I'm here hoping to pick up some swim tips from the best 10K open water swimmers in the world.
About four minutes into the swim now and, as we've seen so far in Beijing, some very warm water temperatures and a beautiful venue for the 10K open water swim. Tom Demerly The Tri Shop.com
AS an age group triathlete the first take-away I have is simply how fast the women are moving... I mean, Herbert, to me this looks like a brisk walking pace... Tom Demerly The Tri Shop.com
Larisa Ilchenko is our favorite I am told, as she has not lost a 10K open water swim in 4 years.
Ilchenkpo currents leads, a bold tactic this early in the swim. Being the marked swimmer, one would suppose a more conservative opening from her. Tom Demerly The Tri Shop.com
NBC's on line commentary mentioning that the whistles we hear are actually those of referees who signal "unsportsmanlike conduct". I presume that to mean too much contact between swimmers.
That's an interesting contrast from what we're used to here on ST as, for us triathlon types, it's basically a free-for-all out there. Tom Demerly The Tri Shop.com
We're getting a fine perspective on speed when we see the follow/officials boat there in the background.
The strokes: Very longeline and drawn out- you notice the elegant glide, so different from the seemingly mad flailing we see in the water cube from Phelps, et al.
And look at the kick there... very little movement, almost just a stabilizing affect. Tom Demerly The Tri Shop.com
That's a good question hh2ofun. I'm actually not sure. 10 kilometers in the water is indeed a marathon- it is a long, long way...
Two drafting lines forming there and we get the feeling we're watching the leaders at the Ford Ironman Triathlon World Championships. Tom Demerly The Tri Shop.com
I wonder if there is a big difference in how warm the swimmers feel, Herbert, in the swim skins than in a traditional swimsuit....
Frankly, with all the hoopla surrounding the LZR suits and Blue Seventy suits, I am surprized they aren't all wearing them... Tom Demerly The Tri Shop.com
20% of your energy... Perhaps at these speeds, but I know at my own swimming speed, which is about like a jellyfish, it is almost nothing. Tom Demerly The Tri Shop.com
A couple have been mentioned in the commentary so far (Keri-Anne Payne of the UK who did 200 and 400 IM, Cassandra Patten of the UK who did the 800 free).
First feed station coming up... that should be interesting to see. --- Miles of Life --- Powered by MarkyV
Yes, this is a fun race. I beleive I'll forgo my evening run and grab some fig bars and Perrier and just sit here and play commentator... It's good practice for race announcing. Tom Demerly The Tri Shop.com