I've heard it's legal. Any strategies that work? How do you know that the person you're behind is helping you or holding you back?
Parents
Former Member
You can draft from two positions:
1) Directly behind the person. This is the most efficient.
2) Alongside the person, with your head at about their waist and no more than approx. 1 meter away. Less efficient, but still works.
Ideally, you want to "hitch a ride" with someone who is passing you and is just a little faster than you. After they pass, you swerve into their wake and let them break the still water and even do the sighting for you - just hang onto to those feet. You do have to be careful though that they can sight reasonably well and aren't taking you on a zig-zag course. Also, don't touch their feet since this might earn you a kick in the face.
Another strategy, if you are with people who are about at your level, is to "leapfrog" people: Swim behind one person until you see someone just ahead and then go hard until you get behind them. Then let them tow you until you have caught your breath and then repeat.
-LBJ
You can draft from two positions:
1) Directly behind the person. This is the most efficient.
2) Alongside the person, with your head at about their waist and no more than approx. 1 meter away. Less efficient, but still works.
Ideally, you want to "hitch a ride" with someone who is passing you and is just a little faster than you. After they pass, you swerve into their wake and let them break the still water and even do the sighting for you - just hang onto to those feet. You do have to be careful though that they can sight reasonably well and aren't taking you on a zig-zag course. Also, don't touch their feet since this might earn you a kick in the face.
Another strategy, if you are with people who are about at your level, is to "leapfrog" people: Swim behind one person until you see someone just ahead and then go hard until you get behind them. Then let them tow you until you have caught your breath and then repeat.
-LBJ
