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.
Sweden's largest OW event is Vansbro in July. it became a race in 1956. there are several races during the weekend. this year a 10km and 1500m on friday. a 5km and 1km on saturday and the main 3km on sunday.
temps are around 15-19C in a river. the most popular race is the 3km on sunday. It's roughly 2km down stream in one river, and the turn up stream in another.
Last year there were nearly 6,000 who started the race. for years it was anyone who wanted to "race" was in the first start group up to 300 people. then a new group of up to 300 every 15 minutes. last year they finally realized they needed several groups for those that wanted to race, and not just swim it as an "amatuer" class. not sure how to translate the nonracing group. either way.
there is no seeding or heats based on gender or age. in the racing start group men have one color cap and women another color. then every start group after has a different color. it's pretty cool to watch the last few heats swim by because you can see if someone is more than 15 minutes ahead or behind based on the color of the caps.
but last year they started seeding the first 5 heats by time. in order to swim in the first start group you have to have swam the race under 40:00 or be able to show that your 1500m pool time is fast enough that you should be under 40:00, it's basically up to the race officials to decide your placement in the first heat. the second heat is under 50:00 and then 55, 60 and 60 and in the second group of 60 they throw in all those who have swam more than 7 times previously as a benefit to being loyal to the race. then there are up to 15 heats.
for reference the winning time is usually around 31. and top 100 for men has been around 40-45 depending on water conditions and for women top 100 is around 45-48.
The only race that is not seeded is the short 1km it's also the only beach start. the other races are floating starts.
Sweden's largest OW event is Vansbro in July. it became a race in 1956. there are several races during the weekend. this year a 10km and 1500m on friday. a 5km and 1km on saturday and the main 3km on sunday.
temps are around 15-19C in a river. the most popular race is the 3km on sunday. It's roughly 2km down stream in one river, and the turn up stream in another.
Last year there were nearly 6,000 who started the race. for years it was anyone who wanted to "race" was in the first start group up to 300 people. then a new group of up to 300 every 15 minutes. last year they finally realized they needed several groups for those that wanted to race, and not just swim it as an "amatuer" class. not sure how to translate the nonracing group. either way.
there is no seeding or heats based on gender or age. in the racing start group men have one color cap and women another color. then every start group after has a different color. it's pretty cool to watch the last few heats swim by because you can see if someone is more than 15 minutes ahead or behind based on the color of the caps.
but last year they started seeding the first 5 heats by time. in order to swim in the first start group you have to have swam the race under 40:00 or be able to show that your 1500m pool time is fast enough that you should be under 40:00, it's basically up to the race officials to decide your placement in the first heat. the second heat is under 50:00 and then 55, 60 and 60 and in the second group of 60 they throw in all those who have swam more than 7 times previously as a benefit to being loyal to the race. then there are up to 15 heats.
for reference the winning time is usually around 31. and top 100 for men has been around 40-45 depending on water conditions and for women top 100 is around 45-48.
The only race that is not seeded is the short 1km it's also the only beach start. the other races are floating starts.
