Open water swimming has become an one of fastest growing sport around the world and athletes, coaches, administrators, parents and other officials must recognize that the open water environment involves variable conditions, such as a wave, current, marine life, drag by lake and river water, and wind is at times unpredictable and can become dangerous quickly. With the rapid growing in open water swimming events even the inexperience competitor, athletes willing to go ahead and enter to the swimming competition without having much experience.
‘Remember even best athletic (Best swimmer) can Victim of drowning’
‘Victim suddenly can vanish under the large wave or in murky water. Hidden debris under the muddy water and imminent danger’
It’s very important that open water event directors or government refersentive, health care professionals advise safety personnel, and event organizer what is the correct protocol for protect the safety of all involved. Sudden weather or naturals phenomenon changes can highly affect to the safety of swimmer and all competitors and participant should be preferred for adjust themselves with further safety protocol (Wetsuits and other technical swimsuit that may offer buoyancy or additional protection from cold elements, also wearing sharp colour orange swimming caps, etc) and event organizer should make necessary adjustment order to protect athletic and other all other involving in the event.( Example: Rescuers should be equipped with wetsuits, dry suits or clothing that will enables them to perform safely their duties in the water)
Event safety requirement must conceders long before the event happening and all the athletics are must receive safety meeting by safety personal before deployment onto the course at least 15 minutes earlier.
‘Briefing to all swimmers and Unified Partners as well as coaches and officials are advisable also translating the message for athletes in their favorite language is acceptable’
Now at many countries open water swimming has been become popular and there for specially government bodies must consider and rule the third party organization conducting open water swimming competition for swimmer and must acknowledge them a how to provide possible safe condition for swimmer.
Any organization must be declare earlier dangers weather condition and should shortening the course, changing the direction or must be postpone event of the day that can held the open water swimming competition safely. Open water event can conduct in any natural or manmade body of water approval should do by local health or environmental protection agencies. The safety officer and event organizer must be meeting with government officials for developed pre-event emergency action plan for worse scenarios. Safety equipment and considerable man power (Trained and certified rescuers) must be accumulate with maximum number and rescued crafts, paddle boards, radio, spinal boards, ambulance, also lifeguard or rescuer in the water wearing fins for assist the swimmer is distress and very important protocol.
Land water based safety personnel are very important in open water swimming competition. Missing swimmer or submerged Victim must be quickly recovered from the water. Every type of rescue crafts and lifeguard or rescuer must be in 30 second distance away from a swimmer.
The minimum water temperature for conducting open water swimming is 16 c (60.8 F) and maximum can be 31c (87.8 F). Race shall not take place when combined air and water temperature when added together are 33 C (91.4 F) also in other way races over 800 meters in distance shall not take in place if the combined air and water temperature when added together are 63 c (145.4 F).Swimmer are allowed wear wet suit if the water temperature below 29 c (82.2 F) its become a mandatory water temperature falls under 17 c (62.6 F) if water temperature above 28 c (82.4 F) wet suit is not allowed.
In any competition there is eligibility minimum age requirement for each event. Also qualifying time, experience are must be well determined by event hosting organization.
Rules for open water swimming competition are significantly different than a pool swimming competition so please let we are be responsible for the all aspect of safety related to the conduct open water swimming competition.
By Palitha Ariyarathna
Deep sea Diver & Rescuer – Former Beach Field Officer