H2Open - Issue 17

BE

Editor Simon Griffiths simon.griffiths@h2openmagazine.com

Designer

Matt Dettmar

Advertising and Sales Manager

Thomas Standfield, +44 (0)20 8971 8282 tstandfield@mashmedia.net

Marketing and partnerships

Stuart Churchill, +44 (0)7764 473168 marketing@h2openmagazine.com

Contributors

Dan Bullock, Toby Cullen, Aaron Davis, Joel Enoch, Fiona Ford, Tom Gallagher, Jane Hall, Colin Hill, Elaine Howley, Jonathan Knott, Simon Murie, Paul Newsome, Cassandra Patten & Kit Wise

Photography and Images

With thanks to all providers of images, including Dan Bolt, Karen Drinkwater & Victoria Tainty

Cover image

iStockphoto

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© ZG Publishing Ltd 2013. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be used or reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. ZG Publishing Ltd (Company registration no. 3799982) is registered in England and Wales. Registered office: 20 Burnell Avenue, Richmond TW10 7YE. All content is provided for information only and, while we take reasonable efforts to ensure its accuracy, we cannot guarantee it. ZG Publishing Ltd is not an expert provider of medical advice. You are advised to seek professional medical advice before swimming if you have any injuries or medical conditions. Open water swimming does involve a level of risk and you are advised to take appropriate precautions.

WELCOME TO H2OPEN MAGAZINE

Firstly, some good news for print edition subscribers. You can now access our digital edition, which is available across multiple platforms, for free. You should have received an email with instructions but if not, please visit our website and follow the link to ‘H2Open Digital’’ to find out more. The digital edition has the same great content as the print version but is usually available a few days earlier, and of course can be accessed anywhere with an internet connection.

As we move between seasons the water temperatures can change rapidly. Event organisers that put on swims near the beginning or end of the mass participation racing season need to be particularly alert to the potential risks of putting inexperienced swimmers into cold water. But when is it too cold? We’ve asked Colin Hill to look into this (page 19). Also on the subject of cold, Jane Hall (page 46) looks at the physiological adaptations that swimmers undergo through frequent exposure to chilly water. It’s fascinating stuff.

Talking of racing, what’s the best way to warm up to ensure your best performance, especially if you can’t get in the water before the start? Dan Bullock explains (page 42). In Swim Plus, meanwhile, Paul Newsome shows us how to preserve your technique and fitness when you’re doing a lot of open water swimming.

As we’re now moving into winter in the southern hemisphere we thought we’d find out what happens to Australian swimmers as their waters cool. Kit Wise (page 63) tells us there are some pretty hardy folk who swim all year around. We also discover some amazing swimming destinations in Japan.

Simon Griffiths, editor

WARM-UP

THIS IS OPEN WATER SWIMMING

BRIGHTON ICEBERGERS

Some Australian swimmers continue throughout the winter, sticking with their 'budgie smugglers' despite single digit water temperatures. See the Cold Swimmers of Oz on page 63.

WARM-UP

THIS IS OPEN WATER SWIMMING

Swimmers take to the sea in Poole for Human Race's first open water swimming event of the year. The water temperature was reported to be 11ºC but swimmers said it felt colder!

Swim with sea turtles in Indonesia but watch out for monitor lizards. See Destination Focus on page 54.

Photo © Victoria Tainty

What keeps long distance swimmers going? See Kno Knows on page

Would you swim under London Bridge Arch, Torquay? See our book reviews on page 72.

South African Carina Bruwer returns to swimming a er a six year break. See Swim for Good on page 86.

83.

Several swimmers took on Galeforce Events' 5km early season swim at Box End Park without wetsuits. See page 66 for more.

Photo

© Karen Drinkwater

Photo

© Dan Bolt

SWIMMERS ANNOUNCED FOR CHALLENGING BERING STRAIT RELAY

A team of 40 swimmers from 14 countries is coming together to tackle an almost impossible sounding swim – the 53 mile (86km) stretch of water between America and Russia: The Bering Strait. The swim is scheduled to take place in August this year, when the water should be at its warmest, which isn’t very warm at all. The maximum average temperature for the swim is expected to be around 5°C. In addition, the strait is subject to strong currents and large waves. Given these conditions each swimmer will only be in the water for 20 minutes at a time and will rest for 10 hours between each swim. The swim is expected to take roughly 48 hours, so each swimmer will complete

All of the swimmers are experienced in cold water and many have completed an Ice Mile – a mile swum in water of less than 5°C. The list includes H2Open correspondent and expert Colin Hill, Jackie Cobell, who completed the first Ice Mile in the UK, Paul Duffield, Canada’s first Ice Miler and Ram Barkai, a founder member of the International Ice Swimming Association. For the full list of swimmers see beringstraitswim.net

BARCELONA GEARING UP

Preparations for the 2013 FINA Swimming World Championships.

The FINA World Championships are held every two years. In 2011 the event was staged in Shanghai and served as a qualifier for the London 2012 Olympics. The current World Champions are:

MEN

○ 5km Thomas Lurz, Germany

○ 10km Spyridon Gianniotis, Greece

○ 25km Petar Stoychev, Bulgaria

WOMEN

○ 5km Swann Oberson, Switzerland

The Spanish Mediterranean City of Barcelona will this year host the 15th FINA Swimming World Championships from 19 July to 4 August. The open water swimming will take place along Barcelona’s famous sea front

at Moll de la Fusta, which should ensure good viewing for spectators. The events are 5km, 10km and 25km for both men and women, and there is also a 5km mixed team race. The venue will also feature high diving from 20m and 27m towers.

○ 10km Keri-Anne Payne, Great Britain

○ 25km Ana Marcela Cunha, Brazil

TEAM

○ USA (Andrew Gemmell, Sean Ryan and Ashley Twichell)

FOGG AND GRIMALDI TRIUMPH IN MEXICO

Britain’s Daniel Fogg and Italy’s Martina Grimaldi took top spots at the most recent FINA 10km World Cup Marathon Swim. The women’s race in particular featured a very tight finish with the top three touching home within half a second of each other. Eva Fabian from the USA took second and Rachele Bruni, also from Italy, came in third.

In the men’s race, Fogg, who finished just outside the medals in last year’s Olympic marathon swim pushed Germany’s Thomas Lurz into second place while Italy’s Simone Ruffini came third. Fogg’s winning margin was two seconds.

The race saw a record number of participants with 75 men and 53 women. The crowded field resulted in congestion around turns. However, Fogg managed to swim with the lead pack throughout and therefore keep out of trouble.

Defending world champion Keri-Anne Payne at the 2012 Great London Swim

Daniel Fogg during the London 2012 marathon swim Ram Barkai

5 MINUTES WITH…

Firstly, congratulations on your recent win in the State New Zealand Ocean Swim series. What do you like so much about it? Thank you! This is the second year I’ve taken part in the State New Zealand Ocean Swim Series and I have to say it’s up there with some of my favourite ocean swim events. Scott Rice and the team at Quantum do a really good job of organising the swims, making sure the course is clearly marked, and generating a fun atmosphere on the day. It’s not just about the elites, and that’s something I love about ocean swimming all around the world is that everyone can get involved. After the swims you’ll have people coming up to you wanting to compare times and asking for tips and it’s great to be able to interact with other swimmers in such a laid back environment.

The Series events are all wetsuit swims whereas in FINA events you swim without. How do you like swimming in a wetsuit? To be honest, I’m not really a fan of wetsuits. Growing up in Queensland, even in winter the water is usually warm enough to swim in just your togs, so wearing a wetsuit is not something that I’m accustomed to. But the New Zealand Swim Series is a wetsuit based competition so I guess it’s all part of the experience and you have to be able to adapt. I’m fortunate that the guys from Blueseventy and Aquashop here in Brisbane helped me find the perfect fit and gave me a few tricks of the trade when it came to putting it on. I think it does change the way you swim a little as you have that restriction in your shoulders, which I find fatigues my arms a bit more, but at the same time you get a lot of added buoyancy from the wetsuit which helps to make your times a little bit faster.

Would you like to see more races where men and women race together as you seem more than capable of holding your own? I love racing the men. There aren’t too many opportunities on the ocean swimming calendar where the men and women get to race at the same time, so I definitely make the most of them when they arise. I think it just gives me that extra incentive, without any added pressure. All athletes are competitive and everyone wants to win, but even more so, no guy likes to be a beaten by a girl. The men definitely don’t go any easier on you while you’re out there in the water with them, you still get the odd knock and they’re more than happy to drag off you, but I still love it. In my mind we’re all equal on that starting line and I’m going to do my best to keep up with the guys for as long as I can. I train with a group of guys day in and day out and push myself to try and keep up with them as much as possible. It really helps me to get the most out of myself, and in turn gives me the confidence that I can swim that fast on my own when it’s just me and the girls.

What advice would you give someone attempting their first open water swim?

My biggest piece of advice would just be to have fun. If you go out there and enjoy what you’re doing, you’re much more likely to come back and do it again. Try to get the best out of yourself, but don’t be afraid to slow down and focus on technique for your first few swims. Every open water swim is different, so make sure you look at the conditions and try to figure out the little things that are going to make the swim as enjoyable as possible for you. If it’s

cold, wear your wetsuit. If it’s rough, adjust your breathing side to breathe away from the waves or chop. They might only be minor adjustments but they can have a big impact on your overall result.

How do you stay comfortable on long swims, especially in the ocean where chafing can be more of a problem?

In open water races comfort comes into play when selecting a race suit. If you’re going to be racing 10km you don’t want a suit that is going to be causing you pain. Regardless of what suit you choose, it helps to have a tub of Vaseline or body glide handy to cover up those areas prone to chafe, just for a bit of added protection and peace of mind while you’re racing. For racing I personally wear a Blueseventy race suit but for training and my shorter ocean swim races I prefer to race in my Aquadiva togs. They’re comfy and I don’t get any chafe which is perfect for getting me through a full week of training.

How do you deal with common open water fears such as sharks, jellyfish and the cold?

I’m fortunate in that I’ve never really been scared of the ocean. I grew up as a Nipper, competing for Met Caloundra on the Sunshine Coast and my love of the ocean just flourished. I know there are sharks and jellyfish out there, but I don’t think about it while I’m swimming. I’ve had a few jellyfish stings in my life and sure, they hurt at first, but the sting goes away. The ocean is their home, the sharks and jellyfish aren’t after me, so I just don’t think about it. If you went through life focusing on all the bad things that could happen to you, you’d miss out on a lot of life’s treasures. I just wake up each morning with a smile and focus on the positives. The mind is so powerful, if you think too much about the water being cold, or about the sharks and jellyfish, then the fear will escalate. You have to learn to be able to stop any negative thoughts early on and turn them into positives. It might be a cliché but what the mind believes, the body can achieve, so focus on the positives!

Melissa Gorman, Australian open water swimmer and eleventh place finisher in the London 2012 marathon swim.

OBSERVERS NEEDED FOR ENGLISH CHANNEL SWIMS

Can you volunteer, and help a swimmer achieve their dream? You need to be able to stay awake for 24 hours (or more), be fit and well and not suffer from sea sickness (which rules out H2Open’s editor), have a full EU passport and be able to be in Dover at short notice. The Channel Swimming & Piloting Federation will provide training and cover your expenses. For more details see cspf.co.uk/ become-an-observer

NEW MARKETING DIRECTOR FOR NOWCA

The National Open Water Coaching Association (NOWCA) has appointed Robert Hamilton as Marketing Director. Rick Kiddle, NOWCA’s founder and Coaching Director says, “Robert has a wealth of experience in swimming and has been signing up new lakes and lochs to NOWCA all over

In addition, NOWCA have also delivered their first STA Level 2 Award for Open Water Swimming and have a series of further courses planned for the season.

Finally, NOWCA lakes throughout the country will be running swim events over 750m, 1500m and 3000m throughout the summer. See nowca. org for details.

ANCIENT SWIM REVIVED

An open water swim which was first held in the 19th Century is taking place in Maidenhead in Berkshire, UK. The Boulter’s to Bray Swim began in 1899 and was a major local event until 1969. It was resurrected last year by a group from Maidenhead Rowing Club who have managed to get hold of the original trophy. The first modern version of the swim was well received.

“It was a fantastic event, and great to be part of an event with such historical significance”, said swimmer and local resident Tom Jost.

Last year, prizes were presented by the winner of the 1950 Ladies’ Race, Cynthia Lockie. And 74 year-old Mike Hughes, who won the 1967 and 1968 events entered again, and turned in an extremely respectable time.

The event is run by the Boulter’s to Bray Swim Trust – a charitable trust who are

determined to maintain the community spirit of the event.

”With the 2012 event being so successful, the Trust will now be donating profits to local sports projects. We never set out to make a profit”, said trustee Ben Collins. “We just wanted to get the event up and running again, but when last year’s swim was so successful we realised we had an opportunity to invest in

the local community. We use local suppliers – Bray Lake Watersports and Windsor and Eton Canoe Club provide safety cover – and now we really want to be able to help support other amateur sports projects”.

The 2013 Boulter’s to Bray Swim takes place in Maidenhead on 6 July. It is 2.8 Km downstream. For entries or more information, see maidenheadswim.co.uk

COLD NIGHT FOR 2SWIM4LIFE SWIMMERS

Swimmers undertaking the marathon 2swim4Life challenge had to cope with plummeting night time temperatures during their long-distance swim. The bi-annual event asks participants to swim a mile, on the hour, every hour for 24 hours and a racts many English Channel and other open water swimmers.

This year’s event took place at Guildford Lido, a beautiful 50m pool in Surrey, from 26 to 27 April and a racted 80 individual swimmers (of which 38 finished) and 23 teams.

While the water temperature stayed around 19 degrees, the air temperature dropped in the night to freezing, with frost on the tents, which made warming up between swims difficult. This, combined with the need to

stay awake for 24 hours, to endure 24 miles of swimming and to find time to eat and change caused several hardened swimmers to despair. Most however vowed to return.

Organiser Lesley Zimmerman says, “we’ve raised over £15,000 for the Household Cavalry Operational Casualties Fund so far but there’s still money coming in.

“We also need to acknowledge and thank all the people and organisations that made this event possible including Guildford Lido, the lifeguards, swimmers’ buddies, refreshments helpers, Winner tool hire, All Spa Wellis, Claremont Marquee, St John Ambulance, Pentangle IT Services, Flowplant and H2Open Magazine,” she added.

Photo © Polly Dixon

Boulter’s to Bray

The 2Swim4Life Challenge

Robert Hamilton

SIXTIETH RIVER MILE COMPLETED

The SPAR River Mile, established at Redhouse, South Africa, in 1924 claims to be Africa’s oldest open water swimming event. Next year will be the 90th running of the event but this year saw one swimmer, Mally Richards complete his 60th swim. Richards, who is 80, finished 215th in the men’s race out of over 400 competitors in a time of 25:59. However, swimmers are tidally assisted and the organisers say, “this is effectively a NON-TIMED event and as such times on the results WILL NOT BE accurate. Being a tidal swim, times are of no significance given the swim conditions vary by the minute.” The winner, 17-year old Chris Reid, finished in 14:12.

RECORD NUMBERS

SIGN UP FOR HENLEY CLASSIC SWIM

Henley Swim, organisers of the dawn midsummer 2.1km Henley Classic say entrants are up by almost 70% compared with the last time the event was held in 2011. The swim, which starts at 4.30 in the morning on 30 June follows the famous Henley Rega a rowing course, a perfect straight line along the River Thames.

The event was cancelled in 2012, for the first time in its history, because excessive rainfall in the preceding week resulted in a much higher than usual flow for the time

Henley Swim return to the Rega a course two weeks later for the Henley Mile, which also features the suits versus skins challenge sponsored by H2Open

SYDNEY COAST CONQUERED

At midday on 6 April, Sydney marathon swimmer, Helen Conway, set off from the northern tip of Sydney’s suburbs, at the iconic Palm Beach to a empt what is believed to be a first: to swim the length of the Sydney coastline.

The water had not yet started its descent into its winter cold and was still a balmy 23 degrees, although the air was cool, with rain clouds passing over intermi ently and soaking the crew.

The crew of 12 was sca ered across the main support vessel, a Hunter 39, Colorado, a RIB (reinforced inflatable boat) to shadow Helen, and two kayaks that would stay alongside her throughout the swim and point her in the right direction. Bull sharks are still active at this time of year in Sydney waters, so both kayaks were equipped with Shark Shields from dusk onwards.

The flotilla headed between 1.5 – 2 kilometres offshore to pick up the southbound current and made good progress along Sydney’s northern beaches. The current, at its strongest, ran at 1.8 knots and the swim generally enjoyed between 0.5 – 1 knots of current for much of the way.

The most significant challenge to the swim was several encounters with bluebo les. The worst of these hit shortly a er dark and threatened to end the swim when a tentacle wrapped around Helen’s neck and she struggled to breathe as her throat quickly swelled up.

Whilst in all other ways Helen endeavoured to abide by marathon swimming rules, in this instance safety concerns prevailed. Crew had to touch Helen to pull off the tentacles and Helen made the decision to pull on a rash vest to offer her some protection on her neck, chest and upper arms, in order to be able to finish the swim.

Other challenges included swimming through an electrical

Spanish Triple Crown holder and breast cancer survivor Selina Moreno Pasagali this year intends to take part in the third running of the 27km Batalla de Rande swim. The challenging route along the Galician coast includes swimming under Puenta de Rande where the bay narrows to only 700m wide,

storm and having to tread water for thirty minutes at the entrance to Port Botany waiting for a container ship to leave.

Helen swam through the dark, moonless night and finally reached Bundeena at 7am, recording an official time of 19 hours 4 minutes and 29 seconds. The distance swum was approximately 62 kilometres.

The swim was to raise funds for the Inspire Foundation, which runs programmes to tackle youth suicide and mental health issues in teenagers and young adults, particularly through its websites such as reachout. com. To date, the swim has raised $6,500. Find out more at helenswims.blogspot.com.au

resulting in strong tidal currents. Around 20 to 25 swimmers in total will a empt the swim, for which wetsuits are not only allowed but also encouraged. The organisers will provide full support but those wishing to enter will need to send a CV detailing their swimming experience. For details see adciessansimon.com

Helen Conway during her swim

MARENO PASAGALI TO SWIM BATALLA DE RANDE

WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH…

Cassandra Pa en describes the potential rewards from facing your fears.

Enjoying a lung full of fresh air, being surrounded by nature and experiencing the freedom ofan open expanse of nonchlorinated water are some of the reasons why I love swimming outside. Unlike predictable pool swimming, open water can continuously surprise and delight us. But, as the saying goes you have to take the rough with the smooth. I am sure that every open water swimmer has at some point looked at an uninviting stretch of water and thought, “I really don’t fancy swimming in there today.” I know I certainly have, and at times it’s right to give into it, but what happens when you have that feeling at the start of one of the most important races of your life?

As a professional open water swimmer I have been extremely fortunate to swim in some of the most beautiful locations across the globe. Highlights include competing in the Bay of Naples in the shadow of the majestic Mount Vesuvius, navigating my way around the course at the serenely tranquil Repulse Bay alongside the manic hustle and bustle of Hong Kong city, and enjoying the iconic view of the Statue of Liberty whilst swimming in the Hudson River. But other locations were less appealing.

In March 2007 the Aquatic World Championships were held in Melbourne, Australia where the beautiful beach se ing at St Kilda was the venue for the open water events. As we always did when competing, the day before the race, the team went for a practice swim. From the beach the course looked sublime. Not a ripple disturbed the crystal blue waters under a clear sky and dazzling sunshine. But the closer we got to the edge the more we had a sense that all was not as it seemed.

Crowds of swimmers huddled in groups on the pontoon staring into the water with looks of horror on their faces and pointing. Hundreds of thousands of jellyfish were being washed onto the shore.

Coach Sean Kelly told us to stop moaning and get in! Nervously I edged into the water, dodging the ominous-looking jellyfish as best I could. When I finally plucked up the courage to swim, I found to my relief the jellyfish were all gliding through the water about two metres down and posed no threat.

The next morning I woke up to the sound of a gale.It was as if I’d been transported to another location. The sky was overcast and the sea tarnished with white tipped waves breaking menacingly over the surface. I pulled on my Great Britain tracksuit and headed to the start line. The first thing that caught my eye was the floating blue objects that do ed the sea. The changed conditions had brought all those thousands of jellyfish to the surface.

Being a seasoned open water swimmer the odd jellyfish sting doesn’t bother me, but I would be lying if I said the prospect of racing 10km at my very first World Championships not only ba ling a strong field of swimmers but also knowing that I would spend two hours ge ing stung was not a daunting prospect.

THE CHANGED CONDITIONS HAD BROUGHT ALL THOSE THOUSANDS OF JELLYFISH TO THE SURFACE

As we lined up on the pontoon I saw a swimmer from Brazil sobbing and looking down with fear in her eyes. She would have to start her race by diving onto a jellyfish. I was luckier. The race started and for the first few hundred meters I escaped the tentacles, but this lulled me into a false sense of security. Then around me the screams started. Before I knew it, I was stung too. The pain was a sharp stinging sensation,like a wasp sting but over a larger area. It took my breath away. And that was just the first of two hours of repeated stings. There were times where I wanted to stop, but it gave me courage knowing that every girl in the field was going through exactly the same pain. I wanted to be the toughest, it became a challenge. I was near the front of the pack so I could see them looming up. I worked out that if you put you hand flat on the top of the jelly dome you could push them harmlessly out of the way.

Coming around the last turning boy I took the lead. I remember thinking “I'm leading the World Championships!” But in the last few metres I was out-touched by Larisa Ilchenko of Russia, the eight times World Champion. Climbing out of the water, the stings seemed worth it. Asked in an interview a er the race about the stings, I replied “pain is only temporary”. I am very glad I got into the water and raced that day as there were a number of swimmers who pulled out, and I will always have my silver medal to remind me.

Sometimes it’s easier to not do something if you feel it may be difficult but I know from experience that you normally feel be er for giving it a go. ○

Cassie inspects the jellyfish at the Aquatic World Championships in Melbourne, Australia

TO SWIM OR NOT TO SWIM?

Should we allow the adverse conditions to stop us swimming outside? Colin Hill investigates.

A er a long, cold winter in the UK, water temperatures in April were cooler than in previous years leading to discussions about the need for ‘guidelines’ regarding an acceptable level for open water swimming.

It’s not just cold water that’s a problem. In 2012, adverse weather conditions affected swim events across the UK from The Great North Swim, to the Henley Classic and Human Race’s Hampton Court to Kingston to name just a few, as well as impacting high profile events overseas such as the recent Ironman Melbourne where the swim distance was halved due to rough seas.

Clearly there are two separate factors here: companies that manage commercial open water venues and events, which have a duty of care to participants with a wide variety in experience, and individuals who can take their own risks.

The nature of our sport requires that swimmers train, and are prepared, for a variety of conditions from waves, to currents, to blustery and rainy days and fluctuating air and water temperatures. But how do we define what’s acceptable, and what isn’t?

Looking at it from both a swimmer’s and organiser’s perspective it is fair to say that whilst the responsibility and liability during an event lies with the event organising company, it is also the responsibility of the swimmer to train appropriately for the conditions. At the end of the day, an organiser’s nightmare is having to call off an event or close

a venue. If this has to be done, it is done with the swimmers’ safety in mind. It is never an easy decision since, in the absence of one set of clear guidelines, an organiser has to weigh up the circumstances and context in which they find themselves.

11 DEGREES OF OF FREEDOM

Currently many mass participation swim events in the UK abide by a minimum water temperature of 11°C, which I also set as a guideline in 2008 when I set up the Great Swim Series whilst working for Nova International. Other organisers have latched onto this as the magic number, and consequently if the water is colder most will cancel or postpone swimming.

But why have we selected 11°C? Do we really need to stop swimming if the water dips below this level?

One thing I’ve always been passionate about is that open water swimming is different from triathlon. But in 2008, in the absence of clear guidelines specifically for UK open water swimming, which was at that point a very minority sport, I looked to the British Triathlon rules, which clearly state that “at temperatures less than 11°C it is recommended that no open water swimming take place,” and that wetsuits are required for participants in water up to 14°C and optional to 22 °C. In addition the rules specify maximum distances that can be swum at various temperatures. 

The thing to remember regarding these rules is that they were developed by British Triathlon for multi-sport events, where competitors need to be able to get out of an open water swim and onto a bicycle, which they need to manoeuvre on the road and operate the brakes and gears: not easy to do if your hands have turned into useless, frozen claws. As the British Triathlon rules do not permit wetsuit gloves and socks in triathlons this is a further factor in the rationale for a minimum water temperature.

In 2011, British Swimming produced a document, ‘Management of Open Water Swimming Events’. As a swimming only, not multisport, guide, the document follows a very different approach to minimum temperatures but is guided by the non-wetsuit rule that is present in competitive open water events held under the rules of the Amateur Swimming Association (ASA) and the International Swimming Federation (FINA).

"The current FINA Rules states that a minimum temperature of 16°C be achieved in order for the event to be run. For the National Associations this temperature is also 16°C with a minimum average temperature of 18°C for masters swimming. For low level open water swimming events and mass participation open water events that are not linked to FINA or a National Association competitive structure, event operators may wish to relax the prohibition of wetsuits for safety reasons, particularly in cold water environments."

Whilst these guidelines provide greater clarity for elite and masters open water races, they do not give any specific direction regarding minimum water temperatures for non-affiliated mass participation events. The FINA rule makes sense for professional swimmers as these athletes are racing either 5km, 10km or 25km and, generally, have low body fat. This minimum temperature is needed to protect elite swimmers who may be in the water for several hours.

Occasionally, when an event is cancelled or postponed due to low water temperatures (or other conditions) participants ask about the potential for signing a disclaimer to say they understand and accept the risks. The reality is that disclaimers are not an option at a mass participation open water swim as the duty of care is still with the company no matter what has been signed.

Despite this latter comment, it does seem that within the context of open water swimming, there is the potential for the 11°C mark to be at least reviewed based on the following factors: open water swimmers do not need to operate a bicycle or participate in a triathlon following their swim; courses could be shortened to reduce time spent in the water; and swimmers could wear neoprene hats, gloves and socks in addition to wetsuits.

However, creating a general rule with absolute statements on minimum (and maximum) temperatures would be a mistake due to the wide variety of swimming events and the challenges people want to do. The rules currently in existence are designed to fit specific circumstances: British Swimming and FINA rules for top-level non-wetsuited competition, British Triathlon rules for multi-sport events. Other organisations involved in open water swimming rightly have different rules. People tackling marathon swims under English Channel rules (i.e. no wetsuits) have covered significant distances at temperatures far below what FINA considers appropriate.

Events held under the rules of the International Winter Swimming Association forbid wetsuits and put swimmers into near-freezing water. Often additional and separate rules are put in place to reduce the risk to participants.

For example, the Ice Swimming Association requires swimmers to undertake a full medical and an ECG test prior to attempting an Ice Mile swim (one mile in water of less than 5°C). If any group tried to write a single guideline to cover all types of open water swimming it simply wouldn’t work.

In mass participation open water swim events and at training venues, organisers cannot guarantee the experience or reaction participants will have in varied water temperatures, and it’s part of the organiser’s role to assess the risks of their venues. Hypothermia is a potentially fatal condition that occurs when the core body temperature falls below 35°C. The condition is a result of varying factors, including age, body type, length of swim and water temperature. Clearly reducing the known risk factors is critical to the organiser. As British Swimming guidelines do not give any recommendations for mass participation open water swimming regarding water temperatures the only specific guidelines in existence for the UK are those from British Triathlon referred to earlier. No wonder then that the 11°C mark has become considered a standard. Therefore, to allow open water swimming when the water is less than this could be a risk from the organiser’s legal and insurance perspective, let alone from the perspective of the swimmer.

In bodies of water around the world there are clubs and groups which have been going for many years (some for over 100 years), where people have swum year round in all temperatures, governed by common sense and basic club rules about looking out for each other. What’s changed in recent years is a big upsurge in interest in swimming outdoors, and new venues are opening up to cater for this. Let’s hope that they also follow the common sense approach when looking at their own risk assessments.

Swimmers too should understand that when a commercial company is required to make a tough decision to cancel an event or close a swim venue, the event organiser is thinking about everyone’s welfare, as it will never be in their financial interests to cancel.

My own hopes are that open water swimming will continue to grow and stand on its own feet separate from triathlon, so that rules about the use of wetsuits and water temperatures will develop and be refined as experience grows. ○

Colin Hill is Director of Chillswim, a company specialising in unique open water swim events. Prior to this he was Technical Operations Manager for the Marathon Swimming at the London 2012 Olympic Games, and before that set up the Great Swim Series at Nova International. In 2012 Colin was voted Open Water Ambassador of the Year by H2Open Magazine readers.

THE NATURE OF OUR SPORT REQUIRES THAT SWIMMERS TRAIN, AND ARE PREPARED, FOR A VARIETY OF CONDITIONS

Register of Aquatic Professionals (RAPs)

The Register of Aquatic Professionals (RAPs) is the Public Register that recognises qualifications and expertise of aquatic professionals throughout the UK.

RAPs provides a unique system of regulation for those in the industry, bringing credibility and clarity to the sector.

Many employers expect their workforce to hold recognised qualifications, providing assurance that their team has the correct skills to deliver safe and effective practice

All RAPs members…

• Meet the agreed National Occupational Standards which describe the knowledge, competence and skills of good practice

• Hold recognised and approved qualifications

• Are recognised as industry professionals

• Are committed to ongoing professional development

• Are legally covered to practice by appropriate insurance

• Adhere to a Code of Ethical Conduct

TArA DillON ExECuTivE DirECTOr Of THE rlSS, SAiD:

“The increased benefits RAPs brings to the industry will have a positive impact. For the first time we can offer assurance to operators and the public that staff are competent to do their job. Employers will now be able to verify the ability of those working in the sector.”

STA CEO, rOgEr MillwArD, SAiD:

“RAPs is a fantastic development for the swimming community and general public. We are fully supportive of RAPs and we are proud to have been involved in the development of the Register.”

ASA HEAD Of iNNOvATiON AND DEvElOpMENT, SpENCEr MOOrE, SAiD:

“RAPs brings a new era to the aquatic industry which has not been seen before. For the first time we will be working to one single qualification framework. This will lead to the simplification of the qualification structure in aquatics which can only be a good thing.

“This is a very exciting time to be in the aquatic industry and I for one am looking forward to seeing the development and growth of RAPs as it progresses.”

How

T

E

AGELESSWONDER

Elaine Howley talks to a swimming hero from the 1950s who’s still going strong…

Photo © International Swimming Hall of Fame

At 85-years-young, legendary professional marathon swimmer Greta Andersen still cuts a lean, bronzed figure, not much different to the persona she cultivated in the 1950s and 1960s as a dominant force in open water swimming. She was fierce then, and she’s still fierce now, quick to laugh with a raspy gruffness in her voice, tinged with good cheer at the bright reminiscence of the incredible experiences she’s had over the years. Man, does this woman have stories to tell.

Born into an athletic family in Copenhagen, Denmark in 1927, Andersen did not start out a swimmer. “My dad was a gymnast, my brother a cyclist, and my father said I had be er learn how to swim. I was 15 years old, and I didn’t know anything about swimming. I was kind of embarrassed that I couldn’t swim.” Her father taught her the basics, but he wasn’t a strong swimmer either so couldn’t help with perfecting her technique. For that, he decided to put her on a swim team.

And not just any swim team. Andersen tried out for the top team in Denmark, coached by Else Jacobsen, the Olympic Bronze medallist in the 200m breaststroke at the 1932 Games held in Los Angeles. At the first tryout session, Jacobsen asked Andersen if she could swim 50 metres. Andersen hadn’t yet mastered how to breathe during freestyle, but she was game to try.

“I swam the whole 50 metres holding my breath,” she says.

Jacobsen was pleased and told Andersen, “You’ve got big lungs,” and with that, she was on the team. Within six months of training, she was ranked third in freestyle events in Denmark.

“I have a talent,” she explains simply.

A natural talent of unprecedented proportion, Andersen dominated the competition. Andersen rose to prominence on the sporting scene in war-time Europe, and against the backdrop of German encroachment on neighboring countries, she racked up medals and trophies from major international swim meets as an amateur competitor. She ra les off a list of meets: Scandinavian Championships, European Championships, the Olympics, and many more impressive events. At the top of her sprinting game, Andersen swam in the 1948 Olympic Games held in London and earned a Gold medal for the 100m freestyle and a Silver in the 4 x 100m freestyle relay.

“I was the fastest swimmer in the world for about eight years,” she says, and in 1949, she set the world record in the 100-yard freestyle. “I never thought about marathon swimming then,” she says. “That became a big item later on.”

AMERICAN CHAPTER

By 1953, Andersen was still swimming and travelling all over for big meets including the World Championships that were held in California that year, but she started to realise that while the medals and trophies were nice, she couldn’t eat them. “When you’re an amateur, you don’t make a dime. I got a lot of medals and flowers I donated to hospitals, but that’s not money, so I had to figure out how to do something professional.”

A Danish rice farmer saw her swim at the meet in California, and offered to become her sponsor if she wanted to stay in the United States. “So he became my sponsor. That’s how I became a citizen here in the United States.” All of Andersen’s amateur pool records and wins were achieved under the Danish flag, while her marathon swimming achievements came under the American flag she says.

Andersen adjusted to life in America quickly and se led right into the aquatics scene in Southern California, where she still lives

A GOLDEN DECADE IN THE ENGLISH CHANNEL

Beginning in 1950, the Daily Mail sponsored a cross-English Channel race from France to England that a racted some of the top open water marathon swimmers from around the world. Capitalising on the public’s interest in open water swimming during the sport’s golden years, the Daily Mail enticed swimmers with a £1,000 purse; entries poured in.

According to Conrad Wennerberg’s seminal 1974 history of marathon swimming, Wind, Waves, and Sunburn, the Daily Mail dropped the series in 1952 a er a fiasco at the 1951 race’s awards ceremony. Several Egyptian swimmers protested about an article critical of the Egyptian King that appeared in the sponsoring paper and walked off the stage in front of an international audience causing deep embarrassment to the newspaper’s management. Without a financial backer, there could be no race in 1952.

The following year, however, Billy Butlin came to the rescue. Butlin, owner of the Butlin’s Holiday Camps and a man Andersen refers to as a “multi-millionaire,” stepped in to run the races by offering thousands of pounds in prize money and free accommodation to competitors. Between 1953 and 1959, dozens of marathon swimmers started one or more of Butlin’s Channel Races, with varying degrees of success. Andersen won the race outright in 1957 and again in 1958. She was the first and only female winner and is also the only person to ever win two Channel races.

By 1960, the heyday of both Butlin’s parks and the races had waned. There have not been any organised, professional swimming races across the English Channel since the last Butlin’s race in 1959 when Andersen claimed first place among the women.

ANDERSEN CONSISTENTLY BEAT THE WORLD’S TOP PROFESSIONAL

MEN

today. Having been trained in Denmark at a world-class physical education school, Andersen was well equipped to teach swimming and gymnastics in the U.S. and she began teaching at the local YWCA while still competing as an amateur.

Around that same time, professional marathon swimming was enjoying its heyday, with big races and bigger prize purses all over the world. She thought she should look into it. “I learned marathon swimming would pay me be er than working at the YWCA, so I started training in Long Beach. I had to think about making a living, and why not do swimming? That’s what I could do, so I did it.” Her first event was in Canada in 1954, “and of course that was a big race and the prize money was $10,000 or $15,000, and that was a lot of money in those days.”

Making the leap from sprinter to marathon swimmer was not difficult, Andersen says. “If you’re a good swimmer, you’re a good swimmer. I have the talent. I’m high on the water, swimming on the top.” She says her training changed a bit when she turned pro, but not as much as one might expect. “I just had to swim about 10 miles a day to be one of the best. As an amateur, I’d swim a lot, too, but it would be more like two hours a day sprinting. It’s just different training.” 

Andersen swam big marathon races in South America, Canada, and Italy, among other far-flung destinations, and also took part in several of the storied Butlin’s Cross Channel races in the 1950s, winning in 1957 and 1958. “Then [Butlin] shipped me the trophy. It’s all pure silver and worth probably over $100,000. He air-mailed it to me special.” Andersen still has that massive trophy, which she brought to the Global Open Water Swimming conference in Long Beach last September. It’s almost as big as she is.

LADIES FIRST

While she was busy swimming head-to-head against men in professional races, Andersen was also inadvertently changing the perception of sporting women in a post-War society that encouraged the ‘fairer sex’ to be obedient and meek wives. (She’s been married to John Sonnichsen for nearly half a century; he’s a Hungarian-born medical doctor who’s still in practice.) Although in most races, men and women were scored separately, Andersen consistently beat the world’s top professional men anyway. She was a force to be reckoned with and a strong woman who gave many men pause.

In one of her most dominant events, the around Atlantic City race in New Jersey where she placed first among the women seven times between 1956 and 1963, Andersen also finished as high as second against the men’s field when she stopped the clock less than 20 minutes behind winner Herman Willemse of Holland in 1961. Fearless, there was no competitor she wouldn’t take on, and no one she couldn’t square off against in her vibrant, sassy way.

Of all the big swims she did, including the first ever doublecrossing of the Catalina Channel, Andersen says her greatest triumph in the open water came in 1962 when she won a cross-Lake Michigan race from Chicago to Kenosha, Wisconsin. She recounts with glee that the mighty Ted Erickson was the closest swimmer to her and was still 10 miles behind when she finished the 50-mile race after some 31 hours in the water.

“I lost 30 pounds, but I spoke to the newspapers afterwards and was still in good shape. It was a long swim, and Lake Michigan is not that hot. There were 100,000 people on the shore when I finished. That’s the longest swim I ever did.” For her efforts she won $10,000 and a car. She says her several English Channel crossings were also challenging, primarily because of the variable weather and water conditions, but that the Lake Michigan swim was far-and-away her greatest accomplishment.

Conversely, Andersen cites an aborted attempt to become the first person to swim the Molokai Channel as her greatest loss in open water. “I was swimming in a shark cage. I was afraid of the big sharks in the Molokai. After I swam for six hours, the cage was swinging, forward and back and up and down like a pendulum because of the rough seas for which the crossing has become infamous.

“I started vomiting, and I told them to get me out of that shark cage.” Andersen says she was almost halfway across the channel, so the decision was made to drop the cage. “I swam in the free water, and then when I got four miles from shore, I got surrounded by sharks. I thought, ‘I can’t believe it! They were circling me.’” As the sharks circled closer, Andersen’s crew determined the risk was too great, and they pulled her from the water. “That was very upsetting,” she says. “I had big sponsorships, and all kinds of things. It was all dropped, and for some reason, I didn’t want to go back. Someone else—a swimmer not in my class—did it later. I could have done it, but for the circumstances. I decided to forget about the Molokai.”

PASSING THE TORCH

Though Andersen left the world of competitive swimming in 1966, her entire life has revolved—and continues to today—around the sport and her passion for it. She founded the Greta Andersen Swim School in Los Alamitos, California, in 1960, to teach children and adults to swim. She still teaches, and some of her most remarkable students are babies, who at just five or six months of age are able to swim clear across the pool (yes, the long way) on their own with no adult assistance whatsoever. She believes that comfort around the water is very important for everyone, particularly children who live near the ocean or in homes with pools.

These days, Andersen spends all day most days in the pool teaching but does not swim for fun or competition. Rather, she applies her talents to passing her passion along to the next generation, a vocation that keeps her young and vigorous. “I could go for 10 hours a day. That’s my life. Swimming is my life. I can’t ask for anything more. It’s been a lot of fun and given me a lot of friends.” ○

Based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, freelance writer and open water swimmer Elaine Howley has completed the Triple Crown of open water swimming and helps organise the annual Boston Light Swim. You can read more about her long distance and ice swimming adventures at her blog, blog.talesofthebeerbaby.com

I LEARNED MARATHON SWIMMING WOULD PAY ME BETTER THAN WORKING AT THE YWCA, SO I STARTED TRAINING IN LONG BEACH

Greta Andersen today

Photo © Phil White

REACH FOR RIO

Gideon Nasilowski tackles an open water swim to help raise sponsorship for a Paralympic bid.

Namibian Gideon Nasilowski was born with arthrogryposis multiplex congenita (AMC), which results in multiple joint contractures, muscle weakness and fibrosis, but that hasn’t stopped him becoming an open water swimmer. He recently became the first disabled athlete to complete the 2.1km Pointbreak Open Water Challenge in Lake Oanob, Namibia, which he finished in 92 minutes. We caught up with him a er the swim and asked a few questions.

What inspired you to take up swimming, and then in particular to tackle an open water swim?

Five years ago I was a very obese (105kg) young man who didn’t do much with his life apart from drinking and partying most of the time. My friends and I had a barbeque one Saturday and the Beijing Paralympics were on television. While we were watching my friends said to me that I would never be able to do anything like that as I was too fat and lazy.

Big mistake. Never tell me what I cannot do because I can do anything I put my mind to. My friends just thought I had a big mouth but that Monday I started at Virgin Active and dedicated myself to loosing 55kg and becoming Namibia’s first and only Paralympic swimmer. The reason why I tackled this open water swim was because I struggle with sponsorships to a end competitions to qualify for Rio 2016. I also wished to make history for my country by becoming the first disabled open water swimmer for Namibia and to show people I am a serious swimmer.

What has becoming a swimmer meant to you?

To be a national swimmer for my country gives me tingles just to think about it. I am extremely proud and it has changed my life completely from being a heavy drinker and smoker to being an active person, a proud person and even an inspiration to others.

How much do you train and how do you manage to find the hours on top of your job?

I train five hours a day, six days a week while still having a full-time job as a banker. It’s difficult and most of the time a struggle but if you have a dream you have to live it and then start dreaming even bigger. I get up at four in the morning to go to the gym. It takes me an hour

to get dressed and travel. Then, from five until seven I am exercising. From seven I get ready for work and I’m there from eight until five. A er work I go straight back to the gym and stay there until nine. I don’t have a car so I then walk the 7km home just to go pack my gym bag, get some sleep and start all over again the next day.

How does your disability affect your ability to train?

My biggest problem is that I never in my life lived with a disability because you are only disabled if you choose to be. In the gym I use the facilities like any other person. To everyone else it might look different but for me it feels exactly the same. I even play squash and I beat some of the able-bodied players: most can’t even keep up because of my fitness.

What did you fear most before your first open water swim?

I didn’t have fear because God swims with me.

Please tell us more about your first open water swim, how you felt during and a er?

For me it was a very exciting. It was something completely different to what I am used to. During the race I felt how tough this sport is because the wind was pushing me back but I was determined to finish no ma er what the cost. I enjoyed the race too because I found it funny and entertaining to swim past a couple of ablebodied people who just couldn’t finish and the rescue boat had to pick them up. When I saw the finish line, I paddled faster and gave everything I had. The crowd were going crazy and I felt like someone who’d just won the World Cup. I didn’t really win anything but the self reward was priceless. It’s a moment I’ll never forget.

What are your swimming goals and do they include more open water swimming?

My goal is to qualify for Paralympics Rio 2016. I have just recently qualified for the World Championships in Canada. I must say though I have fallen in love with open water swimming. I would definitely like to do an open water swim again and maybe, if there is a big company out there bold enough to challenge me, I could tackle the English Channel or something even tougher. I can do it all. ○

Free yourself from chlorine

We all love swimming, but the lingering effects of chlorine damage your hair, skin, and swimwear. Pool chlorine leaves a harsh residue on your body that is very difficult to wash away. SwimSpray, an all-natural Vitamin C formulation, was invented by a swimmer to fix this problem. SwimSpray’s patent-pending formula gently and completely removes chlorine. Use after swimming to save your hair, skin, and swimsuits from the damaging effects of chlorine. www.SwimSpray.com

REVEAL YOURSELF

What you wear for open water swimming might not be appreciated by everyone…

The Channel Swimming Association’s regulations state that costumes “may not extend on to the upper leg below the level of the crotch.” For men, this effectively means wearing briefs or what Australians affectionately know as ‘budgie (or sometimes ‘budgy’) smugglers’. Some people also refer to this style of costume as ‘Speedos’, a er the company that made them famous, although many other brands produce similar styles. Other names include ‘racing briefs’ and, tellingly, ‘posing briefs’.

Marathon swimmers don’t have a problem with this skimpy and revealing piece of fabric. In fact, it’s celebrated as part of the culture of the sport. But some people don’t like them at all. According to a Guardian report in 2009, Alton Towers, a theme park, bans the wearing of tight swimming trunks at its water park “to prevent embarrassment among fellow members of the public and to maintain the family-friendly atmosphere at the resort.”

obscene. “Those who raise these alarms are not generally beach goers, and they're certainly not ocean swimmers. Women in ocean swimming wear the budgie smuggler equivalents, generally, but men are far too polite than to comment publicly on how they look in them.”

Next time you visit a pool or a beach take a moment (without staring too obviously) to observe what men are wearing. In the UK, many have abandoned briefs for knee length jammers, which while still skin tight leave slightly less to the imagination than briefs. Recreational swimmers, particularly younger men and teenagers, o en plump for loose-fi ing ‘board shorts’. We’ve seen teenagers wearing baggy knee length shorts with multiple external pockets that are almost impossible to swim in. When asked about it, they find it inconceivable to wear jammers, let alone briefs. In America, According to Steven Munatones, head coach at Open Water Source, 99% of men wear board shorts in pools and open water. “The only people who wear Speedos are competitive swimmers, divers and water polo players. Everyone else wears board shorts.” Again back in 2009, Australian Opposition Leader and keen surf lifesaver Tony Abbo provoked a debate on the appropriateness of budgie smugglers a er being photographed wearing a pair, and the story o en resurfaces in local media, sometimes alongside negative comments about other prominent Australians caught in their briefs.

Paul Ellercamp of Oceanswims blames what he calls the “twee, inner city brigade” for spreading the notion that briefs may be

However, Ellercamp concedes that in some cases, the critics have a point. “The other issue is older blokes who wear their favourite budgie smugglers that are o en well past their prime. The elastic has gone around the legs, the stretch fibres have worn out, the fabric sags and the legs open, displaying more than most people want to see. That's where the issue can be genuine. Some old blokes wear costumes that look as if they were bought 40 or 50 years earlier. Older people become parsimonious as they age and, if their costumes stay up, why should they buy new ones?”

There is also an element of ageism involved. It’s not just the costumes that are past their prime but also the wearers. Ellercamp again: “many ocean swimmers are a li le older than your chiselled-bodied young bucks and don't look as ‘good’ in budgies now as they once did. Ironically, whilst media people have remarked on Tony Abbo wearing budgies, he is actually a very fit bloke in his 50s who, far more than most, looks okay in them.” 

MANY OCEAN SWIMMERS ARE A LITTLE OLDER THAN YOUR CHISELLED-BODIED YOUNG BUCKS

Karen Throsby, a sociologist at the University of Warwick who is researching Channel swimming, suggests one reason why some people might feel uncomfortable about seeing men in tight briefs is that men’s clothing, usually, tends to be looser fitting than women’s, which is often designed specifically to highlight body shape.

A MAN’S GOT TO DO…

So what is a man to do? Especially a man beyond the first flush of youth and perhaps carrying a li le ‘bioprene’ (to ward off the cold, you understand).

Fortunately, on the beach at Dover at least, where Channel swimmers gather to train, “aesthetic concerns just aren’t an issue,” says Throsby. People are there to swim, not gawk at bodies. Throsby goes on to say that in marathon swimming “there is a suspension of normal social interaction – it’s not like any other social space.” What she means is that cultural norms don’t apply. This is partly a necessity driven by the demands of the sport. Emerging from a long, cold swim you often need help. “I have been dressed by almost complete strangers,” says Throsby. Before a swim, you may need to be smeared in grease, which could require to you ask assistance from someone who wouldn’t normally touch you. Just getting changed on the beach there’s a chance to reveal bits of flesh that aren’t normally exposed. These clothing mishaps will be politely ignored by other swimmers.

Given these indignities, it’s hardly surprising that concerns over costumes and body shape just don’t materialise. In fact, “it’s generally frowned upon to worry about what you look like in marathon swimming communities – it’s about the doing,” says Throsby.

Philip Crawford of swim retailer Mailsports (mailsports.co.uk) says fashions change in men’s swimwear just as in anything else. “Club swimmers in the US have worn, and possibly always will wear, traditional swimming briefs. In the UK a few years ago there was a move towards shorts and jammers but we’re now seeing a revised interest in briefs, albeit of the wider (14cm length) variety, such as those produced by Funky trunks. There’s also a move away from black to a wider range of more colourful designs.”

Similarly, ocean swimming in Australia is a “budgie smuggler culture,” says Ellercamp. “As a swim coach, I would refuse to allow swimmers in the pool if they were wearing board shorts, which are far more voluminous than what you poms call "trunks" [or jammers]. Trunks are not generally worn here, either. Shorts slow you down enormously and disrupt your capacity to streamline and to swim.”

So the cultural se ing is hugely important and problems arise when outsiders judge the apparel of a particular sub-culture (e.g. surf lifesaving or marathon swimming) from their perspective, or when swimmers take their assumptions about appropriate costumes into other contexts.

That’s easy enough to navigate when the context is clear, but sometimes it’s not. What, for example, if you want to swim in a river or lake next to a popular family picnic spot, where most people on the bank are non-swimmers? Some people might be put off their food. And while swimming briefs at club training sessions are usually acceptable, wearing budgie smugglers in a public pool might raise a few eyebrows, except in France of course, where briefs are just about compulsory in pools.

WOMEN’S WORRIES

While current concerns seem to be mainly around men’s costumes, women have run into problems in the past. In the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics, Australian breaststroke swimmer Clare Dennis narrowly escaped disqualification a er protests that her Speedo swimming costume exposed too much of her shoulder blade. Fortunately the protests were rejected and Dennis went on to win gold.

Shortly a er, two-piece bikinis appeared but were then banned from Australian beaches, which had official beach inspectors to ensure women stuck to the rules.

Bikinis today are primarily reserved for beach use and sunbathing and most women, including casual swimmers, use a one piece costume for swimming. However, there doesn’t seem to be any drive to compel women to wear baggy board shorts or the equivalent in the pool or on the beach, with the exception of certain religious groups.

Interestingly, in marathon swimming, the neck and shoulder straps of one piece costumes can cause chafing. Therefore some women roll down one or sometimes both straps on long distance swims. In the middle of the ocean, with an understanding boat crew, this is unlikely to cause any offence, but the costume should be rolled back up before the final approach to the beach!

With the growth in swim tourism the other issue to look out for are the norms in any country you visit. While a degree of tolerance is usually afforded tourists, it pays to be aware of what local sensitivities are and dress accordingly.

For both men and women, anywhere you swim, at home or abroad, a degree of caution and consideration is needed. If you want to wear a tight-fi ing, skimpy costume for swimming, be aware that some people might not like to see you in it, and have a towel or something ready to cover yourself as soon as you leave the water.

Dip in the Dales

3 August 2013 Lake Semerwater, N. Yorkshire

Take on Yorkshire’s largest natural lake in this one-mile open water challenge. As seen on ITVs “The Dales”

Registration: £25

All proceeds to Sue Ryder

Places Limited!

Sign up today at www.sueryder.org/dipinthedales

Or call 0113 2033 338

○ 11 acres of clean open water

○ 4.6 ft deep

○ Open 7 days

○ 600m loops

○ On-site level 3 coaches

○ Daily and annual memberships

○ Long-distance training

○ Clubs and individuals welcome

○ Organisers and charities welcome

PERFORMANCE ZONE THIS ISSUE…

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Dan Bullock, a keen swimmer and triathlete, has been coaching since 1990, helping thousands get fi er and faster ‒ everyone from novice triathletes to Channel swimmers ‒ through his company Swim For Tri. He’s been a National Masters Champion and a British Age-Group Record Holder. He’s also a Bikram yoga student.

Joel Enoch is the H2Open sports scientist and nutrition expert. He has a BSc in Sport Science and Coaching from Brunel University and an MSc in Nutrition from Bristol University. As a triathlete, Joel has represented Great Britain at World and European Age-Group Championships and is a qualified triathlon coach.

Jane Hall is a physiology researcher with a particular interest in the effects of cold water and exercise on the human body. She spends a lot of time in water – swimming outdoors throughout the year in the Thames, lakes and the sea whenever possible. Jane is also a triathlon coach, working mainly with junior athletes.

Paul Newsome is the founder and head coach of Swim Smooth and is a world-recognised authority on freestyle stroke correction and training methods. He previously raced as an elite triathlete and recently succeeded in his quest to swim The English Channel. He is also co-author of

HOT START

If you want to race well you need to start well and to start well you need to be properly warmed up. Here’s how to warm up on land before you get in the water.

DO YOU NEED IRON?

Iron is an essential component in blood, assisting in the transfer of oxygen to your muscles, but do you need more than your regular diet provides?

EAT WELL TO SWIM WELL

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37

38

Supermarkets are designed to entice us to buy what we desire not necessarily what’s good for us. Here’s how to ensure the right stuff goes into your basket.

DON’T LET OPEN WATER RUIN YOUR SWIMMING

If you want to stay fast you need to pay a ention to maintaining your fitness and technique when you swim a lot in open water. Here’s how.

ADAPT AND SURVIVE

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Find out what happens to your body when you expose it repeatedly to cool water.

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HOT

A good warm up will set you up for a faster race, says

Many swimmers come into their own mid training session. Something clicks. The water feels less slippery around the hand. Some might go as far as to say it feels more solid so you hold onto it be er. Breathing becomes more relaxed. It all gets a li le easier.

These are some of the descriptions you o en hear swimmers using to describe how swimming feels to them a er they’ve been in the water for 15 to 20 minutes (or even longer if it’s first thing in the morning). It takes time for the body to warm up and adjust to the motions of swimming but when it does, technique starts to feel more natural, blood flows to the muscles where it is needed most and the lungs feel a li le less stressed.

Now consider how you approach an open water race. Unless it’s longer than 3km or so it’s going to be nearly over before you’ve properly warmed up and are performing at your best.

Due to the nature of open water racing relying on a water-based warm up will not be sufficient. Firstly, o en the water temperature will not be conducive to a decent warm up. Secondly, organisers o en only allow swimmers to enter the water a few minutes before the start signal so there is insufficient time. Thirdly, with, at times, hundreds of people trying to get a few strokes swum as they head over towards the start and waving back at family and friends, ge ing your head down for a concentrated warm up is a practical impossibility.

To race at your best you need to be warmed up and ready to hit that swimming sweet spot right from the start. Not only will this allow you to swim strongly from the outset it will help you throughout the race. In many cases, the only way to achieve this state of readiness is to warm up on land before you get in the water. Here’s how.

Try to avoid starting your land-based warm-up too early. The transition from warm-up to swim should be as continuous as possible. The aim is to promote blood flow to the shoulders, and increase your breathing and heart rate without obviously leaving you exhausted.

A bit of pre-planning will make a big difference. Some of the warm-up exercises utilise stretch cords so you’ll need space and something to anchor them on. You need to co-ordinate the warm-up with changing, a ending the race briefing and walking to the start line. During the briefing you may have space for some gentle arm swings but probably not much more, so will you do the stretch cord exercises before or a er? Ideally, you want to be moving and doing something light and constructive from about 20 minutes before the start. If you’re wearing a wetsuit this also needs to be factored in and it’s a good idea to do some of the mobility exercises with the wetsuit on as that will help pull more of the wetsuit up and out of the legs onto the body and leave the thinner panels si ing nice and high on the shoulders where they should be.

Even doing a short land-based warm up will help stop you suffering from the likes of the following, which I hear a lot of during post race analysis.

○ “It took me a while to get going.”

○ “I got to the first buoy and my arms felt like lead.”

○ “The fast pace of the start did not subside as quickly as usual and I was exhausted before the first buoy.”

○ “I didn’t seem to start as well as some of the swimmers around me which meant I got caught in the congestion around the first buoy and then had to work around people from there on.”

Triceps Swings

Chicken Wings

What happens here is that your body is suddenly working too hard to get you up to race speed and fatigue builds up quicker than can be dealt with. Racing is always going to be hard (at least it is if you’re trying to win or set a personal record) but you can make it slightly easier on yourself by warming up, and that warm up should be as specific as possible. A short jog, for example, while useful in warming the core and raising the heart rate does not address your swimming muscles.

One bad practice I still see a lot of prior to racing (and exswimmers are particularly guilty of this) is ‘static stretching.’ If a movement involves one part of the body pulling another or pushing it then it is unlikely to be helping. Static stretches can leave you lethargic and actually do more harm then good if you are not completely warmed up. Please leave the static stuff until post race to help you unwind and feel a bit be er. As a swim down is something not usually available in open water events a few stretches will help you feel less sore the morning a erwards.

FEEL THE DIFFERENCE

How much difference does a good warm up make? If it allows you to immediately start at race speed without blowing up at the first turn the gains could be significant. For me, it might make the difference between staying with the lead pack or dropping back into the second and missing out on the benefits of swimming with faster swimmers. Personally if I don’t get a good warm up then I know I will not be able to swim as efficiently.

Just remember the purpose of the warm up is to help you find that swimming sweet spot you usually experience a er you’ve been in the water for a while – it’s not a last minute training session.

PART 1: SHOULDERS AND UPPER BODY

The following tap into a wide range of swimming muscles. These are to be done while standing, feet shoulder width apart and keeping the head still. They’re an ideal way to start your warm up and if you had just five minutes in total available before entering the water due to arriving late or some other reason, these would be ones I would choose.

1. TRICEPS SWINGS

Swing the arm from down by the hip sideways (imagine you are between two panes of glass) up over the head to the opposite ear. Repeat 20 times alternating arms eventually developing a loose relaxed continuous rhythm. Then repeat the exercise a further 20 times but this time reaching to the opposite shoulder.

2. CHICKEN WINGS

Start from a bent over at the waist position with the upper body leaning forwards. Stick out your elbows with your hands in front of your chin (‘chicken wings’) and draw circles with the elbows. As the small circles at the elbow get bigger notice how the hands in front of the chin are also making circles. Allow these movements to get bigger and bigger until the arms are straight and wind-milling. Maintain this movement for a few seconds and then reduce the size of the swings until you return to the chicken wings position. This movement alone is one of the best for ge ing your heart rate elevated.

3. TRUNK CLAPS

Stand straight with arms out in front parallel to the ground and palms together. Swing one hand backwards, traveling parallel to the ground through its full range and bring it back to 'clap' the hands and send the opposite hand back. Repeat 10 times with the head still followed by 10 times with the head following the path of the hand as it travels behind you. Finish with a final 10 repetitions with the head now still again as you a empt to sweep the upper body though its full range. 

YOU NEED TO CO-ORDINATE THE WARM-UP WITH CHANGING, ATTENDING THE RACE BRIEFING AND WALKING TO THE START LINE

PART 2: TRUNK AND CORE

These movements will need the least amount of space to accomplish so can be le until later, perhaps for when you are standing in a crowd for the race briefing or are in the final holding area before the start. They will involve the rotation of the upper body, which is important for good swimming.

4. STANDING TORPEDO

This will help the trunk to mimic the front crawl body position. Keeping the head still, swing your shoulders from side to side aiming to bring each shoulder in turn as close as possible to your chin. Allow the hips to follow as the shoulders.

5. SWORD DRAWS

These combine upper body rotations with a nice sweeping movement of the arm. From the standing torpedo position take the hand of the lead shoulder and place it into its opposite pocket. Draw an imaginary sword and as you rotate back the hand arcs up and around to the base of the neck to finish above and behind the head. Do 10 on each side.

PART 3: STRETCH CORDS

Stretch cords are a simple yet effective tool for mimicking front crawl specific movements while on land. Anchor the cords to a fence, railing or post and use the handles to ‘swim’. For a warm up keep the resistance low by standing close to the anchoring point. You are not trying to develop strength on race day. Bend forwards, upper body horizontal, arms outstretched. Good technique is to pull the hands centrally under the body, pivot at the elbow to keep it high and to ensure a vertical forearm. Stay firm at the wrist and point the fingertips down. The movement should help you focus on your catch and gently warm the triceps. Note that there is no overhead recovery, just 'submerged recovery' of the hands as you reset each position.

6. CATCH FOCUS

Do 10 half-strokes at the front to work on your catch.

7. TRICEPS WARM-UP

Do 10 half-strokes at the back to work the triceps.

8. FLY

Do 10 full-strokes on fly (underarm recovery).

9. FRONT CRAWL

Do 10 full strokes on front crawl.

Rest 10 seconds between each of the above exercises, and 30 seconds a er completing the set. Repeat the set three times.

PART 4: UPPER LEGS

As I started to race longer open water events of 5km and above I noticed my hip flexors starting to cramp up with about 1km to go. I am a strong kicker and not all might suffer from this but if you are looking to leave something for a sprint finish then I highly recommend some lateral and linear leg-swings to get these muscles ready for action as well.

Find a tree or a fence that you can hold onto and maintain your balance while on one leg. Elevate the other leg to the side keeping it quite straight while facing the wall and then swing from side to side in front of the body like a pendulum, slowly increasing the arc it takes. Then turn sideways and now swing the leg back and forth rather then sideways.

If you need to dig deep for a sprint finish you will be glad your legs can contribute rather then hinder as they start to cramp. ○

Sword Draws Fly

Triceps Warm-up

Catch Focus

DO YOU NEED

IRON?

Deciding whether to take supplements or not is complicated because everyone’s needs are different and change constantly. Generally speaking, ensuring that your body has the vitamins and minerals it needs by taking a cover-all multivitamin on top of your normal diet isn’t a bad option as it provides a ‘safety-net’ under your normal diet, giving you confidence in your body’s ability to train, adapt and recover optimally. However, when it comes to supplementing iron, the issue becomes a li le more cloudy, too li le impacts health and performance, while too much can be toxic – so what to do?

Iron is an important component of haemoglobin, the bit of red blood cells that carry oxygen to working muscles. Low levels of iron can therefore impair athletic performance. To combat this, many endurance focused athletes take iron supplements, but how many really need them?

A 2010 study found that 3.9% and 25.5% of male and female marathon runners respectively had deficient iron levels, potentially impacting performance. However, 15% and 4.7% of male and female athletes were found to be in a state of iron overload, suggesting over-supplementation, especially in male runners. Obviously, running is a different sport to swimming; runners are more likely to require iron supplementation as a result of damage to red blood cells resulting from the impact of the foot strike on the ground. Therefore, with impact not being an issue in the water, these data suggest swimmers are even less likely to need supplementation. Perhaps.

As with many things, there is another side to consider.

Low iron levels cause anaemia (defined by the World Health Organisation as a haemoglobin concentration below 12g/dl (grams/decilitre), in women and below 13g/dl, in men) which is associated with weakness, a reduction in endurance performance and can initiate and advance conditions such as heart and renal

failure. Anaemia is more likely to occur in women, as you get older, while training at altitude, during pregnancy and during menstruation. While most of us might well be able to get enough iron from dark green leafy vegetables and small amounts of red meat in our diet, if we fall into any of the above risk groups, it is important to establish whether or not we need to take iron supplements. The easiest way to do this would be to ask your doctor, who will be able to test your ferritin levels to see if you need to supplement your diet.

If supplementation is recommended it’s not just a case of grabbing a pack of pills. Firstly, many iron supplements are not well absorbed by the body – known as ‘low bioavailability’. Also, while our body can regulate how much plant based iron it takes in, this is not true for the iron contained within meat which the body absorbs whether it needs it or not. This is important because, consistent over-supplementation with iron has been shown to lead to an increased risk of cancer, arthritis, Parkinson’s, type 2 diabetes, infection and inflammation (which is linked to slower recovery). High red meat consumption for the sake of iron might therefore be something to avoid.

When looking for iron supplements it’s important to check the bioavailability and the source; avoid the heme-iron found in red meat. One solution might be mineral-rich spa water, which is sometimes packaged and sold specifically for iron supplementation.

To summarise, most swimmers who eat plenty of veg (and who are unlikely to be iron deficient for any other reason) don’t need to take extra iron, but if you fall into a risk group or your doctor has told you to supplement your diet with iron then look to use nonanimal based supplements that have a high bioavailability, are well researched and tell you how much iron they deliver. ○

Joel Enoch takes a look at iron supplementation.

EAT WELL TO SWIM WELL

Supermarkets are designed to make us buy what we want. Joel Enoch explains how to fill your basket with what you need.

Walk into almost any supermarket and the first thing you’ll see will be colourful collections of fruit and vegetables. Supermarket operators know that vibrant colours and delicious smells stimulate us to buy more from the shop. Never mind that all this delicious fresh produce will later be squashed under the rest of your shopping. Bread and milk, in contrast, are typically towards the back, forcing you to pass by all sorts of enticing but unnecessary goodies to reach these essentials. This is no accident. The big four supermarkets spend vast sums of money making sure their stores’ layouts subconsciously manipulate the way you shop, “taking you past your wants to get to your needs”, according to one expert.

As a result, the modern day supermarket is a minefield of temptation for any swimmer trying to make the right food choices, but with a li le thought, it can be done.

Constructing the perfect shopping basket begins before leaving home. I’d recommend starting with a good recipe book (see side panels for suggestions). Although sounding potentially complicated, this actually only takes 5-10 minutes, and not only makes the shopping trip easier and quicker, but saves you money too as you only buy what you need. It also helps you to make much be er food choices. Pick the main meals you want and write down the ingredients. Then add what you need for breakfasts, lunches and snacks and head off to the shop (or order on-line). The list is not only to help you remember what to buy, but also to reduce the urge to buy things you don’t need.

MIX IT UP

As swimmers, the foundation of our diet should be wholesome, unprocessed foods and so up to 50% of our shopping trolley should be filled with produce from the fruit and vegetable stands.

○ You can eat almost as many vegetables and salad items as you want. Most are nutrient dense and also have a high water content, which helps with hydration and is also useful for those looking to reduce body fat percentage as you’re swapping calories for water.

SUPERFOODS

Blueberries ○ Cherries ○ Raspberries ○ Dark grapes

Raisins ○ Tomatoes ○ Avocado ○ Beetroot ○ Broccoli

Watercress ○ Mixed vegetables (frozen) ○ Spinach

Sweet potato ○ Squash ○ Walnuts ○ Pine nuts

Whole-wheat couscous ○ Pearl barley ○ Oats ○ Mackerel (tinned/fresh) ○ Salmon (fresh) ○ Olive Oil ○ Green Tea

○ Fruits contain more sugar, so we need to be a li le more careful with how much we eat. Generally berries and citrus fruits offer all the goodness with a lower sugar content. Keep more calorific fruits, such as mango and banana, for before and a er training.

○ Different nutrients produce different colours so choose a wide variety of vividly coloured foods. When you have a choice, such as with grapes or apples, darker, more vividly coloured foods tend to offer the richest nutritional profile.

RELEASE YOUR INNER HIPPIE

O en placed near the fruit and vegetable section, you should next head to the ‘wholefoods’ section, or the equivalent. Back in the 80s when ever more ingenious ways to process foods were being invented (toasted crispy pancake anyone ), these shelves would have been seen as a place only for flower-wearing hippies. Fortunately, the notion that unprocessed nuts, grains, seeds and pulses should be the main source of our carbohydrate intake has now become more widely accepted and that, actually, processing food might not have been the nutritional leap forward the 1980s promised us it was!

○ Half way between a nut and grain, lentils offer a great plant source of protein as well as carbohydrate.

○ Quinoa is a good alternative to rice and delivers both carbohydrate and protein so is a useful recovery food – especially for vegetarians.

○ Whole-wheat couscous, bulgur wheat, and pearl barley are all tasty alternatives to rice or pasta but offer even more bang for your buck when it comes to nutrition. One such aspect is the significant amount of fibre in each, which helps to support digestion and slow the absorption of carbohydrate, which helps even out energy highs and lows a er meals.

○ Studies published in 2007 and 2011 showed that raisins match the benefits of sports nutrition products such as gels. Therefore, as well as being useful as a healthy snack or addition to cereal, the dried fruit on offer in the wholefoods section might also be a handy addition to long training sessions, or as part of recovery.

○ Nuts and seeds are just about the best source of minerals. The body uses these most effectively when eating in the second half of the day, so an a ernoon snack of these will help to maintain tissue, cell, blood and bone health – and therefore aid recovery.

PROCESSING POWER

Moving on from the wholefoods section things become a li le more complicated. The majority of products from this point onwards are already in a packet, can, jar or pot and this usually indicates they

have been processed at some point. Sometimes that’s fine, but it does mean that you should do a li le nutrition detective work to establish if it’s something you ought to eat.

○ A good test is to make sure that you can identify all the ingredients as real foods.

○ Food labels list the ingredients in order of the amount contained within the product. If you do chose foods with ingredients that sound more at home in a chemistry lab rather than a kitchen, make sure they are well down the bo om of the list.

○ Generally speaking, the fewer ingredients the be er. O en if you look at the ‘Finest’, ‘Standard’ and ‘Value’ version of the same food, the no frills version will have a lot more additives then the top of the range option. If you can afford it, buy it. 

BOOK RECOMMENDATION: GO FASTER FOOD

BY KATE PERCY

Despite featuring runners on the cover this is a useful book for swimmers looking to add some interesting, tasty and easy-to-follow meals to their diet themed by ‘training’, ‘pre-race’ and ‘recovery’, so you have an idea of the best time to eat them.

GABS’ GRUB: SWEET POTATO AND COCONUT SOUP

Gabs Dickinson, part of the Gone Swimming team, likes to ensure their guests eat well to fuel their swimming. Here she shares a one of her favourite soup recipes.

“A hot drink a er swimming is a miracle worker- it does as much for morale as anything else, but also is a good step on the road to replacing lost fluids, warmth and energy. This soup ticks a bunch of boxes. It’s easy to make, full of flavour and also full of loads of stuff that make us big and strong. Feel free to mess with the quantities here or add in anything that needs using up. If you like spice, add loads, if you are not a big ginger fan use a bit less. ... but I do love having a lime wedge to squeeze over it.”

INGREDIENTS

• A little glug of oil

• 1 large onion

• 1 red pepper diced

• 2 or 3 large sweet potatoes

• 1 or 2 garlic cloves

• 1 lemon grass stick

• Some fresh ginger grated

• As many fresh chopped chillies as you like!

• 1 pt of coco nut cream (coconut milk can be used, it has fewer calories but less flavour)

• 1 pt of stock

• Salt and pepper

• 2 limes

METHOD

Heat the oil in a large pan, and add in the chopped onion, chopped pepper and the sweet potato that has been peeled and chopped too. The smaller the veg are the quicker they will cook (but the longer they will take to chop!). Once they are sweating a bit, add the garlic also chopped or smashed and the lemongrass, chillies and the ginger. Give the lemon grass a bend and a squeeze to let the flavour out.

Once the sweet potatoes are soft pour in the stock (a stock cube and hot water is fine) and the coconut cream, put a lid on and let it have a gentle bubble for about 20 minutes. Fish out the lemon grass and blend the soup to the thickness you like (use a stick blender). You can add more water if it’s too thick. Don’t forget to season with salt and pepper.

If you are making this in advance of a swim remember to pre-warm the flask by leaving hot water in it for about 10 minutes. Shake the soup before you serve it. Serve with a squeeze of lime.

○ In previous editions of H2Open I’ve wri en about the overconsumption of vegetable oils in westernised diets, which has been linked to increased inflammation and impaired recovery. Much of this comes from its addition to processed foods, so choose foods that don’t contain vegetable oil or fat.

○ Many pre-packaged foods carry a traffic light system on them to help us to tell which is healthier – but we need to be careful of this as they are not designed with the needs of a regular swimmer in mind. As an athlete you need more carbohydrate, protein and salt than someone who does li le exercise. You may also be aiming for a higher consumption of ‘good’ fats. The traffic light information doesn’t allow for this. For example, if you’re buying a snack for pre or post training, don’t necessarily be put off by a red sugar reading. Chances are that you need this energy, so don’t let a red light stop you!

○ Finally, aside from food labels, ask what does the food look like? Does it look like it’s been messed about with? Usually, the more refined or processed a product is, the quicker the energy in it will enter your blood stream, making for a less healthy option. From crisps to bread and jam to cereal bars, simply looking at a food can sometimes tell us which one will be best for our bodies, or do least harm.

COLD CHOICES

Before heading to the checkout, the frozen section is last on most people’s hit list and while this section is full of unhealthy nutritional temptations, it also contains some hidden gems.

○ Frozen fruit keeps more of its vitamins than fresh fruit, so this is o en a be er choice for the nutritionally conscious athlete –especially if it’s destined to be added to cereals or deserts.

○ It’s a similar story with frozen vegetables, especially ones that need cooking before eating (like peas or broccoli). The frozen stuff will be more nutritionally complete than fresh.

○ Many of the foods on offer in the frozen section are also much cheaper per gram than fresh foods, so this is o en a great way to save money on your weekly shop.

The above summarises many of the ideas we’ve discussed in these pages over the last year or so. Sometimes it pays to take a step back and look at the big picture. A li le time spent on planning should ensure the right stuff goes into your shopping basket as that will make it much easier to eat healthily over the following week. Finally, if you cook your meals in bulk and then freeze portions you’ll save time and effort down the line and be less likely to stray from your nutritional plan. ○

DON’T LET OPEN WATER RUIN YOUR SWIMMING

With the increasing popularity of open water swimming as a sporting discipline in its own right, we at Swim Smooth have started receiving a marked increase in the number of requests for information from swimmers around the world about how best to maintain (and even develop) good technique outside of the confines and controlled environment of a pool.

As I’ve learnt from experience, unless you take certain steps, open water swimming can be detrimental to your speed. If you want to race, this is clearly an issue. The two main reasons for this are a drop off in aerobic conditioning due to a lack of structured interval type work and, possibly more importantly, the incorporation of technical faults into the stroke. The la er can result, for example, from the need for frequent sighting, which may lead to a high head and forward looking position, pressing down at the front of the stroke (to help li the head) rather than moving the hand into a good catch position, and the incorporation of a bouncing motion into the stroke. Problems arise when these adaptations become ingrained habits.

OPEN WATER TECHNIQUE SET

For a technique workout, outline an area similar in dimensions to an Olympic sized swimming pool, i.e. 50m by 20-25m in flat, calm open water. The known (if approximate) distances will be beneficial for practising technique through drill work. Warm-up of 400m to 1,000m (or six to 20 minutes).

Drill set as 12 x 100m broken down into four lots for’ 3 x 100m with 15s rest between each 100m as follows:

Set 1: (Using fins or flippers) 25m kick on le side followed by 25m kick on right side thinking about good posture and alignment by drawing your shoulder blades together and down, twice (see feelforthewater.com/2012/06/simple-butpowerful-drill-sequence.html)

Set 2: As set 1 but using a Finis Freestyle Paddle on the lead hand (see feelforthewater.com/2013/03/a-drill-sequenceto-help-you-breathe-to.html)

Set 3: Remove the paddle and progress to the '6/1/6' drill which involves doing six kicks on one side, take one stroke (and then breathe) before taking six kicks on the other side. This is a great drill for seeing how straight you can keep yourself when you transition from one side to the next. (See feelforthewater.com/2013/02/should-you-be-doingmore-of-that-drill.html)

Set 4: Remove the fins, grab a pull buoy and perform 25m of Scull (see youtube.com/watch?v=3WYyowAvb5U) and then 75m of freestyle aiming to really feel the water

Alternatively, you could try a ‘Stroke Contrasts’ workout. This requires you to deliberately introduce a flaw into your technique, swim with it for 100m, and then swim a further 100m while focusing on removing that flaw. This is a useful tool to help develop your proprioception and is a good way to identify stroke faults for people training without a coach. A simple set might consist of 4 x 200m as:

○ 1: 100m ‘pu ing on the brakes’ (i.e. facing the palm of the lead hand forwards immediately a er entry into the water) followed by 100m tilting the hand downwards.

○ 2. 100m pressing down at the start of the stroke followed by 100m focusing on bending the elbow and ge ing into a good catch position.

○ 100m thumb first entry followed by 100m fingertips first entry

○ 100m li ing head when breathing followed by 100m breathing correctly into your bow wave.

To see more on this go to feelforthewater.com/2012/08/ stroke-contrasts-revisited.html

With a little bit of thought and planning you can still maintain your speed when you do a lot of open water swimming, says Paul Newsome…

That said, there are plenty of advantages to training outside. Below we discuss these and how you can avoid the disadvantages by utilising some simple ideas to hone your technique if you truly are restricted to just the outdoors or simply cannot bear to follow the black, chlorinated line any longer.

My own experience of seeing a performance drop off caused by open water swimming happened back in 1998 when I was preparing for the British Junior Triathlon Championships, which would be held that year in Ironbridge. I figured that if I were going to perform at my best during the 1500m river swim I should train specifically and solely in open water environments. I cast aside pool swimming and spent a month in Abersoch on the Llyn Peninsula in North Wales working feverishly hard on honing my form in the sea, always opting to wear my wetsuit given that this was how I'd be racing. Although I a empted to do some swim specific drills and interval work to maintain technique and fitness my training was mostly swimming longer stints refining my sighting and dra ing skills with another top junior athlete. When race day finally came around, I was devastated to exit the water nearly two minutes behind Stuart Hayes and James Gillfillan. Although I was still in third position (which I managed to hold onto throughout the bike and run) I had expected to be much closer, within 30 seconds, of the leaders. What had gone wrong? Looking back, I can see how in the month leading up to the event, despite being super specific by only swimming in the open water, I had forgone many of the positive benefits that even one session per week in the pool might have offered me as an open water swimmer, namely technique and fitness development.

OPEN WATER FITNESS WORKOUT

For a specific fitness session in the open water, set a digital watch to countdown over 3 minutes with an audible beep at the end, wear it under your cap and perform 8 to 10 repetitions aiming to hold your best maintainable pace. Take 30 sec rest between each one and aim to cover the same distance each time. Ideally, this set should be carried out in calm water unaffected by currents and swell. If there are marker buoys, which you find in some lakes, judge distance off those, or you could use some kind of GPS device such as a Garmin 310XT or 910XT, which are especially useful to gauge progress over time.

That learning experience is incorporated into the Swim Smooth methodology we have developed over the last nine years. This encompasses three key areas of swimming development, which we know to be important to a well-rounded and optimised programme. 

YOU CAN AVOID THE DISADVANTAGES BY UTILISING SOME SIMPLE IDEAS TO HONE YOUR TECHNIQUE IF YOU TRULY ARE RESTRICTED TO JUST THE OUTDOORS

These areas are:

1. Technique: developing a biomechanically sound freestyle stroke to optimise your efficiency in the water, often through the use of specific drills and visualisations.

2. Fitness: developing swim specific fitness that will ensure that you can maintain your technique, at speed, over a prolonged distance, often through the use of interval sets using Critical Swim Speed (CSS) as a benchmark.

3. Open Water Skills: adapting your swim stroke for the specific demands of the open water environment which includes variable conditions and also the close confines of swimming near many other swimmers.

You can develop all of these in either a pool-only or open-wateronly environment but there are pros and cons to each (see table). A regime that incorporates both would be best, but if you can’t (or just don’t want to) spend time in the pool don’t despair. There are ways to incorporate fitness and technique work into a purely open water swimming programme. See side panels for sample technique and fitness workouts you can do outside.

At the other end of the spectrum, you might not be able to get the open water practice you’d like to. Here in Australia, despite having many wonderful open water locales on our doorstep, the constant threat of sharks and jellyfish often prohibits swimmers practising’ as much in the open water as you might think. But it’s possible to practise many open water skills in the pool, such as turns, sighting and drafting by removing the lane ropes and thinking creatively. We suggested some ideas for this in a recent blog post that you can find at: feelforthewater.com/2013/04/too-cold-to-train-in-openwater-no.html.

As with most things, the number one rule is that practising in both the pool and open water has its merits. Try not to fall foul of just doing one over the other as guaranteed you will not progress as much as you would hope to. ○

PROS AND CONS OF OPEN WATER TRAINING

Pros Cons

• Super specific

• Allowing you to experience a wide range of conditions and learn how best to handle them through stroke modifications and attitude

• Cold water acclimatisation

• Less claustrophobic than a pool

• Sometimes hard to find suitable venues

• Ideally you need someone else to be with you or supervising in case of emergency

• Technique and specific fitness work can be harder to practise than in the pool

• For longer swims, nutrition feeding strategies can be hard to execute without a support paddler / boat

PROS AND CONS OF POOL TRAINING

Pros Cons

• Controlled environment

• Much easier to practise drills and distanceorientated interval sets

• Can attend by yourself without additional support or assistance

• Much easier to monitor progress with measurable distances against time

• Not specific to open water swimming

• Pools can be too warm and may be full of bugs which might hinder cold water acclimatisation and even result in sickness in some cases

• Busy lanes can make structured drills and fitness work hard to follow sometimes

• Following the black-line relentlessly can be boring and probably the main reason you sought out open water swimming in the first place

OPEN WATER SWIMMING CAN BE DETRIMENTAL TO YOUR SPEED

ADAPT & SURVIVE

When we read stories of extraordinary feats of cold water endurance – Lewis Pugh or Lynne Cox swimming in the Antarctic – we respond with astonishment, and wonder how anyone can train their body to do such abnormal things. For ‘normal’ people, however, spending 15 hours in the Channel in August, or 15 minutes in a Cumbrian lake in January would be equally impossible, yet hundreds of people do these or similar activities every year. What makes the 'acclimatised' swimmers different?

Intriguingly, the answers are not so clear. Humans show many different adaptive changes to cold exposure. Often research results are contradictory, and answers are further confused because of the nature of scientific experiments:

○ Most studies of people exposed to cold water are carried out with static subjects, rather than swimmers – it's much easier to measure variables when subjects are sat in a temperaturecontrolled tank than when they are actively swimming. We all know that our bodies behave differently while sitting still to swimming, and indeed the cold adaptations that come into play are different during static and dynamic immersions.

○ Instead of using regular cold water swimmers, scientists will attempt to further control the variables by taking nonacclimatised people as subjects and putting them through a process of 'acclimation' (e.g. six weekly half-hour cold exposures at 14°C) to look at what physiological changes take place. These acclimated subjects often show different responses to people who have spent years swimming in cold water at varied temperatures, for various periods of time.

○ There is no accepted standard of appropriate water temperature for experimentation. Some use water at 10°C, whilst others consider 20°C adequate for ‘cold water’ immersion.

I’ll try here to cut through some of the confusion and look at what goes on in the body of the acclimatised swimmer. If you're a regular cold water swimmer, you may show any or all of the following.

Jane Hall looks at the latest thinking on how our bodies adapt to open water swimming…

RESEARCH RESULTS ARE CONTRADICTORY, AND ANSWERS ARE FURTHER CONFUSED BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF SCIENTIFIC EXPERIMENTS

REDUCED COLD SHOCK

The most obvious advantage of regular cold water swimmers is that they can jump happily into chilly water, where lesser mortals squeal, swear, puff and pant. The physiological 'cold shock' response is the first casualty of habituation. Acclimatised swimmers don't feel the initial pain of the cold, don't hyperventilate and heart rate stays steady. From the body's perspective it makes perfect sense – if hi ing 6°C water is going to be a normal part of your routine, there's no point in wasting energy (and making life uncomfortable) by triggering a massive hormone response which is intended for emergencies.

Contact with the cold water produces a far lower level of stress hormones in acclimatised swimmers, particularly adrenalin, which is one of the major stimulators of the cold shock response. Noradrenalin is still produced and responds to changes in core temperature, as well as skin temperature, whereas in non-acclimatised people, the hormone’s production is directly correlated only with skin temperature.

It's surprisingly easy to reduce the cold shock response. Regular cold showers and mini-dips will have as much effect as longer cold swims. The more frequent the dips are, the longer the impact will last, although habituation is only effective up to the temperature

the body has become used to – for someone swimming regularly at 13°C, 4°C water will produce more or less the same response as it would for anyone unused to cold water. On the other hand, if you swim in the cold because you like the 'buzz' of hormones you'll have to find increasingly chilly water for your fix.

Occasionally, rather than having a raised heart rate as associated with cold-shock, acclimatised swimmers may actually show bradycardia (slower heart rate) as part of the ‘diving response’, where the body reduces its oxygen demands to allow breathholding under water. The diving response is normally suppressed by the activation of the sympathetic nervous system during cold shock, but may be allowed to dominate in regular swimmers.

Professor Mike Tipton, at Portsmouth University has proposed that the conflict between the two responses in acclimatised swimmers may be responsible for the arrhythmia that is sometimes observed during cold-water experiments (see News p.10 Apr/May 2013 for more on this).

INSULATIVE ADAPTATION

Although the initial response to cold water may be blunted, coldacclimatised swimmers are quicker to trigger the body's insulation system. The release of noradrenalin stimulates the smaller blood vessels to the body’s surface to close off more promptly and effectively, protecting the core temperature and actually giving a lower skin temperature than non-acclimatised swimmers. Blood plasma volume is reduced more in adapted swimmers than control subjects (by increasing urine production) to keep blood pressure steady while vasoconstriction reduces the size and number of available blood vessels. The improved insulation seems to work in all acclimatised swimmers, regardless of body fat and activity levels, although noradrenalin levels are higher in slimmer swimmers. There is no evidence that cold water swimmers have a higher amount of sub-cutaneous fat.

CORE TEMPERATURE – HOTTER OR COLDER?

We generally assume that regular winter swimmers are be er able to keep their core temperature high. Some cold-water swimmers have reported that their core temperature actually goes up when they swim. However none of this fits the experimental data. In cold-water immersion studies, cold-acclimatised subjects show lower core temperatures than control subjects and this temperature drops more quickly when they are immersed in cold water, although it will then stay stable for much longer. This is known as 'hypothermic adaptation' and has been demonstrated time and time again. It seems that swimmers who are regularly exposed to cold to the extent that their core temperature drops adapt so that they can function normally and comfortably with a cooler core. When immersed in cold water, they can save energy by allowing the core temperature to fall and are then able to protect it at this lower level.

So, why the confusion? One reason may be that most studies are carried out with static subjects si ing in a cold-water tank. In a 2012 study on the physiology of cold water immersion Elizabeth Hingley showed that the hypothermic response only happened when subjects were static. When active (swimming), cold-acclimatised swimmers maintained core temperature at normal levels, mainly through very effective insulation. It's quite possible that a regular cold water swimmer who is very fit may be able to swim at an intensity level which will actually increase core temperature when exercise is combined with insulation. 

The body adapts a er repeated exposure to cold water

LESS SHIVERING

When non-acclimatised people enter cold water, they start shivering very quickly in response first to the cooling of the skin, and then to the drop in core temperature. Those who are acclimatised shiver less and not until their core temperature has dropped below levels they are accustomed to. Unlike the non-acclimatised subjects, shivering doesn't respond to skin temperature, only to core temperature. When swimming and active (rather than sitting static in a tank) acclimatised swimmers do not normally shiver at all.

METABOLIC CHANGES

To keep the core warm in cold water, the body increases heat production (thermogenesis) as well as insulation. For nonacclimatised people, the main method of heat production is shivering. Acclimatised swimmers, who shiver little, tend to have a much smaller increase in metabolism – attributed to the more efficient insulative and hypothermic adaptations. However, even regular swimmers show some increase in metabolic demand, referred to as non-shivering thermogenesis (NST). NST is mainly sited in pockets of brown fat around the body’s core, where it converts stored fat into heat energy to protect the major organs. Brown adipose tissue (brown fat) is rich in mitochondria, and when active it recruits fat droplets to produce heat energy by uncoupling the normal energy production processes. The action of brown fat is triggered by noradrenalin, and it is adaptive, i.e. regular cold exposure increases the recruitment of the tissue for heat production. Studies have found that people with regular exposure to cold show greater brown fat activity than those without.

MENTAL OR PHYSICAL?

There are those who suggest that the main gain of acclimatisation is mental – the “it’s all in your head” people. This is simply not true. Acclimatised swimmers really are physically better adapted to cold water – so be sympathetic next time the person next to you shrieks at contact with water that feels comfortable to you.

A positive mental attitude will always help, though, and having experienced the cold and survived will help anyone feel more able to do so again and to push the boundaries of their capabilities.

MULTIPLE ADAPTATIONS

Studies carried out on Korean shellfish divers, who spend as long as possible in the water every day found that they show all of the adaptations described above. Increased insulation, hypothermic response and an increased metabolic demand of 230% were observed in the skin divers, who cope with water temperatures of 10°C in winter. They were also perfectly able to judge their own limits, consistently choosing to get out of the water just before core temperature dropped to hypothermic levels.

The variety of special adaptations that take place in regular coldwater swimmers gives testament to the amazing adaptability of the human body. Physiological changes are effective as long as the water and core temperature remains within the range that the body is accustomed to – below this point, the body begins to respond more like a non-acclimatised person.

There is no consensus as to how long physiological changes last if swimmers take a long break from cold swimming because this time period seems to be affected by how long they have been acclimatised for, and how frequently they are exposed to cold water. The best tip for maintaining acclimatisation is to just keep swimming! ○

WHEN NON-ACCLIMATISED PEOPLE ENTER COLD WATER, THEY START SHIVERING VERY QUICKLY IN RESPONSE FIRST TO THE COOLING OF THE SKIN, AND THEN TO THE DROP IN CORE TEMPERATURE

Paul Newsome spent many hours training in cold water before his Channel swim

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ALL DAY SWIM EVENTS

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There will be medals for the first three places for each race and a free price draw

Dates

Sat july 20 start at 8.30

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*Sat sept 14 start at 8.30

Our laps are fixed at 450m

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650m………….(1 Lap )……………..…..£12

1300m………...( 2 laps )…………..…....£15

1950m…………(3 laps )…………..…....£18

2600M…… ….(4 Laps )……………….£22

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5200M………. ( 8 Laps )………….…....£27

YOU CAN PAY BY CARD, PAYPAL OR ON SITE

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BUILT FOR SPEED

Jan Sibbersen, founder of Sailfish, talks business, and how to swim fast…

What inspired you to create your own wetsuit brand?

When I retired from professional triathlon in 2006 I had a good knowledge of wetsuits from five years of trying to pick the best for my swims. However, I always felt something was missing for the “perfect suit”, so I started developing myself. In 2007, we started with the first line of suits, three in total, and they became a success right away. Two years later, when new raw materials became available, we added another top-of-the-line suit (the Sailfish G-Range). Wetsuits are the heart of the company and we constantly try to improve every single suit. Over the years the product portfolio widened, but we have always made sure that we stay 100% focused on what we do best – wetsuits!

How does your experience as a swimmer feed into wetsuit design?

During my racing career, I also held many swim clinics over the winter and I saw hundreds of triathletes struggling with swimming. This helped me understand the full spectrum of demands, wishes and concerns. When we design new suits, this experience comes to the fore. You can apply science and technology to a new product, but experience with what people actually need is an asset money can’t buy. As far as the business is concerned, I trust in our structure as a small family business and in doing things one step at a time. I would consider Sailfish to be much more conservative in this area than other brands. However, this approach has served us very well so far.

What is distinctive about Sailfish?

We believe in flexibility and a neutral swimming position in our wetsuits and you can see this concept throughout our product line. The most buoyancy in the world won’t help you if you then cannot move in the suit. Through extensive research and testing, we have found a panel outline in our suits that works extremely well in balancing flexibility, buoyancy, durability and comfort. Focusing on these factors, rather than fancy marketing gadgets or loud screenprint, distinguishes us from other brands.

What will swimming wetsuits be like in 10 years’ time?

There will be substantial improvements in materials and most likely in technology as well. We will certainly see lighter suits that take on even less water when wet, resulting in less fatigue and thus producing faster swim times. However, the person in the wetsuit will still be the most important factor for speed.

Has open water swimming created new opportunities for wetsuit brands? Do ‘swimmers’ have different requirements to ‘triathletes’? The open water swimming world creates a whole new realm for wetsuit brands. Open water swimmers have different wetsuit requirements for sure. For example, I would prefer much less buoyancy in the legs for a 10k open water swim than a beginner triathlete in an Olympic distance race. Open water swimmers would certainly also consider a very thin full-body suit for long(er) swims in warm(er) waters, a situation where you could overheat in a relatively thick triathlon wetsuit. We have seen this open water swimming trend as a stand-alone sport emerging and will already be presenting several open water specific products in 2014.

What tips can you give open water swimmers for (a) choosing a wetsuit and (b) swimming faster in open water?

When it comes to choosing a wetsuit, I think it’s extremely valuable to test a variety of suits first. People will tell you what to buy and what not, but at the end of the day it is you who needs to feel comfortable in the water. Spending a little more money on a good wetsuit oftentimes pays off big-time. As far as swimming in open water is concerned, it might sound simple, but my strongest advice is to try to swim straight – that’s where, telling from experience, athletes lose most of their time. Secondly, improve technique, mainly by creating less resistance in the water because that’s the most common mistake. People may be strong and fit, but then a leg sticks out, acts like a parachute and swim speed goes down – these are the mistakes that cost minutes, not seconds. ○

ASK THE EXPERTS

Sometimes you just have to ask for some help… Questions to our experts can be submi ed

by email to experts@h2openmagazine.com or posted on our Facebook page.

ELECTROLYTES

Why are electrolyte feeds not good for distance swimmers? Has there been any research into this area and can we draw any conclusions?

Bryn Dymo , via Facebook

Joel Enoch, our nutrition expert says…

From your question it’s not clear exactly where you see the problem with electrolyte feeds. I can certainly see there might be an issue with electrolyte only feeds during a long-distance swim if you do not, in addition, take on appropriate amounts of carbohydrate to fuel your efforts.

While there is very limited research into electrolyte loss, sweat rates and dehydration in long distance swimming, one study I found said, ‘Despite being immersed in an aquatic environment, open water swimmers are still exposed to the risk of fluid loss and potential dehydration.’ It continued, ‘Open water swimmers should plan their nutritional requirements with the same scientific acumen as any endurance athletes.’ And concluded that’ The potential for electrolyte imbalance, particularly hyponatremia, represents a critical concern’ (Gerrard, 1999).

We also asked Professor Mike Tipton from the University of Portsmouth for his brief thoughts on the subject and he added the following.

“It depends on water temperature and clothing. It is possible to sweat in the water and thereby lose electrolytes. However, mostly people are cool (or even cold) and thermoregulate without sweating.”

This would suggest that if you are taking part in a long distance swim in relatively warm water and wearing a wetsuit (e.g.

PREGNANCY & SWIMMING

Is it safe to swim in open water when pregnant?

Colin Hill, our long distance swimming expert, says… According to NHS Choices, “exercise is not dangerous for your baby – there is some evidence that active women are less likely to experience problems in later pregnancy and labour.” The website also goes onto to say, “you might like to try swimming because the water will support your increased weight.”

However, some additional considerations should be taken into account for open water. As we’ve mentioned before, while open water swimming is generally safe it does carry some risk, whether you are pregnant or not, and you should always make your own risk assessment before entering any water. This will include, for example, assessing the water quality, the temperature and your experience of swimming at that temperature, whether there are any tides or currents to be aware of or if there are underwater

JOEL ENOCH

Our sports scientist and nutrition advisor

Formerly part of the Lucozade Sport Science Team, offering nutrition and sport science-related support to athletes and teams from grass roots to Olympians, Joel has a MSc in nutrition from Bristol University and is a qualified triathlon coach.

COLIN HILL

Our long-distance swimming expert

A passionate pillar of the open water swimming community, Colin Hill was the marathon swimming technical operations manager for London 2012 Olympics. He devised the Great Swim series and now runs Chill Swim in the UK’s Lake District.

something like the 14km Henley to Marlow Bridge to Bridge) there would be a need to replace electrolytes, as well as taking in carbohydrates.

Fluids containing electrolytes possess many advantages over just water, and the presence of sodium is critical for the effective absorption of carbohydrate from ‘isotonic’ sports drinks. So, while research into this is rare, I would suggest similar fluid intake strategies to those you’d use for land-based endurance sports taking place in cooler conditions.

obstacles to steer clear of. Being pregnant may change what you consider to be an acceptable level of risk.

Regarding taking part in organised mass participation events, pregnant swimmers must seek their own medical advice. An event organiser cannot take responsibility for any individual case. Most will also not include anything on the topic in the T&Cs for the event. The obvious concern in a crowded environment is the risk of accidental physical contact during the start or around turns or other congested parts of the swim so if you do choose to take part in a mass participation event you should ensure you give yourself plenty of space and avoid the main pack.

BEING PREGNANT MAY CHANGE WHAT YOU CONSIDER TO BE AN ACCEPTABLE LEVEL OF RISK

Photo by Josie Gritten -

SWIM TRAVEL ZONE THIS ISSUE…

Aaron Davis is the owner and founder of Venture Events, Expeditions and Adventures (www.ventureea.com), specializing in small group active experiences, including swimming adventures. Aaron is an experienced open water swimmer, designing swimming courses and programs in swimming locations around the world.

Tom Gallagher is a freelance writer and journalist who has travelled extensively in the course of his career. Based on the south coast. He writes for a number of local and national publications on the travel industry, and has just discovered the world of open water swimming. He also writes about the criminal justice system and restorative practices.

Simon Murie is the founder of SwimTrek (swimtrek.com), the leading provider of open water swimming and coaching camps in the UK and overseas. He is a qualified swim coach with a solo crossing of the English Channel to his name. He is passionate about introducing people to the joys of open water swimming and to finding new swims.

Kit Wise is a Brighton Iceberger and an Associate Professor in Fine Art at Monash University, Melbourne. Originally a county champion 400m runner, he entered the 900m Peter Mac Ocean Swim as an incentive to get fit again, and nearly drowned. This sparked his love of open water swimming.

If you travel to Australia in winter you’ll still find open water swimming opportunities, but be prepared for cool water.

For many visitors, Japan is synonymous with the frenetic pace of metropolitan Tokyo, the enigmatic cloud that surrounds Mount Fuji, the beauty of the cherry blossom, and the raw power of Sumo. It may not, therefore, be your first thought when looking for new destinations to explore your passion for open water swimming and your thirst for adventure. It's time to think again.

Japan has a lot to offer open water swimmers of all levels of experience and ability – it just takes a bit of local knowledge and some confidence to plan your expedition to the Far East.

One of the highlights is sea trek swims around Okinawa. This island is the largest of the 70-odd Ryukyu Islands. It has a subtropical climate boasting plants and flowers all year round. Coral reefs, emerald seas and sunny skies make this an a ractive open water swimming destination.

Next up: island-hopping swims to the west of Nagasaki. Surrounded on three sides by mountains, the capital of Nagasaki

SAMURAI SWIMMING

OTHER FAR EAST ADVENTURES

CHINA

Like most things in China, the sport of open water swimming is growing rapidly. Potential areas to explore include:

○ Triathlons around Beijing and Shanghai are becoming increasingly popular and well organised.

○ Swimming in the Li River – it’s beautiful but ge ing extremely busy.

○ We would avoid any swimming in the Yellow River or Yangtze River – everyone gets sick.

INDONESIA

An extraordinarily diverse and fascinating country, the open water swimming here tends to focus more on river and lake swimming – options include:

○ Lake Toba in Sumatra.

○ There is a newish 10km swim event in Bali.

○ Lombok, Sulawesi, and Malacca for snorkeling and diving.

○ Sea swimming is a bit uncharted so safety would be a concern, we would recommend kayaking around Kimodo and Richa islands which enables some bay swimming.

OTHER DESTINATIONS

○ Korea: a good option for triathlon training/events.

○ Cambodia: an area that we're exploring but the cayman and large water-based snakes are a safety issue for lake and river swimming.

Japan offers a wide range of open water swimming options, says Aaron Davis.

JAPAN FACTS

Population: 128m

Capital city: Tokyo

Tallest Mountain: Mount Fuji

Earthqukes: There are around 1,500 every year in Japan. Additional info: Sumo is Japan's national sport, although baseball is also very popular.

The coast of Japan

Prefecture sits facing westward at the end of a beautiful fivekilometre long bay, so it’s the perfect launching bad for a series of short island-hopping swims.

Those with a competitive spirit might enjoy the Rough Water Swim series consisting of six to seven races through Kagoshima and Okinawa. The course is generally 1.5km and it’s a well organised series that is worth considering.

For marathon swimmers, the Tsugaru Strait is one of the Oceans Seven challenges and so must rank highly on any to do list. The swim is from Tappi Misaki on the Honshu (south) side of the channel and Shirakami Misaki on the Hokkaido (north) side – a distance of 19.5km. The recommended time to a empt crossings is during July and August. Despite the relatively short distance this is a difficult swim due to the strength of the currents. It took Stephen Redmond, the first person to complete the Oceans Seven, several a empts before he succeeded. With all 14 slots booked for 2013, and four reserved already for 2014, this is a swim that needs to be planned long in advance.

Finally, for something a li le bit different, but still involving water and ge ing wet, you could try river sledging and coasteering. Easily accessible from Tokyo, the rocky coastline of the Izu peninsula is perfect to explore the cliffs, rocks, tidal pools, caves and blow holes at sea level with a few like-minded adventurers. The perfect day out for anyone who likes the ocean, mountains, and a bit of adventure. ○

Aaron Davis is the owner and founder of Venture Events, Expeditions and Adventures (www.ventureea.com), specialising in small group active adventures and experiences, including swimming adventures. Aaron is an experienced open water swimmer, designing swimming courses and programmes in many great swimming locations around the world.

EVENTS

The Japan International Open Water Swimming Association sanctions 14 multi-race events in the warm ocean waters throughout Japan including the following races:

OKINAWA URUMA HAMAHIGA OPEN WATER SWIM

A series of 0.4k, 0.8k, 1.6k and 3.2k ocean swims in Hamahiga Island in tropical Okinawa in May.

NICHINAN-KAIGAN NANGOH OPEN WATER SWIM

A series of 0.4k, 1k and 2k ocean swims in semi-tropical Miyazaki on Kyushu Island in June.

TRANS OF GUNS TANEGASHIMA OPEN WATER SWIM

A series of 0.8k, 1.6k, 3.2k and 1.6k relay races in Kagoshima on Kyushu Island (in view of an active volcano) in June.

ATAMI OPEN WATER SWIM RACE JAPAN GRAND PRIX

A series of 0.4k, 0.8k and 3.2k swims and a 2k relay race in Atami, Shizuoka within view of towering Mount Fuji, about 90 minutes south of Tokyo, in July.

AICHI MINAMICHITA OPEN WATER SWIM

A series of 0.4k, 1k and 3k swims in Aichi on Honshu Island in July.

MINAMIBOSO KYONAN OPEN WATER SWIM

A series of 0.4k, 1.6k and 3.2k swims and a 1.6k relay in Chiba (close to Tokyo) in August.

SHIGA BIWAKO OPEN WATER SWIM

A series of 0.4k, 1k, 3k swims and a 1.6k relay in Lake Biwa, the largest lake in Japan just north of Kyoto in August.

NIHONSANDAIKEI OKUMATSUSHIMA OPEN WATER SWIM

A series of 0.4k, 1 mile and 2 mile swims and a 1.6k relay in Miyagi on the northeast coast of Japan in August.

NIHONSANKEI MIHONO MATSUBARA OPEN WATER SWIM

A series of 0.4k, 1k and 2k swims and a 1.6k relay in the warm ocean waters of Shizuoka on the island of Honshu within view of Mount Fuji in August.

GENKAINADA KOKUTEIKOUEN OPEN WATER SWIM

A series of 0.4k, 1k and 3k swims and a 0.8k and 2k relay races in Fukuoka on Kyushu Island in August.

IZU OSHIMA OPEN WATER SWIM

A series of 1k and 2k swims and a 1.6k relay in the warm semi-tropical waters on the island of Oshima, hundreds of kilometres off the shores of Tokyo, in September.

INTERNATIONAL MASTERS OPEN WATER SWIM

A 0.5k, 2k relay and 3k swim in Yumigahama Beach in Izu National Park in Shizuoka, Japan on 9 September. The race is in support of the Japanese relief efforts of the tsunami and earthquake tragedies in eastern Japan.

OKINAWA TOKASHIKU BEACH OPEN WATER SWIM

A series of 0.4k, 1k and 5k swims and a 1.6k relay in tropical Okinawa in October.

The Okinawa swim, Japan

A TALE OF TWO SWIMMERS

In his regular column, SwimTrek’s Simon Murie highlights swims to add to your wish list. This month, Albania to Corfu.

For years, Albania was one of the world's most closed-off and strictly controlled countries. It was le with no friends at all a er shunning both the Soviets and the Chinese for being 'revisionist' to the ideals of Stalinism. From 1944 to 1985 its leader Enver Hoxha pursued a policy of isolationism and state sponsored repression which led to many of its citizens a empting to escape through the neighbouring countries of Greece and former Yugoslavia.

However the border areas as well as being heavily guarded were classified as being “sensitive”, so even approaching them was fraught with danger. Albanians faced internment or execution if caught trying to flee. For many Albanians that le the narrow Corfu Channel, which separates the Greek island of Corfu from mainland Albania, as the only possible escape route to the west. Over the years it is estimated that thousands of Albanians tried fleeing to the West by this route. In fact many of the tavernas on the Greek island are staffed by Albanians who reportedly made the crossing in the 80s & 90s.

At its narrowest point Corfu and Albania are separated by only 2 kilometres and on clear and quiet evenings voices and noises carry across the channel and the headlights of cars can be seen on the opposite shore. From impoverished Albania, the appearance of the more prosperous Greek island must have made it seem a most tantalising prospect.

To Dimitri Gkoumas, a Greek Albanian whose mother was from Corfu and whose father was from Thessaloniki on the Greek mainland, a cruel

twist of fate a er the end of World War II made them se le in Albania. From then on his family were unable to leave and like a lot of ethnic Greeks were subjected to great hardship under the Hoxha regime. When Gkoumas reached 17 he began preparations for his escape by swimming to Corfu. Due to restrictions on movement around the country he was unable to a empt it at the narrowest point so he would have to make his break for freedom from the town of Himarë, which is around 20 miles from Corfu.

For a couple of years he trained and on a calm day in September 1985, he entered the water to a empt the swim across the strait. As well as the physicality of having to swim a distance which is similar to the English Channel, he also had the major issue of avoiding both the floating mines which surrounded the Albanian coast, as well as patrol boats who were known to shoot would-be escapees on sight. He swam for around five hours before an Albanian patrol boat spo ed him.

“They tried repeatedly to run me down with the boat, to kill or drown me,” says Gkoumas. Eventually he was taken from the water and beaten.

In 1990, five years a er Hoxha’s death, a democratically elected government came to power and many political prisoners were released, including Dimitri Gkoumas. He’d served five years of his sentence. He travelled to Athens and has lived there ever since.

Thomas W. Hodgkinson on his safety boat

Photos © Thomas W. Hodgkinson

He was subsequently sentenced to 12 years in a forced labour camp, all for wanting to swim across this stretch of water to a be er life.

Fast forward to the 1990s and Albania became a democracy and a member of NATO so travel overseas in the present day is a li le less fraught then it once was!

Thomas W Hodgkinson a British freelance journalist who has a house in Corfu was inspired by the late travel writer, Patrick Leigh Fermor, who he had been informed, gazed across the water towards Albania and murmured: "I could swim that." He never got around to it. And this, thought Hodgkinson, was reason enough for him to try.

In 2011 Hodgkinson set out to a empt the first “official” swim crossing of the strait by swimming the more direct 2km from Ksamil Sarande on the Albanian side to Agios Stefanos on Corfu.

He says, “the biggest danger I had assumed was from ferries but I wasn't particularly worried. For one thing, I had spent every morning over the previous week ferry-spo ing. I'd noticed what I took to be a more or less clear window between 11 and 12 each day. I was also encouraged by the knowledge that the Greek Minister of Shipping had arranged that every ferry captain be informed in advance of what was taking place that day, and requested to slow his speed down to less than 10 knots.”

The directive from the Shipping Minister turned out to be quite fortunate as 20 minutes into his swim, and at the time he had calculated no ferries should be in the area, an enormous Minoan Lines ferry ploughed up behind him.

RATINGS

○ Difficulty:

○ Water quality:

○ Bragging rights:

○ Iconic ranking:

“The boat was near enough that I could hear the captain on the intercom, telling his passengers that if they looked to their right, they would see a small begoggled figure splashing his way from one country to another,” says Hogkinson.

An unexpected chafing incident caused Thomas to have to relieve himself of his swimming shorts at around the midway point, so the second half of the swim was conducted au naturel until he arrived near the beach on Agios Stephanos and quickly whipped his costume back on before walking up to the Damianos Bar and a large glass of local Greek Mythos beer waiting for him.

In this tale of two swimmers, the contrasts behind the swims and crossing a empts couldn’t be starker. With all open water swims it’s worth reflecting on the history of that stretch of water and what it may have witnessed over the years. You might be amazed at what and who has preceded you. ○

Simon Murie is the founder of SwimTrek (swimtrek.com), the leading provider of open water swimming and coaching camps in the UK and overseas. He is a qualified swim coach and an experienced swimmer with a solo crossing of the English Channel and other big swims to his name. He is passionate about introducing people to the joys of open water swimming and to finding new swims.

NEED TO KNOW

○ Water type: Salt

○ Distance: 2km

○ Water temperature: 17-24°C

○ Issues: Ferries, permissions from the Albanians and Greeks

○ Estimated costs: £200-£500 for race entry

AROUND THE SEAT OF POWER

Central Copenhagen’s rejuvenated canals have become a surprising and delightful venue for open water swimmers, says Tom

The assorted debris that bobs past the UK Houses of Parliament atop the murk of that particular section of the Thames does not necessarily encourage to it a mass of swimmers for a water’s-eye view of the city; perhaps that’s why London’s most famous river race is by boat. Not so in Denmark’s capital city, Copenhagen, where the waters of the canals that surround Slotsholmen are so inviting that every year over a thousand swimmers traverse the country’s island of administration. The Christianborg Rundt is the foremost open-water event of a city of open-water enthusiasts.

Slotsholmen, a small islet that sits within the heart of Copenhagen and which is surrounded by about 2km of clear-water canals, is the city’s diminutive iris that harbours its nation’s power and its most authoritative denizens. Set within the island is the Christianborg Palace where can be found the Danish Houses of Parliament, the Supreme Court of Denmark, the Prime Minister’s office and even the state rooms of the Queen. This concentrated mass of authority is joined by other structures that together hold national archives, royal libraries and an assorted history of Denmark. A comparable city-swim with such an illustrious circumnavigation is hard to find.

Despite the city’s centuries’ old history, the event itself is a relative newcomer to Copenhagen. It was as recently as 2006 that

HOW TO GET THERE

Flights from the UK are offered by British Airways, Norwegian, BMI Regional, SAS and Easyjet and services are available across the UK’s international airports. DFDS Seaways luxurious cruise ferry Dana Sirena sails from Harwich to Esbjerg in Denmark two to four times a week with InterCity train connections to Copenhagen. Or travel

Gallagher.

the Christianborg Rundt was first held following efforts to clean the waters of the harbour. Four baths supplement the ‘beaches' and swimming against a backdrop of the beautiful city-scape and close even to the main shopping district had been the way of things for many years. But the questionable water quality of an industrial harbour o en meant sporadic opportunities in which to indulge in the pastime.

However, with the waterways cleaned and measures imposed to keep them that way, the city has benefi ed from new and expansive opportunities for outdoor swimming as well as improvements to the well-established baths. Swimming has become even more integral to Copenhagen society with year-round opportunities and new venues that have won awards for their design. And it is within this life aquatic that the Christianborg Rundt has become a highly anticipated and much admired open water competition.

CLASSIC IN THE MAKING

The swim bears all the hallmarks of a classic: a short, circular course, a cracking location and a massive support base which sets an excellent race day atmosphere. Perhaps this is why it became a location of the Fina 10k Swimming World Cup in 2009 just three years a er its inaugural event, and why over a thousand people now regularly take part.

Swimming the canals of Copenhagen

The standard course is set at two kilometres, which is just a single loop of the island that can be tackled solo or as a relay of four fivehundred metre stints. It begins in the Frederiksholms Canal adjacent to the angular beauty and polished granite of the Black Diamond building, which is home to the city library. Swimmers must then bear along the waterfront and beneath the Knipplesbro Bridge, which is one of only two that carries vehicles to and from the island.

Around the course, swimmers pass the structural, political and cultural he of a country. The Holmen Church, the Danish Parliament, the Royal Riding Stables, the Stock Exchange and, close by, the central shopping district of Copenhagen are all features of the swim. Crowds of city dwellers, tourists and administrators of Danish society line the course and mark the bridges to watch and cheer as the competitors swim by and beneath. It has become a staple of the Danish sporting calendar and one for which the city stops to support. The course

finishes in the canal by a floating pontoon and once it's over and the race is spent, the island returns to life as a busy hub of Copenhagen life.

“It is a great event with a lovely atmosphere,” says Hans BraunerOsborne who has swum the event several times since its inception. “I completed the race in just over 47 minutes last year. It's a great way to see this part of the city and the crowds really cheer you on.”

Lise Christensen is taking part in the swim for the first time this year and is a racted, as many are, to the spectacle of swimming in the heart of Copenhagen. “The event is special,” she says. “We are very privileged to be able to swim in the canals in the middle of a large city. The water quality is good and it’s a really social event, too.”

CROWDS OF CITY DWELLERS, TOURISTS AND ADMINISTRATORS OF DANISH SOCIETY LINE THE COURSE AND MARK THE BRIDGES TO WATCH AND CHEER AS THE

Race organiser, the Danish Swimming Federation, is keen to extol its virtues and its position in a national perspective. “The nature of the course makes it unusually good for spectators and that, combined with the historical background, has given it a reputation as one of the best open-water swimming competitions in Europe.”

Certainly it is one of the fastest growing events with year on year increases in numbers and continual improvements to course, safety and participant experience. It began as a 1900 metre swim in 2006 when just 256 people competed. The number was supposed to be closer to 400 but a high-level of algae that formed close to race day meant it had to be postponed. Since then it has been nothing but clear waters and fair skies for the Rundt. Well, almost.

SEWAGE SPILL

In 2007, amid improved safety and marshalling, 500 people took part and a relay was introduced in which five teams raced in four stages of five hundred metres. The following year the route was adjusted to its present length of two kilometres with a view to turning it into a 10 kilometre course in which swimmers could turn in laps five times

FIVE MORE… NORDIC SWIMS

SCANDANAVIAN WINTER SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

Where: Skelle e Skelle eå River, Finland

Next event: February 2014

What: Multi-distance championships

Distance: Various

See: darkandcold.com

VANSBROSIMNINGEN

Where: Vansbro, central Sweden

Next event: July 2013

What: The largest open-water swim in Northern Europe with over 4000 competitors.

Distance: 3km

See: vansbrosimningen.se

STAVANGER OPEN WATER

Where: Stavanger Peninsula, Norway

Next event: August 2013

What: A mass-participation event on the Stavanger Peninsula.

Distance: 1 km, 3 km & 5 km

See: stavangeropenwater.no

PINGVALLASUND SWIM

Where: Lake National Park, Iceland

Next event: July 2013

What: A tough open water swimming starting at midnight and with no wetsuits allowed.

Distances: 5km

See: thingvallasund.com

VIDÖSTERNSIMMET

Where: Lake Vidösternsimmet, Smaland, Sweden

Next event: August 2013

What: A 21k marathon swim where wetsuits and personal buoys are mandatory.

Distance: 21km

See: vidosternsimmet.se

thousand. It was the cementing of an already expanding profile and it helped to turn the world’s a ention to Copenhagen as a quality swimming destination. In 2010, the start of the race was moved to allow for the sudden influx in interest as more and more signed up to the event but in 2011 the race had to be cancelled altogether. In a rather unpleasant reminder that this was a still a swim in the heart of a busy city, a heavy storm set the waters on edge and the raw sewage that spewed forth from the resultant overflow came tinged with E Coli and all manner of nastiness.

A COMPARABLE CITY-SWIM WITH SUCH AN ILLUSTRIOUS CIRCUMNAVIGATION IS HARD TO FIND

The mess was quickly forgo en at the next incarnation, however, when the Chrsitianborg Rundt received a royal seal of approval.

Princess Mary of Denmark, a patron of the Danish Swimming Union and a champion swimmer in her youth, took part in the 2012 race and finished 65th in an impressive time of 35:20.

The Danish Swimming Federation now has a world-class event on its hands. Registration is via the Federation’s website and racers are divided into around 25 waves. It has been a remarkable rise in profile for what is ostensibly a swim in a canal. But it is also a testament to Copenhagen and its inhabitants that it has become central to the world-wide calendar of open-water swimming. Never before has a seat of power been so joyously rounded as in the Christianborg Rundt. ○

Tom Gallagher is a freelance writer and journalist who has travelled extensively in the course of his career. Based on the UK's south coast, he is also H2Open’s ‘Becoming an Open Water Swimmer’ blogger. You can read about his trials, fears and successes in the blogs section of our website, h2openmagazine.com

Think of Australia and nine out of ten people will picture a beach: sun, sand and surf. This is precisely why Australia is arguably the ocean swimming capital of the world as recent articles in H2Open have suggested, such as Tom Gallagher’s review of the Lorne Pier to Pub event (the largest ocean swim in the world with over 4,000 taking part in 2013), Andre Slade’s account of Australian surf life-saving (both in issue 13) and Suzy Hegg’s story of ge ing to grips with the differences between open water swimming in the UK and Australia (issue 12). But it isn’t all beer, budgie smugglers and bronzed bodies, glistening under an azure sky.

Aussie waters can be pre y damn cold too. In 1959, the New South Wales Winter Swimming association was formed, based around seven life saving clubs in the Sydney area. In 1974, this expanded to become the Winter Swimming Association of Australia, incorporating clubs from Queensland and Western Australia. Races take place over 50m outdoors, usually in unheated sea pools such as the famous home of the Bondi Icebergs. However in the southern states, who are not included in the WSAA, sea temperatures are usually colder; nor are man-made sea pools as common, forcing winter ocean swimmers in Victoria and Tasmania to venture out into the open water.

While the sub-tropical summer temperatures of New South Wales go a long way to explaining the year-round popularity of ocean swimming in that state (almost half the 200 ocean swims

in Australia each year are in NSW), the next largest number and arguably the most famous are in Victoria, centred around Melbourne and Port Philip Bay. As well as Lorne, Victoria hosts the Pier to Perignon, a 4km open water swim commencing at the Sorrento Pier and finishing at the Portsea Pier. It was founded in 1988 by no less than the current Premier of Victoria, Ted Baillieu, when he challenged a friend to a swim, the prize for which was a bo le of Dom Perignon. 25 years on, its 800 tickets sell out online in a ma er of hours. Australian leaders seem to have a thing about swimming: Prime Minister Harold Holt went missing while swimming near Portsea in 1967, never to be found again. In true Aussie fashion, a swimming pool was erected in his honour.

Victoria is also home to the Giants of the Bay swim, Australia’s longest ocean race at 30km. The race supports autism and can be completed solo, duo or as a team of four or six. Competitors swim from Portarlington to Point Lonsdale, finishing near the famous heads of Port Phillip Bay. Now a racting international a ention, this beautiful swim through crystal clear waters is a likely contender for the best long-distance race in the country. 

THE COLD SWIMMERS OF

Kit Wise finds some Australian swimmers like it cold…

WINTER CHILLS

While these races take place in the summer months, Victoria is home to some of the most dedicated – some would say unhinged – winter swimmers in Australia. Due to the shallow and relatively enclosed nature of Port Phillip Bay, water temperature can get as low as 8°C in mid-winter. But clubs like the Brighton Icebergers keep going all year round, staging events such as their own Winter Lorne Pier to Pub swim, with a strict no-wetsuit policy. Their premier event is the John Locco Invitational Winter Classic, which is swum over three distances: 2km, 1.4km and 1km, with a sea temperature of eight to nine degrees.

Billed as the longest and oldest cold-water swimming event in Australia, it is named after the ex-school teacher and subsequently local mayor who saved the Middle Brighton Baths, the last ocean baths in Victoria, when it was threatened with demolition in the 1980s. The handsome, heritage listed Art Deco Baths are the spiritual home of ocean swimming in Victoria. Icebergers have swum there since 1881, when it was one of seven sea baths in the state, but the only one open year round – hence becoming the home of winter swimming. John Locco is still a driving force in the Icebergers and recently completed his 40th season.

When I joined up for my first winter, I thought I had an advantage from my background growing up in England, where cold showers are considered character building and cross-country runs in driving rain, if not snow, are obligatory. I was very wrong. Getting out from a

VICTORIA IS HOME TO SOME OF THE MOST DEDICATED –SOME WOULD SAY UNHINGED – WINTER SWIMMERS IN AUSTRALIA

1.4km ‘no brainer’ (why do they call it that, you may well ask) lap of the marina where they are based and re-learning how to walk and talk without any sensation in legs or lips was the easier part. Negotiating the fine line between the warmth of exhilaration and the numbness of hypothermia took a little longer. Explaining to my wife why getting up at 5.30am in the pitch black and wilfully jumping into freezing water without a wetsuit was fun, was much harder.

But it is – as the 150 or so Brighton Icebergers will tell you, as well as the many others who swim around the bay, every day of the year.

TIP OF THE ICEBERG

Black Ice is another group of swimmers based in winter months at Brighton Baths, but who range far and wide along the Melbourne coastline. Many have completed one if not more Channel crossings. Both the Brighton Icebergers and Black Ice are able to complete their long winter swims as they have access to steam and sauna facilities: not so the Mentone Icebergers, who swim from their local life saving club where luke-warm showers were only recently installed. A few more kilometres south and the Peninsula Pirates swim at Frankston; further on still and Mt. Martha hosts its own group of year-round swimmers… and so on.

And then there are the Tasmanians. Tassie has its own Rocket Science Sports and Hive Swim Wear Ocean Swim Series in the summer months, along the stunning coastline of Australia’s island

state. Tasmania’s intact wilderness forests, dramatic mountains, secret bays and fjord-like coastline form an incredible backdrop to many of its swims. World-famous Olympian and resident of Tasmania Shane Gould helped establish the ‘Devil of a Swim’, a 2km circuit around Diamond Island from Waubs Bay Beach near Bicheno, on the East coast of the state. The swim aims to highlight the plight of the endangered marsupial Tasmanian Devil as well as remembering the aboriginal heroine Waubadebar, after whom the bay is named. Cold-water swimmers are a growing breed in Tassie, braving freezing winters and southerly winds that bring currents directly from Antarctica.

SAFETY ALERT

To be clear, hypothermia is a very serious issue and Australian swimmers are as mindful as any others about the risks associated with the sport. One reason these clubs thrive is the need to swim with others, to ensure there is someone on hand if cramp or the cold sets in. Access to a sauna or steam room is essential for longer swims and neoprene hats, gloves and shoes are highly recommended. The Brighton Icebergers also use a whiteboard to record who is in the water and what course they are doing, with people checking in after their swim.

No article about ocean swimming in Australia would be complete without mention of sharks. Victoria and neighbouring Tasmania share the same cold-water species (plus the odd bull and tiger shark that comes south on holiday) and their beaches do without the sharknets Sydney is famous for. While the local sharks may not be as aggressive as their tropical counterparts, they are reportedly more stupid. This means they will bite things just because they are there, rather than because they are hungry or frightened. But sightings, let alone attacks, are incredibly rare and you are much more likely to bump into a seal, penguin or mildly hypothermic swimmer.

So while Australia is certainly sun-kissed in parts, blessed with tropical islands and magnificent beaches, spare a thought for its other side, where the Aussie obsession with the ocean has evolved a dedicated community of swimmers addicted to the colder things in life. ○

Kit Wise is a Brighton Iceberger and an Associate Professor in Fine Art at Monash University, Melbourne. Originally a county champion 400m runner, after moving from the UK to Australia in 2001 he entered the 900m Peter Mac Ocean Swim as an incentive to get fit again, and nearly drowned. This sparked his love of open water swimming.

Monash Tritones team after finishing Giants of the Bay 2012

• A wetsuit optional event

• Full water safety along the whole of the swim course

• Feed stations on the lake providing drinks

• ‘Chillswim’ tow-floats provided free to each participant

EARLY START FOR 2013 SERIES

H2Open’s 2013 National Open Water Ranking Series kicked off with one of the first events of the UK season.

water temperature in the lake at Box End Park to just above 14 °C, but that still felt pre y chilly to many of the swimmers who were in the open water for the first time this year. Interestingly though, a larger number than last year opted to swim non-wetsuit. These included Pip Benne , last year’s winner of the non-wetsuit category, and Howard Keech, who is one of the few swimmers ever to have completed a North Channel swim between Ireland and Scotland.

Se ing the bar high in the men’s 35 to 49 wet-suited category, David Warren swam an impressive 1:04:44, nearly 5 minutes ahead of second place Ryan Huckle, despite conditions that were described as choppy and hard going due to a strong breeze across the lake. Annie Wilson was first woman home in 1:12:01.

STILL TIME TO ENTER

With the second race not until 22 June there’s still time to join the series, benefit from discounted entry and give yourself the opportunity to win a great prize. Even if you’re not the fastest, there’s still a chance to win one of our spot prizes. You’ll also get to take part in some great events.

You can enter as many or as few events in the series as you like. We will count your points from your best four finishes. Age group categories are under 34, 35 to 49 and 50 plus, and there’s a separate prize for the best non-wetsuit swimmer. For details and to enter see: nationalopenwaterswimseries.com

THE EVENTS

Date

22 June

6 July

14 July

17 August

7 September 3

14 September Bradley Stoke, Bristol

Note: You do not need to enter each event separately this year. To enter see

3

Annie Wilson with her winner’s plaque

SERIES SPONSORS

Dryrobe: All category winners will receive a fabulous

POWERED BY NOWCA

Box End Park race

MAKE SURE YOU NEVER MISS AN ISSUE OF H2 OPEN MAGAZINE. TAKE OUT A SUBSCRIPTION TODAY. YOU’LL

Six issues of H2Open Magazine delivered to your door each year

Free access to our digital editions (via PC, iPad, Android tablet or Kindle Fire)

Exclusive offers and discounts

Discount on retail cover price.

Whatever type of open water swimmer you are, we’ve got something to inspire you, entertain you or to help you swim faster. H2Open is read by wild swimmers, extreme swimmers, marathon swimmers, ice swimmers, holiday swimmers and people who just love the water. Take a fresh look at swimming for just £22.95 (UK), £29.95 (Europe) or £39.95 (RoW) or subscribe for two years and save even more.

WE’RE PLANNING ON BEING AT LOTS OF SWIMMING EVENTS IN THE UK THIS SUMMER. COME AND SAY HELLO.

June

14-16 Great North Swim, Windermere

22 Swim Super Series, Bray Lake, nr Maidenhead 30 Henley Classic, Henley-on-Thames

July 6 Big Swim Nottingham 14 Henley Mile, Henley-on-Thames 20 Great Manchester Swim

WHERE ELSE TO FIND US

Web: h2openmagazine.com

August

September

Facebook: facebook.com/h2open

Twitter: @openwaterswim

PACK YOUR KIT BAG…

Our selection of stuff we’ve tested or read over the last two months.

GARMIN SWIM ▼

£129.99 from garmin.com

Garmin’s Swim watch is a sleek low profile and lightweight watch for swimmers. The clever ‘sleep mode’ preserves battery life, when not in use and the watch soon springs to life if you touch the screen.

Setting up your data is straightforward. If you train in different pools, selecting your pool size ensures distances are measured correctly. These can also be entered manually.

To assist the Garmin Swim capture distance data, it’s important to utilise an effective streamline from the wall. The watch will count your lengths and measure distances. A nicely motivating feature is weekly cumulative training distance displayed at the bottom of the ‘home’ screen!

A simple scroll through the viewing history displays all your data: distance, pace, stroke rate/ count and type of stroke. Customising the data fields allows the selection of medley strokes or drill-logging feature, ensuring all elements of your training session are accurately recorded.

Training data can be viewed via your online ‘dashboard’ in Garmin Connect. Use the USB ANT Stick and download the pairing agent for MAC or PC, to enable transfer of data wirelessly from the watch.

Fiona Ford, Certified SwimSmooth coach

SPEEDO SUPER ELITE WETSUIT

£620 from speedo.co.uk

This is Speedo’s top-of-the-range swimming wetsuit for 2013, as can be deduced from the hefty price tag, and it comes with all the features you’d expect from a flagship product. These include an improved surface coating, ‘Aqualift’ panels (intended to help maintain a high elbow during the initial phase of the stroke) and ‘Vortex Stroke’ panels. This latter feature, which we think is unique to Speedo, was introduced in an earlier version of the suit. The idea is for a series of flaps on the forearm to expand as you pull through the water to maximise power delivery. We weren’t overly impressed with the first incarnation as the panels could tear easily. The new version is more robust. The suit is comfortable to swim in, feels fast and comes in both men’s and women’s versions.

AQUAVIZ SWIMMING MASK ▼

From £39.95 + p&p from aquaviz.com

For swimmers who prefer masks to goggles, and who also wear glasses, Aquaviz is worth a look. The mask uses an insert to correct for vision defects that can be made to just about any eye prescription. The insert clicks into place inside the mask at the same distance from your eyes as normal glasses, which means no adjustment to your prescription is needed. Rather than buy an approximate prescription, as is the case for many optical swimming goggles, you send your glasses prescription to Aquaviz who make the inserts to order. The insert can also be removed if you want to use the mask

without optical adjustment. In addition, if you’re into skiing and snorkelling the insert is interchangeable with Aquaviz’s Snow Goggles and Snorkelling Mask. The mask is comfortable, gives good all-round vision and forms a strong seal around the eyes. We had some misting problems with an early version but later models come with anti-fog coated lenses.

BOUNCE NATURAL ENERGY BALLS ▶ Bouncefoods.com

We discovered these delicious and nutritious snacks at the Triathlon Show and became a fan immediately. Bounce Natural Energy Balls come in six enticing varieties including ‘Coconut and Macadamia Protein Bliss’ and ‘Fudgie Walnut Brain Storm’. Each one is packed with healthy ingredients and make ideal post swim recovery snacks or mida ernoon treats when you need a energy li .

OPEN WATER SWIM TOW FLOAT AND TOW BAG

£19.99 - £32.99 from chillswim.com

Staying visible to other water users while swimming is essential. A black wetsuit can render you almost invisible in some conditions and even the brightest swimming cap is relatively small and o en underwater. One solution is to tow a high-visibility float. These ones from Chillswim can be inflated in seconds, are a ached to the swimmer with a waistband and cause barely any drag while swimming. They are also a useful safety device if, for some reason, you need to stop and rest when you are out of your depth and away from the shore.

For longer swims where you might want to take a small towel or a snack with you, the inflatable Tow Bag is a good option, and is available in four sizes from 20L to 50L. Although heavier and larger than the Tow Float, this still causes li le drag and also doubles as an emergency floating support if needed.

▼ CARE PLUS LIGHTWEIGHT ANTI-INSECT SPRAY

£2.49 from careplus.eu

A long summer evening, you’ve been for a swim and have just broken out the cheese and wine when 10,000 insects descend on you. Yes, unfortunately, bity li le flying creatures seem to like the open water as much as you do. Insect repellent is the answer but it o en comes in inconveniently large bo les or tubes. Not so the new lightweight option from Care Plus. This 9cm long by 1.5cm diameter tube weighs just 14g and is small enough to slip almost unnoticed underneath a swimming costume so you can spray on as soon as you emerge from the water, or stick a tube in your kit bag for emergencies.

SWIMMING WITHOUT STRESS

By Ian Cross £6.99 from amazon.co.uk

Ian Cross is a swimming coach, blogger and swim kit retailer. In this slim volume, subtitled ‘Lessons for Land Lovers’ he shares his passion for the water and in particular, stress-free swimming through the application of the Alexander Technique. With chapters on the benefits of swimming, breaststroke, backstroke, front crawl and interval training, the book is a good, concise introduction to swimming for beginners or for people struggling with confidence in the water. For Cross the quality of the experience is more important than the time taken to cover any particular distance and he includes a chapter on becoming a Zen triathlete. More advanced swimmers and some coaches may quibble with some of Cross’s technical descriptions, especially his emphasis on ‘gliding’, and will need to look elsewhere for high performance advice. Cross also provides a training plan for beginner triathletes.

TAKING THE WATERS: A SWIM AROUND HAMPSTEAD HEATH

By Caitlin Davies £12.99 from amazon.co.uk

Given the recent growth in mass participation swimming races one could almost be forgiven for thinking that ‘open water swimming’ is a new sport, spun out of triathlon. Davies reminds us that instead it has a long and illustrious history in her beautiful book about swimming on Hampstead Heath. The bathing ponds on the heath have a history dating back around 300 years when the ponds were first created as reservoirs to serve London. In Victorian times “people swam when, where and how they liked.” Sadly this casual a itude resulted in many accidents and drownings.

Davies traces how the three swimming ponds (one for women, one for men and one mixed) on Hampstead Heath, as well as the nearby Parliament Hill Lido, came into existence, and how their use has changed throughout history.

Visitors and regulars alike should read this book for a be er appreciation of what swimmers past and present have done to keep such wonderful facilities alive.

BEYOND THE BEACH

THE SECRET WILD SWIMS OF TORBAY

By Ma Newbury and Sophie Pierce

£12 from secretwildswims.wordpress.com

Pick up this book and there’s a good chance you’ll be on the next plane, train or automobile to Devon. Ma Newbury grew up there and has been exploring its swimming spots since childhood while his co-author Sophie Pierce fled land-locked Oxfordshire to form the South Devon wild swimming club. Between them they’ve spilled the beans on 15 delightful sea swims around Torquay, Paignton and Brixham. Stunning scenery, curious wildlife and lovely clear water await, along with caves to explore and beaches to lounge on. While some of the landscape is reminiscent of warmer climes, visitors should be warned that water temperatures rarely exceed 17°C. However, the authors suggest that with suitable precautions and acclimatisation, these swims can be done at any time of the year as even in the depths of winter it’s usually above 5°C in the sea.

MANUFACTURERS OF INFLATABLES FOR RACING EVENTS & LOGOS LONDON

stevetaxichannel.com

Swim Guides

SwimTrek are looking for experienced open water swimmers to complement their team of Swim Guides for the 2013 season. Swim Guides manage the trip logistics on location and are responsible for the guests safety during the swims hence we require a beach lifeguard, first aid at work, food hygiene and powerboat qualification prior to guiding. A flexible, responsible and dynamic attitude and an outgoing personality are ideal. For details of our swim locations, please visit www.swimtrek.com. If you are interested, please send a copy of your current CV including your swimming background to kate@swimtrek.com

Open Water Swim Specialists

6 Hove Manor, Hove St Brighton & Hove, BN3 2DF, UK

Tel: +44 (0) 1273 739 713

USA: 1-877-455-SWIM

Fax: +44 (0) 1273 724 708

Web: www.swimtrek.com

0844 4142944 info@airdancerwales.co.uk www.airdancerwales.co.uk

Tri20 Swim Centre

www.mysportingtimes.com

tri20-swim-centre.htm

info@mysportingtimes.com

Open water swimming novice? Seasoned outdoor swimmer working to improve? The experienced team at the Tri2O Swim Centre deliver a professional service in a friendly environment located just off the M4 at Reading. Our fantastic open water swimming facility offers an onsite Triathlon shop with a dedicated wetsuit fitting centre stocked with the latest wetsuits from blueseventy and Orca; a wetsuit hire service and individual or group coaching sessions covering the basics through to advanced open water skills.

Gosfield Lake Triathlon Ad :Layout 1 16/5/13 13:36 Page

Open Water Swim Training available

Sessions Tuesdays 6.30pm-8.30pm and Sundays 7am-8.30am £5 per person, ‘Indemnity Form’ available on our website: WWW.GOSFIELDLAKE.CO.UK

1500m COURSE

Facilities include • Showers • Toilets • Changing rooms • Cafe and • Car park

Follow us on FacebookGosfield LAKE Resort for updates and information Tel: 01787 475043 email: turps@gosfieldlake.co.uk

Dover

SwimTrek

PREDATOR FLEX REACTOR GOGGLES

5 PAIRS WORTH

We’ve teamed up with Zoggs to offer you a chance of winning a pair of their high performance Predator Flax Reactor Goggles

These are arguably Zoggs' most innovative to date, being the first swimming goggles ever to feature photochromatic lenses.

The sunlight sensitive lenses react to darken in brighter conditions allowing the same pair of goggles to be used in changeable outdoor weather conditions or in an indoor pool.

The lenses are applied to the popular existing Predator Flex frame, which offers Zoggs’ patented 4 Flexpoint Technology, Curved Lens Technology, Fogbuster, Wiroframe technology, so seal gaskets and a split yoke head strap with quick adjust mechanism.

£50 EACH UP FOR GRABS!

HOW TO ENTER

Just visit our website at h2openmagazine.com/competitions and answer the following question:

Which type of lenses do the Zoggs Predator Flex Reactors use?

A) Photogenic

B) Polychromatic

C) Photochromatic

Submit your answers by 30 June 2013.

COMPETITION WINNERS

The winner of a DryRobe Advance in our April/May competition was: Jason Armstrong, of Chester; The CherryActive pack was won by Ami Stone-Payne, Belper.

More information can be found at www.zoggs.com

A WEEKEND FOR TWO

AT THE 2013 PROSWIM CHALLENGE IN SPAIN OR ITALY!

We’re offering readers a chance to win one of two fantastic prize packages including race entry, overnight accommodation and airport transfers* – each worth €500 –at the locations hosting the 2013 ProSwim Challenge. Created with the long-term aim of building an international series of open water swimming competitions around the Mediterranean, as well as promoting tourism in the selected locations, the ProSwim Challenge brings together two events, with a third planned for 2014.

SWIM THE COSTA BRAVA takes place off Cala Montgó beach, near the scenic village of L’Escala. The first running of the swim is scheduled for 21-22 September 2013, with three race distances offered: 1.5km, 3.5km and 6km. Visit swimthecostabrava.com/en/accommodation for details.

SWIMTHEISLAND gives participants a unique opportunity to swim in the Marine Protected Area of Bergeggi, off the northwest coast of Italy. This year’s event will be held on 5/6 October and offers a choice of three distances: 1.7km, 3.5km and 5km. Find out more and book your place at swimtheisland.com

HOW TO ENTER

* Prize excludes flights

Just visit our website at h2openmagazine.com/competitions and answer the following question:

Which countries will host events in the 2013 ProSwimChallenge?

A) Spain and Italy

B) Spain and France

C) Italy and France

Submit your answers by 30 June 2013.

LET'S SWIM!

Plan your events early, as many have limited entries and fill up quickly. Remember to check the rules, especially those relating to wetsuit use.

SWIMS IN ENGLAND & WALES

MAY

25 Warrington Dolphins LDSC Budworth Mere (1, 2 & 3 miles), Northwich, Cheshire, warrington-dolphins.co.uk

26 The Small Fry & Big Fish Swims (1500m, 3800m), Pingewood, Reading, 2mevents.com

26 Welwyn Hatfield Festival of Sports (750m, 3km, 5km), Welwyn-Garden-City, herculesevents.com

26 Southwold Pier to Pub Swim (1 mile), Southwold, activeoutdoorsport.co.uk

27 Open Water Swim Series (750m, 1500m, 3km, 5km, 10km), Windsor, swimseries.humanrace.co.uk

29 Evening Swim Series (750m, 1500m, 3.8km), Li le Marlow, openwaterswim.co.uk

JUNE

1 Triology Open Water Iron Challenge (750m, 1500m, 3800m), Richmond, gr8events.org.uk

1 Xterra Swim Series (1500m, 3000m), Coniston, mytriclub.co.uk

1 Ivan Percival (City of Liverpool) swims (1, 2 & 4 miles), Liverpool, liverpoolopenwater.org.uk

2 Jubilee River Swim (10km), Jubilee River, Maidenhead, 2mevents.com

2 SwimFest 2013 (750m, 1.5km, 3.8km, 5km, 10km), Thurrock, swimfest.co.uk

2 Open Water Swim Series (750m, 1500m, 3km), Windsor, swimseries.humanrace.co.uk

2 The EPIC Lakes Swim Series (500m, 1600m, 3.8km), Coniston, epicevents.co.uk

WATCH THE PROS

JULY

25 FINA 10km Marathon Swimming World Cup, Lac St-Jean, Canada

27 FINA Open Water Swimming Grand Prix, Lac St-Jean, Canada

AUGUST

3 FINA Open Water Swimming Grand Prix, Lac Magog, Canada

10 FINA 10km Marathon Swimming World Cup, Lac Megantic, Canada

24 FINA Open Water Swimming Grand Prix, Ohrid Lake, FYR Macedonia

SEPTEMBER

1 FINA Open Water Swimming Grand Prix, Naples, Italy

OCTOBER

6 FINA 10km Marathon Swimming World Cup, Hong Kong

13 FINA 10km Marathon Swimming World Cup, Shantou, China

2 BLDSA Colwick Park Championships (5km), No ingham, bldsa.org.uk

2 Bustinskin Big Cove Swim Series (1.5 miles, 3 miles), Weymouth, bustinskin.com

2 RNLI Castle to Castle (1 mile), Falmouth, rnli.org.uk

5 SOWS Race Series (750m, 1500m), Shepperton, sheppertonopenwaterswim.co.uk

6 Hillingdon Triathletes Open Water Swim (750m, 1500m), Denham, hillingdontriathletes.com

8 U erly Bu ermere Swim Sportive (1.5km, 5km, 10km), Bu ermere, Cumbria, headtothehills.co.uk

8 River Arun Swim Festival (1.5km, 3.8km, 8km), Li lehampton, W Sussex, rawenergypursuits.co.uk

8 blueseventy Big Swim Sheffield (1 mile), Sheffield, onestepbeyond.org.uk

8 Bala Charity Swim (750m, 1500m), Llyn Tegid, wrecsamtri.org.uk

9 BLDSA Wykeham Lake Championships (5im, 2 miles, 1000m novice), Scarborough, bldsa.org.uk

9 Royal Windsor River Swim (750m, 1.5km, 3.0km, 3.8km), Windsor, f3events.co.uk

9 Fell Foot Flyer 2013 (1250m, 2500m), Newby Bridge, sleekerswim.co.uk

9 V Cars Open Water Swim Race (750m, 1300m, 2600m), Richmond, rgactive.com

9 Exmouth Fairway Buoy Swim (4.5 miles), Exmouth, exmouthswimming.org

12 Evening Swim Series (750m, 1500m, 3.8km), Li le Marlow, openwaterswim.co.uk

13 River Derwent Open Water Swim Series (250m, 500m, 1500m), Matlock Bath, madswimming.org.uk

14 (to 16) Great North Swim (1/2 mile, 1 mile, 2 mile, 5km), Windermere, greatswim.org

15 BLDSA Champion of Champions (1 mile, 3 miles, 5 miles), Dover Harbour, bldsa.org.uk

16 The EPIC Lakes Swim Series (500m, 1600m, 3.8km), Keswick, epicevents.co.uk

16 Sidmouth to Ladram Bay Swim (4km), Sidmouth, chestnutappeal.org.uk

19 Dee Mile (1km, 2km), Chester, events.chestertri.org.uk

19 Somerset ASA Open Water Taster Swim for Young Swimmers (750m), Vobster Quay, Somerset, somersetasa.org

22 Great East Swim (1/2 mile, 1 mile, 2 mile, 5km), Ipswich, greatswim.org

22 Swim Super Series (1500m, 3000m), Maidenhead, allabou riathlons.co.uk

22 Xterra Swim Series (1500m, 3000m), Capernwray, mytriclub.co.uk

22 (to 23) ASA West Midlands Region open water event (800m, 3km, 5km), Venue TBC.

23 Swim For All (500m, 1500m), Wakefield, forallevents.co.uk

23 Bustinskin Big Cove Swim Series (1.5 miles, 3 miles), Weymouth, bustinskin.com

23 Zone3 Three Lakes Swim (2km), Sawbridgeworth, rgactive.com

23 Seahorse Swim 2013 (3.8km), Poole, Dorset, edowsc.org

26 Windermere Cross Lake Swim (2 miles), Windermere, openwaterswimmingclub.com

27 Longest Day Swim (1km, 2km, 4km), Weir Wood, East Grinstead, hedgehogtri.co.uk

29 MediaCityUK Swim Series (1500m, 3.8km, 5km), Salford Quays, uswimopenwater.com

29 ASA South West Region 10km championship, Preston Beach, Weymouth

29 Mezeron Manx Mile (800m, 1600m), Port St Mary, Isle Of Man, bldsa.org.uk

30 ASA South West Region championships and age groups (0.75km to 5km), Preston Beach, Weymouth

30 ASA North West Region Open Water Championships (1500m, 1750m), Salford Quays

30 blueseventy Henley Classic (2.1km), Henley-on-Thames, henleyswim.com

JULY

3 SOWS Race Series (750m, 1500m), Shepperton, sheppertonopenwaterswim.co.uk

3 Evening Swim Series (750m, 1500m, 3.8km), Little Marlow, openwaterswim.co.uk

3 Inter-Services Championships, Lake Bala, Wales

5 The Friday Night Swims (750m, 1500m), Pingewood, Reading, 2mevents.com

6 (& 7) Swim Round the Pier (1km, 3km, 10km), Brighton, swimtrek.com/events

6 Boulter's to Bray Swim (2.8km), Maidenhead, maidenheadswim.co.uk

6 Bristol Open Water Race Series (600m, 1800m, 2400m, 3600m, 4800m), Bradley Stoke, Glos, bristolopenwater.co.uk

6 Big Cotswold Swim (1 mile, 2 miles), Shorncote, Nr Cirencester, triferris.com

6 blueseventy Big Swim Nottingham (1500m, 3000m, 5000m), Holme Pierrepoint, Notts, onestepbeyond.org.uk

6 BLDSA Torbay (8 miles seniors, 4 miles veterans), Devon, bldsa.org.uk

6 ASA Dorset County Open Water team competition, Brownsea Island, Dorset

6 Clevedon Annual Long Swim (1 mile), Clevedon, Avon, waveswimschool.co.uk

7 The Big Cornwall Swim (1500m, 3800m), Redruth, Cornwall, carrickleisureservices.org.uk

7 SportPursuit Swim Series (750m, 1500m, 3000m), Stoke Newington, capitaltri.com

7 Brownsea Island Swim (4.5 miles approx), Poole, Dorset, rlss-poole.org.uk

7 Norwich Six Bridge River Swim (1 mile), Norwich, activeoutdoorsport.co.uk

7 Big South East Swim (1000m, 2000m, 3.8km), Dartford, Kent, bridgetriathlon.co.uk

7 WomenOnly Swim (750m, 1500m, 3km, 10km), Windsor, humanrace.co.uk

7 Thorpe Lake Swim (1500m, 5km), Chertsey, nowca.org

7 ASA Combined Midland Districts open water championships, Bosworth Lake

7 ASA London Regional Championships, Surrey Docks, London

7 ASA Cornwall Open Water Championships (1500m), Stithians Lake

11 River Derwent Open Water Swim Series (250m, 500m, 1500m), Matlock Bath, madswimming.org.uk

12 The Wales Swim (1.2 miles, 2.4 miles), North Beach, Tenby, thewalesswim.com

13 Fell Foot Flyer 2013 (1250m, 2500m), Newby Bridge, sleekerswim.co.uk

13 MediaCityUK Swim Series (400m, 1500m, 3.8km, 10km), Salford Quays, uswimopenwater.com

13 Swim Super Series (1500m, 3000m), Maidenhead, allabouttriathlons.co.uk

13 MCS Big Sea Swim (1km , 3km), Eastbourne, East Sussex, mcsuk.org

13 BLDSA Bala (1k, 6 miles), North Wales, bldsa.org.uk

13 ASA Brighton Pier to Pier (1km), Brighton

13 Port Erin Beach Regatta (800m, 1600m), Isle of Man, bldsa.org.uk

14 V Cars Open Water Swim Race (750m, 1300m, 2600m), Richmond, rgactive.com

14 The EPIC Lakes Swim Series (500m, 1600m, 3.8km), Glenridding, epicevents.co.uk

14 blueseventy Henley Mile (1 mile, 200m, 800m), Henley-on-Thames, henleyswim.com

14 Zone3 Three Lakes Swim (2km), Sawbridgeworth, rgactive.com

14 Bournemouth Pier to Pier 2013 (1.4 miles), Bournemouth, bhf.org.uk

14 Marlow River Swim (750m, 1.5km, 3.0km), Marlow, f3events.co.uk

14 BLDSA Bala (500m, 3 miles), North Wales, bldsa.org.uk

14 ASA Dover Regatta (2km), Dover

14 ASA East Region Championships, Whitlingham Lake, Norwich

14 ASA Gloucester County Championships (1.5km, 2km), Henleaze Lake, Bristol

20 Bristol Open Water Race Series (600m, 1800m, 2400m, 3600m, 4800m), Bradley Stoke, Glos, bristolopenwater.co.uk

20 Great Manchester Swim (1 mile), Salford Quays, greatswim.org

20 Chippenham River Festival Big Swim (1/3 mile, 2/3 mile), Chippenham, Wilts, facebook.com

20 Women's Only Open Water Swim (500m, 1000m, 1500m), Capernwray Dive Centre, mytriclub.co.uk

20 ASA South East Region Open Water Championships (1.5, 1.75, 2 and 3km), Chichester

21 SwimFesT 2013 (750m, 1.5km, 3.8km, 5km, 10km), Thurrock, swimfest.co.uk

21 Open Water Swim Series (2.25miles, (3650m)), Hampton Court, swimseries.humanrace.co.uk

21 Swim the Solent (1.25 miles), Yarmouth, swimthesolent.com

21 Great Pier Swim (3km), Southend, havenshospices.org.uk

21 Leicestershire Open Water Swim (600m to 5km), Six Hills, Leics, racetime-events.co.uk

21 Anglian Water Swim (1 mile, 2 mile, 3 mile), Grafham Water, Buckden, Cambs, nicetri.co.uk

21 Padstow to Rock Swim (1 mile), Padstow, Cornwall, padstowtorockswim.org.uk

21 BLDSA Coniston (5.25 miles), Coniston Water, bldsa.org.uk

24 Evening Swim Series (750m, 1500m, 3.8km), Little Marlow, openwaterswim.co.uk

25 Swim The Lake (750m, 1.5km, 3km), Weir Wood, East Grinstead, hedgehogtri.co.uk

27 Triology Open Water Challenge (750m, 1500m), Richmond, gr8events.org.uk

27 Creek Safari Swim (5.3km), Truro, Cornwall, nearwaterevents.co.uk

27 Mass Start Swim Series (750m, 1.5km, 3.8km, 5km), Embankment, Bedford, galeforce-events.com

28 Xterra Swim Series (1500m, 3000m), Halton, mytriclub.co.uk

28 Bustinskin Big Cove Swim Series (1.5 miles, 3 miles), Weymouth, bustinskin.com

28 Aquaman Design High Peak Swim (500m, 1 mile, 5km), Chapel-en-le-Frith, peaklifesport.co.uk

28 ASA National Masters Open Water Championships (3km), Rother Valley

28 Stert Island Swim (2.4km), Burnham-on-Sea, westcountrytriathletes.co.uk

29 ASA National Open Water Age Group and Youth Championships, Rother Valley

AUGUST

1 River Derwent Open Water Swim Series (250m, 500m, 1500m), Matlock Bath, madswimming.org.uk

3 Bristol Open Water Race Series (600m, 1800m, 2400m, 3600m, 4800m), Bradley Stoke, Glos, bristolopenwater.co.uk

3 Warrington Dolphins LDSC Albert Dock (2 miles, 4 miles), Liverpool, warrington-dolphins.co.uk

3 Dip in the Dales (1 mile), Hawes, N. Yorks, sueryder.org

4 Sandown to Shanklin Sea Swim (2 miles), Sandown, Isle of Wight, iowmarlinsswimclub.co.uk

4 River Nene Swim (1 mile, 2 mile, 3 mile), Oundle, Northants,

4 BLDSA Coniston Veterans (3.25 miles), Coniston Water, bldsa.org.uk

7 Evening Swim Series (750m, 1500m, 3.8km), Little Marlow, openwaterswim.co.uk

10 Swim Super Series (1500m, 3000m), Maidenhead, allabouttriathlons.co.uk

10 Wargrave and Shiplake Regatta Open Water Swim (1000m, 2000m), Shiplake, wsrswim.org.uk

10 BLDSA Windermere Two Way (21 miles), Cumbria, bldsa.org.uk

10 Arfon masters Cross Menai Strait Race, North Wales, bldsa.org.uk

10 ASA South East Region Championships (5km), Eastbourne, Sussex, headteacher@eastbourneswimmingclub.org

11 Sea Palling Reef Swim (1 mile), Sea Palling Beach, activeoutdoorsport.co.uk

11 blueseventy Bridge to Bridge (14km), Henley-on-Thames, henleyswim.com

11 V Cars Open Water Swim Race (750m, 1300m, 2600m), Richmond, rgactive.com

11 Bustinskin Big Cove Swim Series (1.5 miles, 3 miles), Weymouth, bustinskin.com

11 Xterra Swim Series (1500m, 3000m), Bainbridge, mytriclub.co.uk

11 River Adur Swim Festival (2.5km, 3.5km), Shoreham, W Sussex, rawenergypursuits.co.uk

11 ASA Eastbourne Maritime (2km), Eastbourne

14 SOWS Race Series (750m, 1500m), Shepperton, sheppertonopenwaterswim.co.uk

17 Bristol Open Water Race Series (600m, 1800m, 2400m, 3600m, 4800m), Bradley Stoke, Glos, bristolopenwater.co.uk

17 Triology Open Water Challenge (750m, 1500m), Richmond, gr8events.org.uk

17 The Big Swim Cornwall (1.9km), Port Isaac, thebigswimcornwall.co.uk

17 Topsham to Turf (1.5 miles), Topsham,

17 BLDSA Ullswater, Cumbria, bldsa.org.uk

18 Wild West Solent Swim (1.3 miles), Yarmouth, IoW, solentswim.co.uk

18 Lake Logic Swim Set (1.5km, 3.8km, 5km, 10km), Ashton Keynes, Wilts, eventslogicuk.com

18 The Big Swim Cornwall (800m, 3.8km), Port Isaac, thebigswimcornwall.co.uk

18 Severn Mile Swim (700m, 1500m), Shrewsbury, severnmileswim.moonfruit.com

18 Breakwater Swim (Swim the Sound) (2.2 miles), Plymouth, chestnutappeal.org.uk

18 Henley on Thames River Swim (750m, 1.5km, 3km), Shiplake, f3events.co.uk

18 BLDSA Derwentwater (2miles, 5 miles), Cumbria, bldsa.org.uk

21 Evening Swim Series (750m, 1500m, 3.8km), Little Marlow, openwaterswim.co.uk

22 The Big Dog and Doggy Paddle Swims (1.5km, 3.8km), Pingewood, Reading, 2mevents.com

24 Royal Berkshire Festival of Sport – Open Water Swim (1.25km, 2.5km, 5km, 10km), Windsor, f3events.co.uk

24 MediaCityUK Swim Series (750m, 1500m, 3.8km, 5km), Salford Quays, uswimopenwater.com

24 Mass Start Swim Series (750m, 1.5km, 3.8km, 5km), Box End, Bedford, galeforce-events.com

25 Open Water Swim Series (750m, 1500m, 3km), Marlow, swimseries.humanrace.co.uk

25 Bournemouth Long Swim (2.5km, 3.8km), Boscombe, Bournemouth, votwo.co.uk

25 Bustinskin Big Cove Swim Series (1.5 miles, 3 miles), Weymouth, bustinskin.com

31 Bristol Open Water Race Series (600m, 1800m, 2400m, 3600m, 4800m), Bradley Stoke, Glos, bristolopenwater.co.uk

31 Great London Swim (1 mile), Docklands, greatswim.org

31 Pissarro Great River Swim (1 mile), Chiswick, pissarro.co.uk

31 BLDSA Windermere (10.5 miles), Cumbria, bldsa.org.uk

31 Welsh Open Water Estuary Swim (2km), Ferryside, Wales, ferryside-lifeboat.co.uk

SEPTEMBER

1 Thorpe Lake Swim (1500m, 5km), Chertsey, nowca.org

4 SOWS Race Series (750m, 1500m), Shepperton, sheppertonopenwaterswim.co.uk

4 Windermere Cross Lake Swim (2 miles), Windermere, openwaterswimmingclub.com

7 The MAXIFUEL Big South Swim Challenge (2km, 5km, 10km), Maidenhead, f3events.co.uk

7 Triology Open Water Big Challenge (1 mile, 2 mile), Richmond, gr8events.org.uk

7 Xterra Festival Big Swims (1.5km, 3km), Cranleigh, xterra-england.co.uk

7 Urban Fitness GB Swim (1.5km, 3.8km), Cofton Hackett, urbanfitnessgb.co.uk

8 Fritton Lake Big Swims (3km, 5km), Fritton, Norfolk, activeoutdoorsport.co.uk

8 Fell Foot Flyer 2013 (1250m, 2500m), Newby Bridge, sleekerswim.co.uk

8 V Cars Open Water Swim Race (750m, 1300m, 2600m), Richmond, rgactive.com

8 Rutland Water Swim (500m, 1km, 1.5km, 5km), Oakham, Rutland, epilepsy.org.uk

8 ASA Southsea Pier to Pier (2km), Southsea

12 OSS Dart River 10k (10km), Totnes, outdoorswimmingsociety.com

Event

organisers, if your event isn’t listed, please let us know. Email to marketing@h2openmagazine.com

14 Bristol Open Water Race Series (600m, 1800m, 2400m, 3600m, 4800m), Bradley Stoke, Glos, bristolopenwater.co.uk

14 Coniston End to End (5.25 miles), Lake Coniston, Cumbria, chillswim.com

14 River Dee Bridge to Bridge (3 miles, 6 miles), Chester, bldsa.org.uk

14 (to 15) Ecover Blue Mile Swim (0.5 miles, 1 mile), Plymouth, thebluemile.org

15 The Agatha Christie Sea Swim (1 mile), Paignton, data.org

15 SwimFesT 2013 (750m, 1.5km, 3.8km, 5km, 10km), Thurrock, swimfest.co.uk

15 blueseventy Queenford Lake Events (5km, 4x1000m), Queenford Lake, henleyswim.com

15 Buttermere Open Water Swims (1.5km, 5km, 10km), Buttermere, Cumbria, highterrainevents.co.uk

15 Burgh Island Swim (1 mile), Bigbury-on-Sea, chestnutappeal.org.uk

21 Big Cotswold Swim (1 mile, 2 miles), Cotswold Country Park, triferris.com

21 XTswim (1500m), Camberley, Surrey, allabouttriathlons.co.uk

22 Zone3 Three Lakes Swim (2km), Sawbridgeworth, rgactive.com

22 Open Water National Relays & Open Water Sprints (4x200m, 4x400m, 4x800m, 200m, 400m), Thurrock, Essex, swimfortri.co.uk

22 EtonMan Day of Endurance (3.8km, 5km, 10km), Windsor, votwo.co.uk

22 Swim the Mencap Mile (1 mile), Windsor, mencap.org.uk

28 Open Water Swim Series (750m, 1500m, 3km), Sandbanks, Poole, swimseries.humanrace.co.uk

28 BLDSA Lynn Regis (4.5km, 1km, 1.5km), Norfolk, bldsa.org.uk

OCTOBER

6 V Cars Open Water Swim Race (750m, 1300m, 2600m), Richmond, rgactive.com

13 SportPursuit Swim Series (750m, 1500m, 3000m), Stoke Newington, capitaltri.com

NOVEMBER

6 Fireworks 500 (500m), Capernwray, mytriclub.co.uk

REGULAR TIMED SWIMS

Every Wednesday from 1 May to 25 September, Capernwray Evening Swim Series (500m, 1000m, 1500m, 3.8km), Capernwray Dive Centre, mytriclub.co.uk

Every Saturday during season, NOWCA swim (440m) at NOWCA lakes, nowca.org

SWIMS IN SCOTLAND

JUNE

2 Skinny Dip for Marie Curie, East Lothian, mariecurie.org.uk

22 YEAABA Kirkton of Balmarino (8 miles), Dundee, yeaaba.org.uk

22 SASA East District Championships (1km, 2km, 3km), Kinghorn Loch, Fife, scottishswimming.com

23 YEAABA Tayport Cup (1 mile), Dundee, yeaaba.org.uk

JULY

6 Luss Loch Lomond Swim Festival (1km, 2km), Luss, Loch Lomond, vigourevents.com

6 SASA Midland District Championships (3.5 miles), Loch Earn, scottishswimming.com

7 YEAABA Monifieth, River Tay, Dundee, yeaaba.org.uk

13 Castle Semple Swim Festival (1km, 2km, 5km, 10km), Lochwinnoch, entrycentral.com

20 Clyde Charity Swim (2 miles), Dunoon, nationalracegroup.com

20 Edinburgh Open Water Swim Festival (400m, 800m, 2km), Portobello, entrycentral.com

20 SASA North District Championships (800m to 5km), Loch Morlich, Aviemore, scottishswimming.com

20 YEAABA Double Tay (2 miles), Dundee, yeaaba.org.uk

21 YEAABA Woodhaven (4.5 miles), Dundee, yeaaba.org.uk

27 Loch Venechar Swim Festival (1km, 2km, 5km), Callender, Stirling, vigourevents.com

AUGUST

4 Bardowie Loch Swim Festival (1km, 2km, 5km), Bardowie, East Dunbartonshire, vigourevents.com

10 YEAABA Veterans Single Tay (1 mile), Dundee, yeaaba.org.uk

10 (& 11) SASA Scottish Gas Scottish Open Water Championships (1, 2, 5 and 10km), Loch Venacher, Callander, scottishswimming.com

17 Loch Ness Monster Swim 2013 (1/2 mile, 1 mile), Dores, Inverness, monsterswim.co.uk

17 YEAABA Bridge to Bridge (1 mile), Dundee, yeaaba.org.uk

24 Great Scottish Swim (1/2 mile, 1 mile, 2 miles), Balloch, greatswim.org

24 YEAABA Loch Earn (6.5 miles), Dundee, yeaaba.org.uk

25 YEAABA Crannog Isle Championship (1 mile), Dundee, yeaaba.org.uk

31 Loch Eck Swim Festival (1km, 2km, 5km, 10km), Dunoon, Argyll, vigourevents.com

SEPTEMBER

1 SASA Midland District Open Water Championships (2 mile, 3.5 mile), Tay Estuary, Dundee, scottishswimming.com

1 River Forth Race (1.4 miles), Forth Estuary, Edinburgh, scottishswimming.com

7 Loch Ard Swim Festival (2km, 5km), Aberfoyle, Stirling, vigourevents.com

7 St Mary’s Loch (3.5 miles, 7 miles, 1km), Scottish Borders, bldsa.org.uk

7 SASA West District Open Water Championships (1km, 2km and 4km), Loch Ard, scottishswimming.com

SWIMS IN IRELAND

MAY

25 Union Hall to Glandore (1.1km), Union Hall

26 SwimAthy (400m, 750m, 1500m), Athy, swimathy.com

31 1st Night Swim (750m), Newry, ildsa.info

JUNE

1 West Bay Swim (1km), Portrush, ildsa.info

8 GaddinAbtGarnish (1km, 3km, 5km), Glengarriff, ossischmidt. wix.com

14 Martin Duggan Memorial Swim (2km), Fermoy, blackwaterfermoyswim.com

15 Lough Key (750m, 1500m), Boyle, openwaterswimmer.ie

16 RNLI Myrtleville to Church Bay Swim (2KM), Myrtleville, myrtlevilleswimmers.com

EVENTS LISTINGS

Compiled by Toby Cullen of overtaQuatix. All UK events are regularly updated at overtaquatix.com

JULY

6 Vibes & Scribes Lee Swim (2km), Cork City, corkmasters.ie

20 Warrior of the Sea (6km), Sligo, warriorofthesea.wix.com

20 Gougane Barra (750m, 1500m), Gougane Barra, openwaterswimmer.ie

20 Thomond Swim (1.5km), Limerick City, limerickmasters.com

21 River Deel Celebration Swim (2.5km), Askeaton, askeaton-swim.ie

27 Frances Thornton Memorial Galway Bay Swim (13km), Aughinish, facebook.com

27 Beginish Island (6km), Valentia Island, valentiaislandtriathlonclub.com

28 Rostrevor to Warrenpoint Swim (3500m), Warrenpoint, warrenpointswimming.wordpress.com

AUGUST

3 ILDSA & Swim Ireland National 17k Senior Championships (17km, 27km), , ildsa.info

3 Mulroy Bay Swim (900m), Cranford, thegatheringireland.com

11 Island Dhu 2k (2km), Portrush, ildsa.info

17 Lough Ennell (750m, 1500m), Mullingar, openwaterswimmer.ie

17 Munster Championships (5km, 10km), Farrans Wood, Ovens

18 Munster Championships (25km, 5x5km), Farrans Wood, Ovens

23 Lord & Lady of Camlough Lake (2.8km), Newry, ildsa.info

23 Night Swim (750m), Newry, ildsa.info

25 Irish Open Water National Championships (5km & 10km), Newry, ildsa.info

SEPTEMBER

1 Escape From Spike Island (1800m), Cobh

7 Sandycove Island Challenge (1800m), Kinsale, corkmasters.ie

7 Glendalough (750m, 1500m), Glendalough, openwaterswimmer.ie

8 Glendalough (3.9km), Glendalough, openwaterswimmer.ie

SWIMS AROUND THE WORLD

25 (to 1 June) Bestfest, Mallorca, Spain, bestopenwater.com

25 Great Hudson River Swim (1.6 miles), New York, USA, nycswim.org

JUNE

1 Marnaton eDreams La Luna (1.2km, 4.5km), Costa Brava, Spain, marnaton.com

2 Two Bridges, 2.5km, 5km, Hudson River, New York, 8bridges.org

7 (to 8) Great Salt Lake Open Water Marathon Swim (1 mile, 8 mile), Utah, USA, greatsaltlakeopenwater.com

8 Manhattan Island Swim (28.5 miles), New York, USA, nycswim.org

9 Great Chesapeake Bay Swim (4.4 mile), Maryland, USA

15 (to 22) Eight Bridges, 120 miles, Hudson River, New York, 8bridges.org

16 Youth Day Swim (1.5km, 3km), Cape Town, South Africa, freedomswimseries.co.za

23 Stars & Stripes Swim (1.5km), New York, USA, nycswim.org

29 Marnaton eDreams Sant Feliu (6km), Costa Brava Spain, marnaton.com

30 Grimaldo's Mile, 1m, Coney Island, New York, cibbows.org

JULY

5 (to 7) Vansbrosimningen (3km & 6 other distances), Vansbro, Sweden, vansbrosimningen.se

6 Race for the Conch Eco-seaswim (1 mile, 2.4 mile), Turks & Caicos, ecoseaswim.com

6 (to 7) SwimBarbadosVacations Open Water Swim Festival (1.5km, 5km), Barbados, swimvactionsbarbados.com

6 BatalladeRande2013 (27km), Islas, Cies to San Simon, Spain, adciessansimon.com

6 Kingdom Swim (100yd to 10 miles), Lake Memphremagog, USA, kingdomswim.org

7 Brooklyn Bridge Swim (1km), New York, USA, nycswim.org

7 Bali Ocean Swim (1.2, 5 & 10km), Kuta Beach, Bali, balioceanswim.com

12 (to 14) Ice Swim Africa (600m, 1 mile), Fraserberg Northern Cape, South Africa, iceswimafrica.co.za

13 Maliakos Gulf Swim (11.1km), Greece, marathonswim.gr

20 Toroneos Gulf Swim (25km), Greece, marathonswim.gr

20 Amvrakikos Gulf Swim (11km), Greece, marathonswim.gr

20 Governers Island Swim (2 miles), New York, USA, nycswim.org

27 North Evoikos Swim (14.5km), Greece, marathonswim.gr

27 Plastiras Lake Swim (4.5km), Greece, marathonswim.gr

AUGUST

9 Women’s Day Swim (4x1000m relay), Cape Town, South Africa, freedomswimseries.co.za

10 Manhattan Island Relays (28.5 miles), New York, USA, nycswim.org

16 Statue of Liberty Swim (1.2km), New York, USA, nycswim.org

18 Ederle Swim (17.5 miles), New York, USA, nycswim.org

SEPTEMBER

1 Bannerman Island, 10km, New York State, goo.gl/nZRzO

7 Messiniakos Gulf Swim (30km), Greece, marathonswim.gr

7 New York Aquarium, 1m, 5km, 10km, New York, cibbows.org

14 Marnaton eDreams Cadaqués (6.5km), Costa Brava. Spain, marnaton.com

14 C3 – Cape Circumnavigation Challenge (15.1 miles/24.3km), Cape May, New Jersey, USA, shoreswim.com

21 Little Red Lighthouse Swim (10.2km), New York, USA, nycswim.org

21 (& 22) September Swim the Costa Brava (1.5km, 3.5km and 6km), swimthecostabrava.com

OCTOBER

5 Marnaton eDreams Formentera (4km, 11km), Balearic Islands, Spain, marnaton.com

6 Swim the Island (1.7km, 3.5km), Bergeggi, Italy, swimtheisland.com

26 (to 27) SwimBarbadosVacations Open Water Swim Festival (1.5km, 5km), Barbados, swimvactionsbarbados.com

NOVEMBER

5 Marnaton eDreams Formentera (4km, 11km), Balearic Islands, Spain, marnaton.com

DECEMBER

14 ( to 15) King & Queen of the Sea, Stage 3, Copacabana Beach, Rio, Brazil, kingandqueenofthesea.com

AND THERE'S MORE…

For more events, see these webites: Fina.org, 10kswim.com, Openwaterswimming.eu, Swimsa.org, Openwatersource.com, Bldsa.org.uk and, of course, h2openmagazine.com

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GOING THE DISTANCE

Jonathan Kno on what keeps long distance swimmers swimming… 

When Jackie Cobell arrived at the French shore on completing her Channel crossing in 2010, her first thought was to take home a memento, so she began searching for a pre y shell. But all she could find was a lump of concrete. Returning on a later date in hope of be er luck, she couldn’t even get to the beach due to the industrial jungle blocking her way.

This was not your typical Channel swim. Instead of taking the shortest route (21 miles) that ends at Cap Gris Nez, Cobell, then 56, ended some 20 miles further north, dodging ferries as she was buffeted by tides to the other side of Calais. She missed out on the shell, but Cobell could at least count on a place in the record books for the slowest ever channel crossing: she took a total of 28 hours to reach France, covering a massive (tidally assisted) 65 miles. And although the swim took longer than intended, Cobell’s game plan remained the same: “I had the mindset that I was just going to keep my head down and swim.”

It sounds simple enough, until you think about what it means. A er half an hour, Cobell’s kidneys started aching, and later on an eight foot wave wrenched one shoulder into limp abeyance. This mentality, which voluntarily submits itself to this kind of unpleasantness – not briefly, but continuously for hours or even days – is surely a large part of what fascinates us about extreme endurance sports.

Cobell says that people are always asking her what went through her mind:

“I just went into a different zone,” is her answer. ”I didn’t really think about anything. I didn’t even think positive thoughts, because the opposite of positive is negative. The pain just becomes a feeling that doesn’t register as pain.”

Karen Throsby, a sociologist who has carried out a major research project on long distance swimmers, says that such reports are common. “A lot of swimmers talk about a ‘flow state'’,” she says. “You’re not out of it. You’re aware, but the time just flies.”

“People talk about ‘zoning out’ but for me it’s almost like ‘zoning in’ – being completely in that space,” she adds.

Of course, these Zen-like states exist alongside more difficult periods when swimmers are bored or struggling to keep going. In such scenarios, Throsby says that Channel swimmers find counting games or other exercises (such as remembering the plot of a film) help get them through the half-hour until the next feed.

The re-evaluation of what swimmers consider possible is also a key part of training. “You don’t know when you’ve had enough until you’ve been doing it for a while,” says Throsby. “If you’re cold and you feel sick and you’ve got goosebumps, you think it must be a sign that you have to get out – but it’s not.”

The benefits of developing the confidence to persevere are clear from Cobell’s account of a difficult section:

Jackie Cobell

“I can remember at one point I could see a band of orange lights, and it just stayed there for hours and hours and hours, exactly the same,” she says. “Obviously I wasn’t moving. But you have to not get downhearted and just give it all you have got.”

It’s often said that long distance swimming is 80 per cent mental and 20 per cent physical, although Throsby is not sure that this kind of quantification ultimately stands up to scrutiny.

“We know that bodies have limits,” she says. “Negative thoughts will pull you down physically,” she explains, “but similarly, if your body ‘goes’ through cold or injury, you can’t necessarily think your way out of that.”

For this reason, she prefers the formulation that long distance swimming is “100 per cent physical, and 100 per cent mental.”

WHY?

But if understanding how people can complete a Channel crossing is difficult, it’s arguably even harder to answer the question: why? Throsby says that it is impossible to generalise about people’s motivations for long distance swims:

“Some do it because they want a challenge or a focus. Others do it to raise money for charity, or to structure other parts of their lives.”

In Cobell’s case, it was partly through a desire to prove people wrong.

THE PAIN JUST BECOMES A FEELING THAT DOESN’T REGISTER AS PAIN

“When I told my dad I was going to swim the Channel, he said I would never do it, but I bet him £1000 I could and he ended up paying the money.”

She also got her own back on some younger and apparently very fit swimmers who used to poke fun at her steady pace when training in Dover Harbour, joking “don’t get caught up in Jackie’s bow wave!”

“I did have a chuckle when some of them didn’t make it!” she confesses.

Resolve, she says, is crucial to completing the challenge. “People sometimes say ‘I’m going to attempt the Channel’, but you have got to say ‘I’m going to swim the Channel.’”

Achieving that goal then develops further confidence, which can transfer into other areas of a person’s life.

“When I started swimming I wasn’t a very confident person at all. This has done tremendous things for my confidence,” she says. “Knowing that you can do that, you feel you can do anything if you put your mind to it”.

Cobell has since completed other challenges (like 1km in 0°C), but Throsby’s research indicates that the benefits extend to life on land, too: “People spoke about it giving them confidence to make other major changes – a job move they’ve been stewing on, or big relationship decisions,” she says.

So perhaps the how and the why of long distance swimming are bound up together. The rigours involved necessitate transforming a person’s outlook, even their whole identity.

Another common reason for taking on an active challenge is to get fit, but this is where Channel swimming can throw up an unusual dilemma. Because of body fat’s role in retaining warmth, the ideal long distance swimming body is one with a degree of padding –which in turn challenges the widely-held perception that the only healthy body is a lean one.

A requirement to gain weight is troubling for some swimmers, and Throsby has been approached for advice on the issue.

“It’s always a question of ‘How much is just enough?’” she says. “And nobody talked about health – it was really about appearance and the judgements that people make,” she says.

But many swimmers also managed to get over this kind of fretting. A key part of Throsby’s research involved observing herself as she trained to swim the Channel. And what she discovered was a “wholehearted” change – not only in her body, but also in how she related to it. She says that similarly altered perspectives were common among other swimmers she interviewed – especially women.

“They were refusing to value themselves by appearance alone, and were using their bodies to show all kinds of other positive qualities.”

Cobell, who at one period in her life stopped swimming entirely due to self-consciousness about her then 20-stone weight, would certainly understand this (with the help of a gastric bypass, she has since lost eight stone). Notwithstanding her achievements, as someone who has “always loved being in the water,” she demonstrates that swimming is as much about the sheer enjoyment of being in the middle of the sea or lake as it is about fitness. It might be hard to see from outside, but for its inhabitants, the world of long distance swimming is not one of pain and boredom – it’s about liberation and pleasure. ○

Jonathan Knott previously wrote our Lido Life section. In his new, Knott Knows column he’ll be exploring a wide variety of aspects relating to open water swimming. He is also a news writer for the Outdoor Swimming Society and is author of the travel guide skiathostruth.com

Karen Throsby

Photo © Debbie Bettencourt

SWIM FOR GOOD

Stories from swimmers who use their passion to raise funds and awareness for good causes…

RECORD HOLDER RETURNS

Former South Africa marathon swimmer Carina Bruwer recently returned from a six year break to complete the challenging round Cape Point swim, but this time to raise funds for charity. Bruwer’s swim started at Dias Beach on the western side of the point and ended 8km to the east at Buffels Bay. Water temperatures hovered between 11.5 and 14.0°C and at one point she lost her goggles in the heavy surf. She was also stung repeatedly by jellyfish.

Speaking a er the swim Bruwer said, “it was extremely tough, but I’m very happy with the result. Even while at the prime of my marathon swimming career, I would not normally have swum in waters under 13°C.”

Bruwer raised funds for Li le Fighters Cancer Trust (LFCT), a local charity. The swim took 2hr36mins, 16 minutes slower than the record she set in 2004.

“LFCT and the children with cancer it supports were instrumental in this swim – they inspired me to stay strong and really fight the odds. I had to push through the extreme conditions for only two and a half hours, as opposed to the challenges and trauma they face on a daily basis,” says Bruwer.

RECORD SKINNY DIP ATTEMPT

This isn’t really a swim, but it involves open water, ge ing wet, sounds fun and it’s for a good cause. On Sunday 2 June, Marie Curie, the cancer care charity hope to break the record for the world’s biggest skinny dip.

At four locations around the UK, in Dorset, Essex, East Lothian and Wales, dippers will strip off and charge into the sea. The exact locations remain a secret, only to be revealed to those who register.

Registration costs £15 and participants are expected to raise at least £85 in sponsorship. Swimming isn’t required, but for the record a empt everyone needs to be at least up to their waist in water for 10 minutes. It might be a chilly 10 minutes too; the expected water temperature in East Lothian is around 12°C. Welsh dippers should be marginally be er off at 14°C. The current record, of 413, was set in 2011 in South Wales.

Marie Curie want to raise at least £12,500 per event and say it costs £20 per hour to fund one of their nurses. The final sign up date is 30 May.

For more information, visit mariecurie.org.uk/adrenaline

Carina Bruwer

OPEN WATER SURFING

Our favourite OWS sites on the web…

WRITE IN…

LETTER OF THE MONTH

Thanks for flagging up the Waterlog Reswum website (waterlogreswum.com) in the April/May 2013 issue; I've been reading the posts with interest, and some envy, as a re-swim of 'Waterlog' is something I'd love to be able to dedicate a summer to! I've read Deakin's book cover to cover a few times and regularly dip in and out when inspiration is needed. 'Waterlog' is a truly magnificent work of literature and Deakin is sadly missed.

When reading Joe's blog and looking at the huge list of events in your magazine, as well as the swimming holidays and the companies advertising goggles for £40, I o en wonder what Roger would make of it all now. Not that he was solely responsible for the resurgence of wild swimming (whenever anyone makes that claim I point them to 'Swimming Free' by Fraser Du on published in 1972) but he rightly holds a strong position in the pantheon of wild swimming evangelists. I always had the sense from 'Waterlog' , and indeed 'Swimming Free', that wild swimming was all about ge ing away from this kind of thing – mass events, overt commercialism, expensive 'stuff' – and 'back to nature' if that's where we ever were.

Of course it is a wonderful thing that so many more people have taken to open water but I'd encourage you all to take time when swimming to look and listen at what is going on around you; halt the front crawl plough for a moment and roll onto your back to look at the sky or just float and look at the sea/lake/river bo om, sniff the salt, spy the holt and revel in the sheer luxury of outdoor immersion. It's not all about stroke rate and drilling your body senseless.

Thanks for a great magazine and keep up the superb work.

Mark Hunt

EDITOR’S NOTE

Many thanks for your note Mark. It’s somewhat ironic that we’ve chosen yours as Le er of the Month, but it’s deserved and we hope you enjoy your prize, despite its price tag.

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DIGITAL DELIGHTS

I have started downloading the old issues via iPad and happy to say I have subscribed to your magazine. I ordered the older copy and loved reading it from cover to cover and have recently got my next issue which looks equally great. I haven't done any open water swimming previously other than the sea and the odd dip so I am looking forward to some new experiences and events later this year.

Shaun Bater

SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:

The Editor, H2Open, 20 Burnell Avenue, Richmond, TW10 7YE, United Kingdom Email: info@h2openmagazine.com or go to our website: h2openmagazine.com

marathonforthemind.wordpress.com Former smoker and generally unfit thirty-something Ma Harry decided he needed an inspirational goal to get him out of his work-theweek drink-the-weekend routine, and picked swimming the English Channel. Never mind that he lives in Melbourne Australia, at least that gives him plenty of cold water training opportunities.

Nadadora de Aguas Abiertas marielhawley.com

Mariel Hawley Dávila is a Mexican open water swimmer who blogs in both English and Spanish languages about her open water adventures, as well as her meditations on the sport. As a Triple Crown swimmer (i.e. the English Channel, the Catalina Channel and the Manha an Island Marathon) she certainly knows what she’s talking about.

watergirl.co

If you’re looking for swimming destinations in Arizona check out ‘Water Girl’, a blog by an Arizonan swimmer named Katie. As well as sharing her swimming thoughts and dreams she lists a wide range of outdoor swimming spots and informs us the water temperature is usually above 15.5°C (60°F) from February through to November.

YOUR STORIES

Every issue we ask you to tell us why you love open water swimming. Sarah Holme shares her story with us…

I started my career in the Navy, a job in which I actively tried to avoid immersion in sea water at all costs! But back on dry land, in Derbyshire, about as far as you can get from the ocean in England, a friend suggested doing a sprint triathlon for charity. Somewhat to my surprise, I found I was reasonably good at it but, more importantly, I discovered a love of open water swimming – something that’s certainly not true for all triathletes.

I’d been an average club swimmer as a child, but let this slide as a teenager and then abandoning it completely when I went off to sea. However, having this swimming background has, without a doubt, helped calm any fears of the open water and I o en launch myself in bravely (stupidly?), whilst others are still on the shore talking about the depth, temperature, visibility and fish.

My friend and I went down to the beach the day before, as neither of us had swum a race in the sea, and thought a practice session was in order. A er a quick chat with the lifeguard, we discussed our planned route and tro ed off confidently into the surf, where the first wave turned us upside down and spat us back out with our goggles askew! Not to be defeated, we opted for a running start only to be turned upside down and spat out again. Eventually, perseverance and some guidance on diving through the waves set us straight and we both went on to have a great race.

Although not the fastest, I can certainly hold my own and get close to the front of mass starts at races so as not to get held up or swum over. There can be perils at the start of races, but this is also my favourite part. I love the hustle and bustle, the flailing wetsuit encased limbs, the struggle to find the right line to sight. It all adds to the excitement. Then, just as it begins to ease off and the field spreads out, you get to the first turning buoy and it starts again! Most of my open water swimming is part of triathlons, but each year I try and do some specific stand alone open water swims as races. These have included the Speedo Big Swim in No ingham, the Great North Swim in Windermere and the Epic Lakes Swim in Derwent Water. At this last one it was such a nice day and the lake was so beautiful I got distracted every time I took a breath or sighted. I kind of forgot I was there to race and finished way behind my target time. Being in Derbyshire, we o en have to travel to events, but luckily my partner Steve is equally mad about all things swim, bike and run so we use events as excuses for trips. Last year, we went as far as Cornwall, and I experienced my first real sea swim as part of the Padstow triathlon. This was a definite eye opener.

Closer to home, we took on the Derwent at Matlock, but that was mainly as an excuse to have chips a erwards. Then, during the summer, we frequent our local farmer’s lake as part of an organised swimming session where a few brave souls rock up in just their Speedos and a smile.

As yet I haven’t been brave enough to ditch the wetsuit, but reading this magazine, I can see that will be the next stage, and having looked through the events list I’m already marking the calendar with mine and Steve’s next challenges. ○

SPONSORED BY:

Sarah Holme is a triathlete with an unusual appetite for open water

I HAVEN’T BEEN BRAVE ENOUGH TO DITCH THE WETSUIT, BUT READING THIS MAGAZINE, I CAN SEE THAT WILL BE THE NEXT STAGE

Illustration © Emily Davies