It sure beats me why OW races are held during a jellyfish convention; most warm water countries know when jellyfish and/or sea lice are more prevalent, so it beats me why they hold races during these times. Either they don't really think about it/address it, or there are current and tide concerns for a given area. I've also wondered why more OW races that are of a longer duration are also not held during Neap or Spring Tides; seems most officials just choose a date based on a warmer water time to swim, as well as possibly when the tides are at ebb.
Most all OW swimming and races are without sea critter problems, but there can certainly be people problems. There are rules but they are very hard to enforce because unless an official knows for certain that a swimmer is deliberately interfering with another's swim, it just can't be proven. And sometimes it may appear that a person is drafting when in fact they are not. I do know that a swimmer can bump into another swimmer without being DQ'd; body contact is not uncommon in OW.
donna
It sure beats me why OW races are held during a jellyfish convention; most warm water countries know when jellyfish and/or sea lice are more prevalent, so it beats me why they hold races during these times. Either they don't really think about it/address it, or there are current and tide concerns for a given area. I've also wondered why more OW races that are of a longer duration are also not held during Neap or Spring Tides; seems most officials just choose a date based on a warmer water time to swim, as well as possibly when the tides are at ebb.
Most all OW swimming and races are without sea critter problems, but there can certainly be people problems. There are rules but they are very hard to enforce because unless an official knows for certain that a swimmer is deliberately interfering with another's swim, it just can't be proven. And sometimes it may appear that a person is drafting when in fact they are not. I do know that a swimmer can bump into another swimmer without being DQ'd; body contact is not uncommon in OW.
donna
