Race Strategies of Open Water Swimmers in the 5-km, 10-km, and 25-km Races of the 2017 FINA World Swimming Championships

Abstract

Despite literature on the pacing strategies of endurance sports, there is an existing lack of knowledge about the swimmers’ tactical decisions in the open water races. The aims of the present research were (1) to compare the pacing profiles and tactical strategies of successful elite open water swimmers (men and women) in the 5-km, 10-km, and 25-km races and (2) to relate these pacing strategies to the end race results. Intermediate split times, positions and gaps with leaders of the first ten swimmers classified in the 2017 FINA World Swimming Championships races were collected from the public domain and were related to the finishing positions. Overall swimming velocities of the 5-km races were faster than the 10-km (δ 0.03 ± 0.03 m/s) and the 25-km (δ 0.14 ± 0.01 m/s) events with male swimmers achieving relatively faster mean velocities than females in the 5-km (δ 0.12 ± 0.01 m/s) compared to the 25-km (δ 0.08 ± 0.01 m/s) events. Medallist swimmers achieved moderate faster overall velocities than finalists in the 25-km races (0.01 ± 0.01 m/s) only. Inter-level differences were detected in selected splits for each race distance. Pacing profiles presented lap to lap velocity improvements in the 5-km and men’s 10-km races (from +0.02 ± 0.00 to +0.11 ± 0.01 m/s) but also mid-race decreases in the women’s 10-km and on the 25-km races. Successful swimmers were located in the leading positions of the 5-km races but at mid-group in the first part of the 10-km and 25-km races, with time gaps with leaders of 15–20 s. Faster lap swimming velocities, mid-race leading positions and shorter time-gaps were only related to the finishing positions in the last lap of the 10-km and in the three last laps of the 25-km events, but also in the first lap of the women’s 5-km race. Despite different mid-race positioning, successful open water swimmers typically presented negative pacing profiles, a consistent control of mid-race gaps with leaders (15–20 s maximum) and great spurts (4–6% faster than mean race velocities) at the end of races. Coaches and swimmers should be aware of the different race dynamics depending to the event distance in order to select optimal race strategies.

Sex Differences in Swimming Disciplines—Can Women Outperform Men in Swimming?

“…In addition to pool-swimming events, open-water swims were held as individual swims (i.e., solo swims in Channel Crossings without drafting) or competitions in long-distance swimming events up to 25 km in open-water swimming [10,15] where swimmers are allowed to swim in a group and where drafting is allowed. In addition, there were open-water swimming events of different lengths in lakes and seas [7] where drafting is also allowed.…”

“…Indoor-swimming events with a defined time limit (i.e., 12 h) are also held [13]. In open-water swimming, master swimmers most often compete in 3000 m [14], whereas 5 km [6,10], 10 km [10,15] and 25 km [10,15] races were held for elite swimmers. Open-water swimming events of different lengths in lakes and seas are held as solo swims [7].…”

Perceived Impact as the Underpinning Mechanism of the End-Spurt and U-Shape Pacing Patterns

“…I suggest the end-spurt and the related U-shape patterns in pacing stem from a simple motivational mechanism – perceived impact: the perceived extent by which one’s actions influence goal-progress. This mechanism is demonstrated in everyday lives and in competitive sports (e.g., when consumers walk toward the end of an aisle in a supermarket; Van Den Bergh et al, 2016; Open-water swimmers during the world championship; Veiga et al, 2019). Indeed, exercise scientists previously suggested that the end-spurt mostly stems from psychological rather than physiological mechanisms (e.g., centrally induced fatigue, perception of effort, concious experience; Noakes, 2012; Smirmaul et al, 2013; Renfree et al, 2014).…”

The age-related changes and sex difference in master swimming performance

“…In open-water swimming, most often events over 3, 5, 10 and 25 km are held. The 5, 10 and 25 km are held as official FINA (Fédération Internationale de Natation) races for elite swimmers (Baldassarre, Bonifazi, Zamparo, & Piacentini, 2017;Veiga, Rodriguez, González-Frutos, & Navandar, 2019) whereas the 3 km are especially designed for master swimmers (Knechtle, Nikolaidis, Rosemann, & Rüst, 2017a).…”