Swim conditions for Carlow triathlon

noc231073

Weather conditions for this week looks like we are going to see any improvement temperatures quite low ..15 max .. And more rain . What happens if the Barrow is just not in a fit state for the swim ????
Will it turn into a duatalon?

68 lost souls

I believe TI still go by ITU riles for this? Although those temps seem very high for a cancellation. I was out in 8 degrees a few weeks ago and it was fine.

More discussion on the topic and interesting reading at http://gottarun.ie/blog/tag/ireland/

RacoonQueen

I swam in 9.8 last week. It was fine. No reason why 750m couldn't go ahead in something that low.

noc231073

The height of the river will be also an issue if it continues to rain ..

rooneyjm

If the flow is too strong it'll be shortened or cancelled on safety grounds. Happened a few years ago in Athlone. On the up side there were some serious PB's for 750.

iwillhtfu

noc231073 wrote: »

The height of the river will be also an issue if it continues to rain ..

This shouldn't be an issue as the entry exit is from the steps in the town park although it has been known to go over the tow path but I can't see it happening this week. The flow will be telling though if the rain keeps up.

noc231073

I know they turned it into a downstream swim in athlone a few years back ..

Really hope the rain hold of for the week ..

Ceepo

Any word on what the water temp is on the river at the moment. ?

Had a dip in the local lake last night and it was shockingly cold

tunney

Ceepo wrote: »

Any word on what the water temp is on the river at the moment. ?

Had a dip in the local lake last night and it was shockingly cold

Its okay, if its rough or a little chilly the TOs will replace the swim with bouncing on a heated bouncing castle, 750 bounces and you get off to run to your bike.

Ceepo

tunney wrote: »

Its okay, if its rough or a little chilly the TOs will replace the swim with bouncing on a heated bouncing castle, 750 bounces and you get off to run to your bike.

That's great. Thanks for the useless and pointless comment.
Great to have such a resource at our disposal.

iwillhtfu

Ceepo wrote: »

That's great. Thanks for the useless and pointless comment.
Great to have such a resource at our disposal.

He's only Having a laugh.

The water won't be as cold as lake water and to be honest yes it will be cold at first but once you set off it'll be the last thing on your mind.

Get into the water a couple of minutes before hand to let your body get over the initial shock and let your breathing settle down a bit.

The water never really heats up through the entire season so you may aswell get used to it. The lads that swim year round in the sea swear the water is warmer in winter as your body temp is lower. I'd still pass.

MojoMaker

Unless you call 8C and 16C the similar temperatures of course

Big difference between spring temps and late summer temps in Irish waters everywhere.

Like has been said above, once you're in and moving the temperature will not even be a factor with all the messing going on

iwillhtfu

MojoMaker wrote: »

Unless you call 8C and 16C the similar temperatures of course

Should've said heats up to the point of feeling warm.

68 lost souls

Rumour mill says there is high likelihood of it being changed to a downstream swim

Kurt Godel

68 lost souls wrote: »

Rumour mill says there is high likelihood of it being changed to a downstream swim

I don't necessarily want to give legs to a rumour, but there has been quite a lot of rain down here overnight, and its still coming down.

A downstream swim because of heavy flow is pointless in a Tri race. Fingers crossed it goes ahead as planned, I'm looking forward to fighting the flow upstream!

joey100

Triathlone used to be a fully downstream swim, was one of the big selling points of it to the not so good swimmers. I know one lad who wouldn't do it because he lost most of the advantage he would get on a normal sprint.

It wouldn't be ideal, and normally I would prefer an out and back (or up and down) swim, but the way my swimming is going at the moment I wouldn't mind too much!

rooneyjm

You must be down to 1.30 per 100m. Poor you.

iwillhtfu

68 lost souls wrote: »

Rumour mill says there is high likelihood of it being changed to a downstream swim

I spoke to the race director during the week and it was still an up/down entry at the park steps. I doubt it will change there's not much rain forecast and today's will be gone by Saturday.

tunney

Kurt Godel wrote: »

I don't necessarily want to give legs to a rumour, but there has been quite a lot of rain down here overnight, and its still coming down.

A downstream swim because of heavy flow is pointless in a Tri race. Fingers crossed it goes ahead as planned, I'm looking forward to fighting the flow upstream!

But what about the people that cannot swim??? We need to do something about the smugglers that are putting people in these conditions and the economic situations forcing people to take these risks. Oh no wait this isn't a thread about migrants its a thread about a triathlon - the fact that we are worrying about the swim being cancelled because of the "flow", fvcking ridiculous. Cannot swim? Do "Hell and Back"

Kurt Godel

noc231073 wrote: »

What happens if the Barrow is just not in a fit state for the swim ????

Its rarely the water thats at fault for not being in a fit state for the swim.

I swam in the Barrow lots of times last summer, when my cruising pace (still water) would have been around 1:40/100m. In all conditions, an up/down average would come in around that mark, but at times after rain it was 2:20/100m against the flow, and 1:00/100m once you turnaround.

noc231073

Kurt Godel wrote: »

Its rarely the water thats at fault for not being in a fit state for the swim.

I swam in the Barrow lots of times last summer, when my cruising pace (still water) would have been around 1:40/100m. In all conditions, an up/down average would come in around that mark, but at times after rain it was 2:20/100m against the flow, and 1:00/100m once you turnaround.

I live right beside the Barrow . And I was in for a dip last night a little cold but not bad at all!! strong current but that was due to the tide. The flow has dropped a lot since last week and the weather is looking better .. I'd say there shouldn't be any issues ...

griffin100

I was down at the swim location this evening and conditions looked surprisingly good - water levels ok and flow was grand, nothing to worry about. Shouldn't be any problems on the day.

Kurt Godel

I swam the course an hour ago- what a brilliant place to swim! Brain freeze upon entering, but that soon goes. Once I acclimatised, the cold wasn't an issue, nor even noticed. There's a flow all right, so its a strong swim upstream, but nothing too bad at all (certainly nothing even close to strong enough to suggest curtailing this part). Once you turn around, you fly back down- I swam a very wonky 14 minutes up, then 5 mins back for the same distance.

Its a great place for spectators too, its going to define the race. Kudos to Racing 795 for organising such a brilliant course.

Steroo

Kurt Godel wrote: »

I swam the course an hour ago- what a brilliant place to swim! Brain freeze upon entering, but that soon goes. Once I acclimatised, the cold wasn't an issue, nor even noticed. There's a flow all right, so its a strong swim upstream, but nothing too bad at all (certainly nothing even close to strong enough to suggest curtailing this part). Once you turn around, you fly back down- I swam a very wonky 14 minutes up, then 5 mins back for the same distance.

Its a great place for spectators too, its going to define the race. Kudos to Racing 795 for organising such a brilliant course.

How far did you go in that time, 750m?

Kurt Godel

Steroo wrote: »

How far did you go in that time, 750m?

About 1km in total. The time and distance includes stopping a few times going up, and then floating back to check the flow. And a fair bit of meandering; I wasn't taking a racing line.

Kurt Godel

Lets scotch those rumours! The divider ropes are laid out, the flow is normal, the river will go up/down as planned. Photo below from about an hour ago. Bring it on!:D

iwillhtfu

How come they have none of the waterways Ireland floats?

68 lost souls

Kurt Godel wrote: »

Lets scotch those rumours! The divider ropes are laid out, the flow is normal, the river will go up/down as planned. Photo below from about an hour ago. Bring it on!:D

Looks like a really nice location. Might try for this next year.

Best of luck to every one tomorrow.

iwillhtfu

Down stream swim!!! Boo..urns

Kurt Godel

What a bloody joke. There's no point in putting in swim training for Irish Triathlons, its clear that the courses are being shortened/made easier/abandoned by TI officials who are more concerned with the back-of-pack (in)ability, than with providing a good race. Anyone who could swim could have done the advertised up and down today.

There needs to be a change to the current system; allowing the safety parameters to be dictated by non-swimmers in new wetsuits is not good enough.

Kurt Godel

By the way, well done to Racing 795 for putting on a great race today, its a pity that their version wasn't allowed.

Podge83

Kurt Godel wrote: »

What a bloody joke. There's no point in putting in swim training for Irish Triathlons, its clear that the courses are being shortened/made easier/abandoned by TI officials who are more concerned with the back-of-pack (in)ability, than with providing a good race. Anyone who could swim could have done the advertised up and down today.

There needs to be a change to the current system; allowing the safety parameters to be dictated by non-swimmers in new wetsuits is not good enough.

I see what you're saying Kurt (and I have seen some strange swimming decisions in the past), but there was a decent current and whether you like it or not there is a large field of all abilities whose entries mean that the race is viable. The fact is that some would have struggled - new people need to be encouraged. And I agree that maybe some need more training before entering races but you cant just say to weaker swimmers - sorry, not today lads!!

Oh and well done to Racing795 - hopefully another great race on the calendar!!

Mr Tango

Kurt Godel wrote: »

What a bloody joke. There's no point in putting in swim training for Irish Triathlons, its clear that the courses are being shortened/made easier/abandoned by TI officials who are more concerned with the back-of-pack (in)ability, than with providing a good race. Anyone who could swim could have done the advertised up and down today.

There needs to be a change to the current system; allowing the safety parameters to be dictated by non-swimmers in new wetsuits is not good enough.

These were my thoughts till I got in. Right call. Anyone who couldn't swim a 15 minute 750 in there would have been in the water forever.

The added distance evened it out time wise. I went 10.02 which is what I would have expected.

I would have loved am up and down. I would have easily got inside top ten overall but with 500 people I would say 3 0-40 % would have struggled which is more than some back markers

Kurt Godel

Mr Tango wrote: »

These were my thoughts till I got in. Right call. Anyone who couldn't swim a 15 minute 750 in there would have been in the water forever.

The added distance evened it out time wise. I went 10.02 which is what I would have expected.

I would have loved am up and down. I would have easily got inside top ten overall but with 500 people I would say 3 0-40 % would have struggled which is more than some back markers

There was a big flow under the start bridge today, no doubt about that. Much stronger than at any point on the 375m up on the original course, though. Thats just IMO, having done both a couple of days apart.

I've swam the Barrow lots, and today was about as tame as it gets. Yes some would have struggled to do 375m upstream, thats what you get for being untrained for the advertised course. Guess thats what my point comes down to, sink or swim. No point me continually beating on about it though, its obvious that putting time into swim training for Tri is a gamble.

Edit- FWIW I swam 11:30 today, while not really giving it much effort, breaststroking at some parts to see what difference it made, and swimming very close to the bank for most of it. You'd have put a lot more than 1:28 into me at that effort on a 750m up and down.

Dory Dory

Kurt Godel wrote: »

Edit- FWIW I swam 11:30 today, while not really giving it much effort, breaststroking at some parts to see what difference it made, and swimming very close to the bank for most of it. You'd have put a lot more than 1:28 into me at that effort on a 750m up and down.

Don't larger objects get carried faster downstream than smaller objects?

Oryx

Regardless of what they did with the swim, it wad still a level playing field. Everyone facing the same conditions. Fast guys are still fast, and it was still a decent distance. But it did mean the 30 - 40% Tango mentioned were still able to compete fully. Not such a bad compromise i suppose.