I'm sorry. I've done a lot of open water swims in a lot of different places. I have never had a boatman try to hit me with an oar--I have been hit by paddles and I presumed it was an accident--and it was. You've mentioned swimming for money. I've swum in races where money has been at stake and with very few exceptions I've never had a chance to win it so I don't really have experience with racing to eat--like the old Lee Trevino quote that you don't know pressure until you are standing over a $10 putt with only $2 in your pocket. I haven't raced for the rent money so maybe I would react differently if I was.
I've been kicked, jumped on, elbowed, pushed, bumped, drafted from, scraped, fingernailed, hair pulled, goggles knocked off, tripped, been hit by paddles, kayaks, and hands, and threatened by boats, etc.--those don't happen every race or even every 5th race but I've probably done over 200 open water races and stuff accumulates over the years. Most of it was accidents, but some probably wasn't. I still don't take cheap shots at people in swims even when they might deserve it. I do get angry and upset and maybe will refuse to surrender a line but when you start intentionally trying to injure people, you need a different hobby.
I'm sorry. I've done a lot of open water swims in a lot of different places. I have never had a boatman try to hit me with an oar--I have been hit by paddles and I presumed it was an accident--and it was. You've mentioned swimming for money. I've swum in races where money has been at stake and with very few exceptions I've never had a chance to win it so I don't really have experience with racing to eat--like the old Lee Trevino quote that you don't know pressure until you are standing over a $10 putt with only $2 in your pocket. I haven't raced for the rent money so maybe I would react differently if I was.
I've been kicked, jumped on, elbowed, pushed, bumped, drafted from, scraped, fingernailed, hair pulled, goggles knocked off, tripped, been hit by paddles, kayaks, and hands, and threatened by boats, etc.--those don't happen every race or even every 5th race but I've probably done over 200 open water races and stuff accumulates over the years. Most of it was accidents, but some probably wasn't. I still don't take cheap shots at people in swims even when they might deserve it. I do get angry and upset and maybe will refuse to surrender a line but when you start intentionally trying to injure people, you need a different hobby.
