With more and more people swimming in open water events, what is the best way to separate the heats: by gender? by speed? by age? by swimwear (wetsuit vs. non-wetsuit)? by swimmer's choice?
The need to maintain safety and segregate the swimmers into separate heats becomes more evident. But this raises many issues - none of which are easy to resolve.
If the heats are separated by speed, how do the race organizers best separate the swimmers? Is it by their best times in a pool event? If so, what pool event: the 400-meter free, the 800-meter free, the 1500-meter free? If it is by the open water races, is it by their performance in last year's event? At a different open water event? If so, what are the parameters of the open water qualification swim?
If the heats are separated by gender, and the women's heats go behind the men, is that fair to the elite women? If the heats are separated by age, what are the optimal age breaks?
An online poll at The Daily News of Open Water Swimming is showing some interesting poll results after the first few days.
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Former Member
I almost think this should be rephrased as how to organize large open water swims. On overall question, if for safety, size of venue etc., it's required to have heats the priority should be given to speed. Qualifying could be recent distance pool times or how you placed in a recognized open water events (by percentages such as top 15%, next 15% etc). The other categories of gender, age and even swimwear would be secondary. On the question of men and women swimming together, in most of the Open water events I've been part of men and women always have swam together. I can't speak for all of them however most of the stronger and elite women I have coached or been training partners with, want to race with the men. A few men might like separate starts but only because they don't want to be embarrassed by the women coming out the water ahead of them. ;) On a personal note, I'm long over the fact that women will beat me in swimming...lol. I personally wouldn't mind separating wetsuits and naked as to know where I stand with the group I'm racing with, however the suits do make nice drafting partners in some races...:)
Separate from heating, I believe for race promoters to have continued success with there event year in an year out, it's important to have strong recognition programs and awards. Don't underestimate the need to brag about your weekend warrior endeavors when you get back to the office. At a minimum participation awards, then for the competitive part of the program there should have separate awards for men and women, wet suit and non wet suit and in larger events age group awards.
I almost think this should be rephrased as how to organize large open water swims. On overall question, if for safety, size of venue etc., it's required to have heats the priority should be given to speed. Qualifying could be recent distance pool times or how you placed in a recognized open water events (by percentages such as top 15%, next 15% etc). The other categories of gender, age and even swimwear would be secondary. On the question of men and women swimming together, in most of the Open water events I've been part of men and women always have swam together. I can't speak for all of them however most of the stronger and elite women I have coached or been training partners with, want to race with the men. A few men might like separate starts but only because they don't want to be embarrassed by the women coming out the water ahead of them. ;) On a personal note, I'm long over the fact that women will beat me in swimming...lol. I personally wouldn't mind separating wetsuits and naked as to know where I stand with the group I'm racing with, however the suits do make nice drafting partners in some races...:)
Separate from heating, I believe for race promoters to have continued success with there event year in an year out, it's important to have strong recognition programs and awards. Don't underestimate the need to brag about your weekend warrior endeavors when you get back to the office. At a minimum participation awards, then for the competitive part of the program there should have separate awards for men and women, wet suit and non wet suit and in larger events age group awards.
