Swim Tactics and Strategy for Triathlon Swims – Part 5 of 5: Navigation and Swells

Swimming well in triathlons takes more than just hard, smart training. Tactics play an important part and in this article, the fourth in a series of five blog posts, Professional Ironman and Triathlon Coach Brendon Downey looks at some key points around drafting for athletes to consider on the day of their event. Checkout the triathlon category if you missed Bendon’s earlier posts.

Drafting

Drafting is the skill where you swim behind or beside another swimmer and thus get into the water that is getting sucked along with them. You can either do this by being directly behind another swimmer (In wake) or you can do this by swimming beside them with your head close to their hips (On bow wave)

In wake

The closer you are, the easier it is. There are two effects helping make swimming easier.
One) The water behind each swimmer is dragged forward.
Two) The bubbles from the swimmer in front get under a trailing swimmer and make them more buoyant.

The ideal position would have your hand entering the water so that you can feel the turbulent water just below the other swimmers kick. If you are touching their feet say every 10 to 20 strokes then you probably are in about the right position.

On bow wave

The second option for drafting is to sit on the bow wave of the swimmer in front. Your left hand reaches out just where the right hand on the swimmer in front exits. You need to be right beside them. This can also disrupt the rhythm of the front swimmer, slowing them down a little, and increasing your chance of staying with them.

This option offers a better position for racing. This drafting can be used to put a gap on the following swimmer. While drafting directly behind a swimmer, swim hard and pull up onto the bow of the swimmer in front.

With drafting there is no substitute for practicing it, so make a point to work on this when training with groups in open water.

Well hopefully you’ve got a few things to go away and practice, remember to swim with others at all times and be safe out there in the open water. Do read my earlier posts in this series and be sure to subscribe to my blog and receive my latests posts
well as additional expert advice and insights that can help you.