Backstroke in Triathlon

Claude Harmon

Hi All,

I am currently training for the Dub Marathon, but after that i would like to move to Triathlons. I am a weak swimmer, so need a lot of work on that stage.

I am wondering is the backstroke allowed for part of the swimming leg. I can see some triathlons are front crawl only, where some don't state.

Really interest in Athlone, Athy and Dublin City Tris in particular.

Thanks in Advance.

Chartsengrafs

I was watching Tri K******y yesterday (girlfriend was doing it) and a good few used backstroke, at least at times.
Around 10% of people in certain waves were doing the doggy-paddle, a few others made progress using a just-thrash-about approach.

Some folks just lay on their backs, kicked a little and let the current do its work.

Oryx

Do whatever gets you around, if you are a beginner. The stroke is not specified though front crawl is generally what people do because its fastest and easiest. I did backstroke for part of the swim in my first tri, which had gone badly wrong and bs was all I could do bar being rescued.

RacoonQueen

Saw someone doing backstroke and FAST in Athy, not as easy to do in open water as you can't sight or latch on to anyone. Don't think there are specifications to what stroke you do are there? Do the butterfly.

a few others made progress using a just-thrash-about approach.

LOL

What was the deal with the olympic swim in the race your girlfriend did Basster? checked the results on Sat, was it only 750m?

tunney

I'm planning on doing Fly for Lost Sheep.

Chartsengrafs

RacoonQueen wrote: »

What was the deal with the olympic swim in the race your girlfriend did Basster? checked the results on Sat, was it only 750m?

Would you believe I don't actually don't know, and was wondering myself when I saw the results.
She was in the first wave of the sprint, and the olympic distance final wave was long gone. (Her folks place is nearby so we weren't hanging around after racking the bike). I can only assume it was cut short going by the times. Shame, seems much the same conditions as last year when I did the olympic.

couerdelion

Basster wrote: »

Would you believe I don't actually don't know, and was wondering myself when I saw the results.
She was in the first wave of the sprint, and the olympic distance final wave was long gone. (Her folks place is nearby so we weren't hanging around after racking the bike). I can only assume it was cut short going by the times. Shame, seems much the same conditions as last year when I did the olympic.

Yep the upstream section was cut out on the Olympic so was only a downstream 750m. The current was pretty strong, not so strong that you couldn't swim upstream but for some of the weaker swimmers it could have taken an eternity.

Bambaata

I did some backstroke in my first tri years ago. I used it to take a breather. Still to this day i can remember that swim! I tried every stroke i could think of and used plenty of the "just-thrash-about approach".