Bosworth Open Water - The Midland Open Water Championships

[gamecat]

Hi - having just paid silly money for a wetsuit I am keen to enter some races...

Just wondering if suit rules apply to events such as these meaning you can't wear wetsuits and have to swim in FINA approved Jammers?

Does anyone know?

[tKatie2]

Hi Gamecat, it depends which event you want to enter at Bosworth. The Midland Championships are being held in the morning on 11th July the distances are 5k, 3k, & 1.5k. This event is held under asa rules so no wetsuits, jammers & kneeskins are ok though. This year in the afternoon there is another event taking place on the same course, i think it's called the east midlands big swim & i think it's sponsored by blue seventy, the distances are different & wetsuits are ok. I'm going to go down for the 3k in the morning i think.

[missjackiechan]

I'm doing this too, Midland Open Water non-wetsuit 1.5k...eeeekk. Would do the 3k but unsure how I will be non-wetsuit. Have to add I will actually be wearing something, a kneeskin.

[Juicy Lucy]

Can't believe I'm actually getting interested in these open-water threads.

[gamecat]

Thanks for the response... I am thinking I may enter both the 1.5 (as only one person in my age group entered last year) in the morning then the 1k in the afternoon in the wetsuit.

[adamlelean]

For ASA/Fina swims you can actually wear a full length textile suit ( no arms). I've previously typically only worn trunks in openwater. Having some legskins and a full length suit still with some life in them my next openwater swims are likely to be in those.

[manic porpoise]

I'm going to do the 3K at this one. I thought about the 5K but with so few entrants last year and World Masters not long after, I thought I'd go for the shorter event.

Just need to get a club official to sign the form so I can send it in.

[gamecat]

So I can wear my FSII legskins as opposed to Jammers?

[adamlelean]

So I can wear my FSII legskins as opposed to Jammers?
yes

[gamecat]

Cheers Adamlelean...

but i have just entered the big swim instead as i am not gonna manage to get my form signed and the entry in by monday.

[manic porpoise]

I have to go out later to get a signature from my coach so I can get the form in the post for Saturday collection. I wasn't expecting that.

[tKatie2]

The draft programme is available here:
http://209.20.80.25/vsite/vfile/page/fileurl/0,,5104-1-1-165031-0-file,00.pdf

The field for the 3k and 5k is a lot bigger this year, will be lots of fun and games at the start! The 1500 seems about the same size as last year.
If anyone wants to say hello I'll have number 84 on my hat.

[Peet]

Anyone doing this?

http://www.eastswimming.org/vsite/vnavsite/page/directory/0,10853,5113-165758-182976-nav-list,00.html

I'm sending off for the 5km tomorrow, as I said previously, plenty of wooden spoon space on my mantle :-) I need to make sure I'm Ok without the wetsuit before I decide that I am definitely going to do it so I'll head out to one of the lakes in the next 2 weeks and try a non-wetsuit swim.

Always wanted to do a 5km open water race....am I right in presuming that tri suits won't be allowed? It's either a tri-suit or standard swimming costume.....Brrrrrrrrrrrr!! Even the thought of it is making me shiver :shocking:

[Peet]

Well I was...and then due to hayfever never got up in time...maybe it's an omen and I'm not meant to do it after all...ho hum....

[tKatie2]

Well I was...and then due to hayfever never got up in time...maybe it's an omen and I'm not meant to do it after all...ho hum....

Hi Peet,

Entries don't close until Friday, if you get your form in the post today it should get there in time. I'm sure you'll be fine without a wetsuit, I'm always a bit nervous beforehand but as soon as I get in and get going I forget the nerves. I'm not sure what a Tri-suit is, but if it's made from neoprene/plastic/rubber it won't be allowed.

I'll be at the event, but I'm doing the National Masters 3k event rather than the East Region event.

[missjackiechan]

The draft programme is available here:
http://209.20.80.25/vsite/vfile/page/fileurl/0,,5104-1-1-165031-0-file,00.pdf

The field for the 3k and 5k is a lot bigger this year, will be lots of fun and games at the start! The 1500 seems about the same size as last year.
If anyone wants to say hello I'll have number 84 on my hat.

Thank God I am only doing 1.5k...my first race without a wetsuit..eeekk. I will probably be near the back too as the 12 year olds will all be much faster. I will be wearing a wonder woman swimming costume...no, really I will!

[gamecat]

Peet... not sure about Tri Suits but this is the reply i got from someone at West Midlands Swimming when i asked about suits

The ruling on swimwear for Open Water has changed on 1st June 2010. The requirement now is that Fabric is the same as for pool swimming (textile fabric only) and Men and women are the same, not above the neckline, beyond the shoulders or below the ankle (i.e. a full body suit with no arms). Wetsuits are not allowed

[missjackiechan]

Right so I guess I can wear a kneesuit then. Getting a bit nervous...are there silver blankets at the end!!? Cant believe there are so many 12-16 year olds in it doing 3k non-wetsuit....feel a bit silly now worrying about doing 1.5k non-wetsuit!

[gamecat]

Bugger... the big swim (the East Mids Open water is still on though) has been postponed now :(

I have transferred my entry to the outlaw 3k swim on the 7th August.... anyone else doing this?

[manic porpoise]

I'm in the 3K this weekend. Dr. MJC you should be ok with the water temp. I went in today and despite taking me a while to get in I found the temp to be comfortable. Can't see you being any worse than I am with the cold.

I'll see you there.

[missjackiechan]

Ok see you there...importantly cant decide between kneeskin or wonder woman costume.

[manic porpoise]

Kneeskin could help with the cold when getting in but the wonder woman look would be far more entertaining. Only problem - didn't wonder woman get a makeover recently?

[tKatie2]

I'm in the 3k aswell Manic P, see you at the start!

[manic porpoise]

I'll be the one dipping my toe in the water and wondering why I entered the event in the first place. Just give me a push and tell me to get on with it.

[manic porpoise]

I really enjoyed the swim today. Being required to swim without a wetsuit was a good thing. The water temperature was perfect and I was able to swim at a good tempo without getting fatigued. I felt so much better at the end of this swim than I did in my previous wetsuited events and I suspect the problem is overheating when racing in a wetsuit.

I'm also convinced the race wasn't really 3K as my time was far too quick. It would be good to know how far we really swam.

[missjackiechan]

Maybe you are quicker without a wetsuit! That said, I thought my time would have been a minute slower than it was, especially as I had real trouble on the last "length" towards the end going continually off course and having to check my bearings by stopping so much. I even had onlookers shouting "that way" at me. Could the course really be short as its an official ASA event...what if someone broke a record etc.

I was suprised at the difference in the way it was run to the other open water 3.8k stuff I have been going to...the fact that there were referees all around the bank of the lake and that you could actually get a yellow card for swimming over people!

I enjoyed it and it did feel a lot freer to swim without wetsuit, I realised I could have done the 3 or 5k ok in the temperature. This might have also been better as there were so many 12-16 olds in the 1.5k and very few masters...I was swimming in the "last pack" at the back...the kids were so fast!

I need to get a grip with sighting though.

Was good to see each other at the end of each others races too MP. Lovely to meet and spend time with all the Derby Swimming lot, Happyswimmer included and the usual suspects from Etwall.

Need a holiday now mind!

[tKatie2]

I really enjoyed the swim, despite really struggling with the wind on the 2nd and 3rd laps. I need to work on my spotting too, I got quite lost at one point and had to stop for a look round to work out where I was. I was miles quicker than last year and got a shiny gold medal so very pleased.

I had a good giggle listening to the parents shouting at their kids in the water. I think my favourite was a mum yelling at her daughter to put her head down, to stop looking where she was going and just swim!

[missjackiechan]

My favourite re the parents shouting at daughters was one girl who was same speed as me, so it was very loud near me!... and both parents were really giving her grief from the bank, literally screaming, so she stopped, started treading water and shouted "will you two shut up"!!! Good on her.

[tKatie2]

My favourite re the parents shouting at daughters was one girl who was same speed as me, so it was very loud near me!... and both parents were really giving her grief from the bank, literally screaming, so she stopped, started treading water and shouted "will you two shut up"!!! Good on her.

Haha! Love it, good on her indeed.

[Oldgirl]

there were so many 12-16 olds in the 1.5k and very few masters...I was swimming in the "last pack" at the back...the kids were so fast!



MJC - the kids were part of an England Talent programme. One of the swimmers from our club was taking part - If I'd realised sooner that there were masters taking part I'd have done it myself as when I spoke to her at training this morning she said it was a really nice swim!