Weirs/Rapids – a technical perspective...
owenswims93
Fermoy, IrelandSenior Member
Over the last 2 yrs, I've done a few swims that involved sliding down weirs (or walking around them) and dragging one's self across (or walking across) stretches of rapids. Does anyone have any thoughts on how having to do this affects the validity of a swims? Does having to stand up and walk 25 m down a weir invalidate the swim or does it split it into two separate swims? Any opinions greatly appreciated...
http://fermoyfish.com – Owen O'Keefe (Fermoy, Ireland)
Comments
http://fermoyfish.com – Owen O'Keefe (Fermoy, Ireland)
i would suggest once a swimmer doesn't cross the waters edge on either bank that they are still technically "in the river" so therefore haven't "exited the water" as such, and it should be classed as a successful continuous swim
jmho
I tried to convince myself, but, orange flavour electrolyte, mixed with hot chocolate,
tastes nothing like Terry's Chocolate Orange ....
To me, a staged swim is where the swimmer actually finishes one swim and exits completely before restarting a number of hours or even days later...
http://fermoyfish.com – Owen O'Keefe (Fermoy, Ireland)
my intention was not to suggest that someone crossing the water's edge to pass a weir was automatically instantly disqualified from referring to their swim as a continuous one, (that's not my call, and for example aren't swimmers pulled out in MIMS if there's lightning?), but rather pointing out that if you are (geographically speaking) still "in the river", then there is definitely a pretty strong case for referring to the swim as a continuous one
out of interest, for the Krommerijn zwemmarathon do the swimmers dry off/get dressed or do they just hop out, help with the kayaks and jump back in again?
@owenswims93
don't know if i'd bother putting a time-limit on it. here in Ireland at least, there is no benefit to a swimmer taking any longer than necessary doing this. having walked over weirs myself, ankle deep in cold water, stones cutting the feet off you and the wind whipping the heat from you, the sooner your back swimming the better
again all jmho
I tried to convince myself, but, orange flavour electrolyte, mixed with hot chocolate,
tastes nothing like Terry's Chocolate Orange ....
A two- or three-way crossing allows - and in fact demands - that you touch land and clear the water with a maximum amount of time allowed out of the water.
But you and Niek are correct: your swim can be defined as something other than a marathon swim. Because you get out of the water and on land does not invalidate your swim under a non-marathon swimming perspective. There are plenty of swims - competitive races and unprecedented solo swims - that are remarkable in themselves and require many of the same characteristics that marathon swimmers demonstrate (e.g., endurance and mental strength). Like your swim, these swims are unique, fun and memorable - and can be interesting and motivational to the general public. These swims include many stage swims (of various types) and distance swims (e.g., Distance Swim Challenge in Los Angeles or Five Lakes of Mount Fuji in Japan) that are greater than 10 km but that require swimmers to get in and out of the water for various reasons. The open water swimming world includes a vast number of different kinds of swims and comprises of a wide number of definitions, parameters, enthusiasts and rules.
Enjoy the planning and execution of your swim. It is innovative and sounds like fun.
FYI - http://openwaterpedia.com/index.php?title=Stage_swim
Steven Munatones
www.worldopenwaterswimmingassociation.com
Huntington Beach, California, U.S.A.
"Where the swimmer encounters water that, at any point in a cross section of the river, is deemed not to be of sufficient depth to allow them to continue swimming, they may use any form of terrestrial locomotion in order to reach the nearest water (in terms of forward progress) of sufficient depth to allow them to continue swimming. If the swimmers has not returned returned to a position such that his or her entire weight is supported by the water within ten minutes of last being in such a position, the swim is considered to be discontinuous."
What constitutes sufficient depth will need to be clarified. Any ideas?
http://fermoyfish.com – Owen O'Keefe (Fermoy, Ireland)
http://fermoyfish.com – Owen O'Keefe (Fermoy, Ireland)
http://fermoyfish.com – Owen O'Keefe (Fermoy, Ireland)
http://fermoyfish.com – Owen O'Keefe (Fermoy, Ireland)