Knowra Open water swimming Open water swimming Open water swimming is competitive swimming in natural bodies of water, usually over distances longer than pool events. Races take place in conditions shaped by currents, weather, temperature, and navigation.
Drafting (swimming) : A swimming technique in which an athlete reduces resistance by following closely behind or beside another swimmer. Following another swimmer can save energy, but positioning affects pace and visibility.
Marathon swimming : Long-distance open-water swimming, commonly defined in sport by races of at least 10 kilometers. It is the endurance-focused branch most associated with long open-water courses.
Hydrodynamics : The study of fluids in motion and the forces they exert on objects. Water resistance and flow explain why currents and swimmer position affect speed.
Pool swimming : Competitive swimming in a standardized pool with marked lanes, regulated water, and fixed distances. Its controlled setting removes currents, navigation, and much environmental variability.
English Channel swimming : The practice of swimming across the English Channel, a celebrated form of long-distance open-water swimming. Channel crossings helped establish public interest in extreme distance swimming.
Sighting (swimming) : The technique of briefly lifting the eyes forward to orient toward a course marker while swimming. Swimmers use sighting to stay on course when no lane lines guide them.
10-kilometer open-water swimming : An open-water race over 10 kilometers, an Olympic event since the 2008 Beijing Games. This distance is the standard Olympic open-water swimming event.
Water current : The directed movement of water within a river, lake, or sea. Currents can shorten or lengthen effective effort along a race course.
Channel swimming : A long-distance swim across a body of water connecting two landmasses, most famously the English Channel. Channel crossings are specific open-water challenges rather than standard circuit races.
Matthew Webb : An English swimmer who became the first recorded person to swim across the English Channel in 1875. His crossing became a landmark in the history of long-distance swimming.
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