Swim conditions for Carlow triathlon

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.