Committee-sanctioned open water competitions.

The Open Water Certification Test has been years in the making and will prove invaluable to standardize and confirm the level of knowledge among open water swimming judges, officials and referees in the US. As an online test, any eligible USA Swimming member can take the test at their convenience. The ease of modern technology is being utilized effectively to help the sport grow and prosper.

Like most sports, most of the open water swimming rules are cut-and-dry. But like water polo, the dynamic nature of open water swimming requires its officials to be well-versed in the sport’s rules and how athletes tend to move in the water against their opponents. An experienced official can make the correct call and help create fair competitions, especially when large packs of swimmers are barreling down a straightaway towards the finish or fighting for position around a turn buoy,

But, similar to the foul of charging in basketball or pass interference in football, sometimes making a call in open water swimming can be difficult. However, unlike basketball or football, there are no replays in open water swimming. The open water swimming referee has to get it right the first time when he/she must make a judgment call on the spot.

The test combines a variety of cut-and-dry questions with questions that cover different scenarios that officials will experience in many open water swimming competitions. The test-taker will be questioned on a variety of real-world scenarios that will help them prepare for actual competitions.

Because open water races are held in venues with all kinds of shapes and distance under conditions that vary from oceans with heavy surf, lakes shrouded in mist and rowing basins under glassy conditions, open water swimming officials need to be confident in their knowledge of the rules – and the new USA Swimming online Open Water Certification Test is a great step to achieving this goal.

Upper photo of the famous photo-finish at the 2005 World Swimming Championship men's 25K finish by Dr. Jim Miller.

Lower photo of professional marathon swimmers in Lac St-Jean also by Dr. Jim Miller.