Help!!! I am guiding a visually impaired swimmer in a triathlon on Sunday 6/26. I know, I know. Please wait until after Sunday to chastise me. :-)
Anyway, I know I can swim on the side or behind my partner--not in front.
Does anyone have any experience guiding visually impaired swimmers in open water? I need basic guidelines (i.e. how to tether without constantly getting tangled), and/or a quick lesson on how to provide directions. My partner is completely blind so I cannot rely on visually cues (bright colors, etc.).
Thanks.
Parents
Former Member
Thanks for your support gang. I provided directions from my partner’s side and it took a few left arms to the noggin to realize I didn’t need to be so close. I used a 12' bungee from REI and a couple of old credit cards to tether my partner to me. Credit cards with the bungee worked like the small tube that is threaded thru swim paddles. Thanks to my buddy Chuck for coming up with the credit card idea.
The swim took longer than expected, but we were allowed to start 10 minutes in advance so our start was a lot less crazy than other waves. My partner got into a decent rhythm over the last 500 yards (1500 yard swim) and swam his way right along a swarm of sprint distance swimmers. Definitely got a taste of triathlon swim exit nuttiness.
Thanks again.
Thanks for your support gang. I provided directions from my partner’s side and it took a few left arms to the noggin to realize I didn’t need to be so close. I used a 12' bungee from REI and a couple of old credit cards to tether my partner to me. Credit cards with the bungee worked like the small tube that is threaded thru swim paddles. Thanks to my buddy Chuck for coming up with the credit card idea.
The swim took longer than expected, but we were allowed to start 10 minutes in advance so our start was a lot less crazy than other waves. My partner got into a decent rhythm over the last 500 yards (1500 yard swim) and swam his way right along a swarm of sprint distance swimmers. Definitely got a taste of triathlon swim exit nuttiness.
Thanks again.
