I just looked at results of Open Water World Cup 2005 in Argentina and have a hard time comprehending how you can swim that fast for that long.Anyways, as an example the first place in a 21 km. swim was won in 2:00.30.40, which roughly translates to about 10km per hour or 34.43 SECONDS per 100 meters.How in the world is that possible?Can the current really help you out that much and out of curiousity what would you think that speed would translate into in the pool?In other words how fast would a swimmer like that swim 1500m. in a pool?
Triathlons are mosat often held in a lake or other still body of water. Notable exception would be the NYC triathlon and any beach triathlon in which they would swim with the longshore current.
But in 90% of the races, that 18 minute swim really is an 18 minute swim.
If the race is an age group race and not a professional race, then the athletes are most likely wearing neoprene wetsuits which increase speed by 2 to 5 seconds per 100 M over pool speed for top swimmers. So an 18 minute wetsuit swim in a tri corresponds to a 19 minute pace or so.
It does vary with swimming style and so forth but in general someone swimming 18 in a wetsuit at a tri can swm 19 or so in the pool.
Also, triathlon swim courses aren't accurate to the meter. Not uncommon for them to be off by up to 100 meters.
Triathlons are mosat often held in a lake or other still body of water. Notable exception would be the NYC triathlon and any beach triathlon in which they would swim with the longshore current.
But in 90% of the races, that 18 minute swim really is an 18 minute swim.
If the race is an age group race and not a professional race, then the athletes are most likely wearing neoprene wetsuits which increase speed by 2 to 5 seconds per 100 M over pool speed for top swimmers. So an 18 minute wetsuit swim in a tri corresponds to a 19 minute pace or so.
It does vary with swimming style and so forth but in general someone swimming 18 in a wetsuit at a tri can swm 19 or so in the pool.
Also, triathlon swim courses aren't accurate to the meter. Not uncommon for them to be off by up to 100 meters.
