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.
For races large enough to require heat starts, I don't think they should be with age or gender, but I also don't think a pool mile should be used. Some open water swimmers don't even participate in pool swim meets, so may not have a mile time to go by, plus the pool is very different than an open water mile.
My opinion would be to break it up by a range of time. For example, if it's a 5k swim, break the heats into 10 or 15 minute groups (e.g. 1:00 to 1:15, 1:15 to 1:30, 1:30 to 1:45, etc.). Where ever your previous 5k time fits is the heat you swim in. If the person has never swam a 5k before, then they can use other races to determine where they think they'll be time wise. Also have an option for a swimmer right on the edge to "swim up" if they want to so they have more competition. Someone with a 1:17 5k may want to swim in the 1:00 to 1:15 group so they have more competition.
For races large enough to require heat starts, I don't think they should be with age or gender, but I also don't think a pool mile should be used. Some open water swimmers don't even participate in pool swim meets, so may not have a mile time to go by, plus the pool is very different than an open water mile.
My opinion would be to break it up by a range of time. For example, if it's a 5k swim, break the heats into 10 or 15 minute groups (e.g. 1:00 to 1:15, 1:15 to 1:30, 1:30 to 1:45, etc.). Where ever your previous 5k time fits is the heat you swim in. If the person has never swam a 5k before, then they can use other races to determine where they think they'll be time wise. Also have an option for a swimmer right on the edge to "swim up" if they want to so they have more competition. Someone with a 1:17 5k may want to swim in the 1:00 to 1:15 group so they have more competition.
