Having worked with a number of beginner triathletes that did not have a swim background, I'm not sure certification based on pool swims would be helpful. Many folks are fine in the pool, but panic in open water because they cannot see the bottom, the darkness freaks them out, the open water intimidates them, and they cannot rest on the wall.
Perhaps a solution is a qualifying process for triathlons with swims of more than 400 yards. Before a triathlete can compete in a triathlon with an open water swim of 500 or 600 yards, he/she must have completed a triathlon with an open water swim of 300 or 400 yards. For a triathlon with a 1/2 mile swim, said triathlete must have completed a triathlon with an open water swim of at least 600 yards. For an Olympic distance triathlon, said triathlete must have completed a triathlon with a 1/2 mile open water swim.
This makes sense. As the Harbor Springs organizers said, it isn't the distance, it's the cold and the dark and the fishes. Plus, for novice tri swimmers, the mass of hulking bodies ready to mow them down. I do see more OW training of tris this year, as well as something called Team in Training. Training for the entire tri experience seems a sound approach.
Having worked with a number of beginner triathletes that did not have a swim background, I'm not sure certification based on pool swims would be helpful. Many folks are fine in the pool, but panic in open water because they cannot see the bottom, the darkness freaks them out, the open water intimidates them, and they cannot rest on the wall.
Perhaps a solution is a qualifying process for triathlons with swims of more than 400 yards. Before a triathlete can compete in a triathlon with an open water swim of 500 or 600 yards, he/she must have completed a triathlon with an open water swim of 300 or 400 yards. For a triathlon with a 1/2 mile swim, said triathlete must have completed a triathlon with an open water swim of at least 600 yards. For an Olympic distance triathlon, said triathlete must have completed a triathlon with a 1/2 mile open water swim.
This makes sense. As the Harbor Springs organizers said, it isn't the distance, it's the cold and the dark and the fishes. Plus, for novice tri swimmers, the mass of hulking bodies ready to mow them down. I do see more OW training of tris this year, as well as something called Team in Training. Training for the entire tri experience seems a sound approach.
