If a bunch of professional marathon swimmers are competing together, it usually causes a huge pack. The pacing, positioning, and drafting skills are called upon.
But the safety issue involves feeding. And feeding is done by their coaches, handlers, and trainers on their escort boats. In the beginning of the race and sometimes throughout the race, the escort boats are in very close proximity to one another.
This proximity of the athletes in the water and the escort boats can create potentially dangerous situations. At the Traversée Internationale du lac Memphrémagog, FINA Delegate Daniel Leduc and the coaches discussed creating a “free zone” around the large packs.
In the free zone, coaches and the escort boat drivers are allowed feed their swimmer and then move out of the way so another coach and driver can move into position and feed their swimmer.
If coaches and boat drivers do not move away in a timely manner, the referee can penalized the swimmer with a yellow card for unsportsmanlike conduct. But in the spirit of camaraderie among open water swimmers, this creation of a free zone is a fair, equitable, and gentlemanly means to create equitable conditions and opportunities for feeding for all.
Southern California native, born 1962, is the creator of the WOWSA Awards, Oceans Seven, Openwaterpedia, Citrus Corps, World Open Water Swimming Association, Daily News of Open Water Swimming, Global Open Water Swimming Conference. He is Chief Executive Officer of KAATSU Global and KAATSU Research Institute. Inductee in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Swimmer, Class of 2001) and Ice Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Contributor - Media, Class of 2019), recipient of the International Swimming Hall of Fame's Poseidon Award (2016), International Swimming Hall of Fame's Irving Davids-Captain Roger Wheeler Memorial Award (2010), USA Swimming's Glen S. Hummer Award (2007, 2010) and Harvard University's John B. Imrie Award (1984). Served on the FINA Technical Open Water Swimming Committee and as Technical Delegate with the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games, and 9-time USA Swimming coaching staff. Note: WOWSA only recommends products or services used or recommended by the community. WOWSA does not receive compensation for links or products mentioned on this site or in blog posts. If it does, it will be indicated clearly on that specific post. See WOWSA's privacy policy for more information.