Drafting etiquette question

Perhaps this is an issue where there is a significant difference between the perspective of competitive elite swimmers and individuals who simply want to participate for fitness and a sense of accomplishment? Among competitive elite swimmers, it is an acquired and respected skill to draft properly. Among these swimmers, there are practiced tactics on drafting and positioning that have been researched and taught by the world's leading open water coaches. Among these swimmers, there is no shame in drafting and then sprinting to victory. In fact, that is the entire purpose of drafting and positioning properly. Among professional open water swimmers, tapping on the feet and trying to "get inside the head" of one's opponents while drafting is also an acquired and respected skill that elite athletes have no problem with (unless they lose). As others have pointed out, Maarten van der Weijden of the Netherlands and Larisa Ilchenko of Russia are among the best practioners of this skill. In fact, "The Ilchenko" is a skill well-known outside the US (refer to www.10kswimmer.com/.../great-sports-moves-ilchenko.html). Domestically, successful masters swimmers such as Gerry Rodrigues and a handful of others are renowned for effectively conserving their energy by drafting and smart positioning throughout the race - and then winning at the end. I can see how individuals do not think this is fair, but in a competitive environment, ANY and ALL swimmers have the opportunity to draft. At the professional and Olympic level, there are swimmers like the British (including silver medalist David Davies and Keri-Anne Payne) who simply like to swim in front and ignore the "scrum" behind them. At the domestic masters level, there are swimmers like Alex Kostich who also prefer to push the pace from the front in order to seal victories. Of course, pulling on feet, ankles and legs is illegal - and at the elite level and competitive domestic level - would most likely result in a swift kick or some other form of physical retaliation, yellow card or red card. But among those individuals who simply want to enjoy the race or the camaraderie of open water swimming and swim from Point A to Point B, I agree that drafting behind or alongside and then "sprinting" ahead "to win" could be seen as unsportsmanlike and in poor taste. Certainly, tapping on the feet or constantly bumping into the person ahead of you would fall into the poor etiquette category. In this case, if you were being bothered by someone, I would recommend swimming laterally - even for a few meters - and the problem could resolve itself. Alternatively - and this has occurred at the professional and competitive elite levels often - you can also simply stop dead in your tracks or do some easy backstroke until the offender has passed by you or you have switched positions on your drafting opponent. One of the most clever drafting tactics that I observed was Paul Asmuth, the 7-time professional marathon swimming champion, and his competitors "drafting" off of their row boats in the 22.5-mile race around Atlantic City. As the swimmers swam behind the row boats, the rowers would give a big pull, creating a wake that help the swimmer slightly. I also observed numerous swimmers at the recent Dwight Crum Pier-to-Pier Swim in Manhattan Beach, traditionally one of the most competitive races in Southern California, draft off of their opponents and then body-surf right past them at the finish. From my observations, there were only a very small number of individuals who got out of the race and were upset.

Perhaps this is an issue where there is a significant difference between the perspective of competitive elite swimmers and individuals who simply want to participate for fitness and a sense of accomplishment? Among competitive elite swimmers, it is an acquired and respected skill to draft properly. Among these swimmers, there are practiced tactics on drafting and positioning that have been researched and taught by the world's leading open water coaches. Among these swimmers, there is no shame in drafting and then sprinting to victory. In fact, that is the entire purpose of drafting and positioning properly. Among professional open water swimmers, tapping on the feet and trying to "get inside the head" of one's opponents while drafting is also an acquired and respected skill that elite athletes have no problem with (unless they lose). As others have pointed out, Maarten van der Weijden of the Netherlands and Larisa Ilchenko of Russia are among the best practioners of this skill. In fact, "The Ilchenko" is a skill well-known outside the US (refer to www.10kswimmer.com/.../great-sports-moves-ilchenko.html). Domestically, successful masters swimmers such as Gerry Rodrigues and a handful of others are renowned for effectively conserving their energy by drafting and smart positioning throughout the race - and then winning at the end. I can see how individuals do not think this is fair, but in a competitive environment, ANY and ALL swimmers have the opportunity to draft. At the professional and Olympic level, there are swimmers like the British (including silver medalist David Davies and Keri-Anne Payne) who simply like to swim in front and ignore the "scrum" behind them. At the domestic masters level, there are swimmers like Alex Kostich who also prefer to push the pace from the front in order to seal victories. Of course, pulling on feet, ankles and legs is illegal - and at the elite level and competitive domestic level - would most likely result in a swift kick or some other form of physical retaliation, yellow card or red card. But among those individuals who simply want to enjoy the race or the camaraderie of open water swimming and swim from Point A to Point B, I agree that drafting behind or alongside and then "sprinting" ahead "to win" could be seen as unsportsmanlike and in poor taste. Certainly, tapping on the feet or constantly bumping into the person ahead of you would fall into the poor etiquette category. In this case, if you were being bothered by someone, I would recommend swimming laterally - even for a few meters - and the problem could resolve itself. Alternatively - and this has occurred at the professional and competitive elite levels often - you can also simply stop dead in your tracks or do some easy backstroke until the offender has passed by you or you have switched positions on your drafting opponent. One of the most clever drafting tactics that I observed was Paul Asmuth, the 7-time professional marathon swimming champion, and his competitors "drafting" off of their row boats in the 22.5-mile race around Atlantic City. As the swimmers swam behind the row boats, the rowers would give a big pull, creating a wake that help the swimmer slightly. I also observed numerous swimmers at the recent Dwight Crum Pier-to-Pier Swim in Manhattan Beach, traditionally one of the most competitive races in Southern California, draft off of their opponents and then body-surf right past them at the finish. From my observations, there were only a very small number of individuals who got out of the race and were upset.