Unless you're doing your pool swims with open turns or absolutely terrible turns, an ocean swim of equal distance will be slower. Pool turns speed you up. That's why 25 meter times will be faster than 50 meter pool times.

Hugh

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Genetics load the gun, lifestyle pulls the trigger.

Having only done one ocean swim (in a tri) of a similar distance......I'd say (if it's marked, correctly) it will slow you down by several seconds/100. Sighting is difficult (pursuant to the size of the swells), but you may or may not get a current assist.

I wouldn't expect my ocean swim time to be faster.....that's for sure.

I am a MOP swimmer (disclosure).

You will be slower. The buoyancy is nice but even on calm mornings you'll get tossed around and have to fight any waves and current even if they are small.

Yes and no.

One is more bouyant in saltwater, even without a wetsuit, so there is a benefit there. If there is surf, there is the possibility of catching a wave, or you may be swimming with a current or with the tide in a bay, which is like swimming with the current in a river, etc etc.

From personal experience, I typically lose 5 sec per 100m between a pool swim 25m, to an open water swim, with a wetsuit on.

So add 75secs to a 1500m swim.

Take off the wetsuit, add another 5 sec, = 75 sec more.
Add in the buoyancy of seawater, take back something between 1 - 5 sec depending on whether you are pull dependant or kick dependant.

Lets say you get back half for sake of argument. That's 75 + 38 = 1:53 or 2 mins.
Halve that for the 750m swim add a bit for getting out and running up the beach or dock.
All in all about a minute slower than your pool swim expectations.

Now if the water is warmer than the or colder, we could go on all day and don't ask me about wind or waves :0)

thanks for all the great insight! Bummer so not faster at all, but at least its the same for everyone

Yeah, way too many variables all weighing for and against faster swim
- surf going out
- surf coming in
- currents
-course accuracy
- your line/sighting abiltiy
- drafting
- crowds at buoys
- saltwater + wetsuit
- location of timing mat

Overall / AG placement is a much better metric for OW swims. We have a 2 mile ocean swim every year, I've gone anywhere from :52 to 1:08 and pretty much every year placement is about the same

- drafting //

You are the first i can see that mentions this, and the one factor that can make an apples to apples OW swim faster than the pool pace.

You will probably be slower but it could feel a lot easier, i love salt water swimming compared to 50m LCM outdoor.