NYCkayaker Anyone doing this Sunday's Governors Island Swim support?

[David Gottlieb]

I said I wasn't going to comment on this again but on some of the escorts I
have done for open-water swims where I have been assigned to one individual
swimmer, I have been told the following.

That each kayaker is the eyes of the swimmer, particularly in rougher water
because swimmer navigation is difficult due to wave and current action.

That's it. That's what I was told. Besides the safety and communication
duties I also had.

That's it.... 

David

On 6/30/08 12:56 PM, "mike" <mpidel at optonline.net> wrote:

> Richard I never saw or had a kayak escort at any of the open water swims I
> did, they were all triathlons and Greenwich 1-mile open water swim.
> Open water swim navigation was a skill that was taught and practiced.
> I am surprised they let a swimmer use a kayaker as their guidance.
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: nyckayaker-bounces at rockandwater.net [mailto:nyckayaker-
>>> bounces at rockandwater.net] On Behalf Of Richard Clifford
>>> Sent: Monday, June 30, 2008 10:36 AM
>>> To: nyckayaker at rockandwater.net
>>> Subject: NYCkayaker Anyone doing this Sunday's Governors Island Swim
>>> support?
>>> 
>>> NYCKayaker:
>>> 
>>>    The assertion in this post in incorrect. I have participated as a
>>> kayaker escorting swimmers in these events for 15+ years. I have done
>>> this at the US Nationals Open Water 25K swims in Florida repeatedly.
>>> And, I have done the escorting for the chair of the Open Water Committee
>>> of the US Masters swimming. And, the post mixes several
>>> 
>>>    It is not helpful when people jump on the list and make these bold,
>>> unsupported assertions. Support what you say. Otherwise mark what you
>>> say as assertion/opinion not fact. - Richard Clifford
>>> 
>>> 
>>> mike wrote:
>>>>  *I am always surprised they allow the guiding by kayak in these races.
>>> It
>>>> would be a violation in any sanctioned open water-swimming event.* A
>>> huge
>>>> component of the challenge of open water swimming is the ability to
>>> navigate
>>>> and swim in straight line, In a pool it Is quite easy to follow the
>>> lines in
>>>> the open water it is a different stroke technique to navigate.
>>>> *I would think *the kayak escort would have to stay behind the swimmer
>>> for a
>>>> proper race.
>>>> I guess the rules are much different in these swim from the 1-mile open
>>>> water swim races and triathlons
>>>> *It sounds like* an unfair advantage if some equally ranked swimmers got
>>> a mix
>>>> of very good and mediocre kayak guidance.
>>>> As far as you people being dissed, you should also request to see the
>>> books
>>>> of the events to make sure that you are being equally treated.
>>>> 
>>>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>>>> 
>>>> . The skills of the kayakers to guide their swimmer in
>>>> 
>>>>>> the
>>>>>> water can be key to the swimmers time it takes to get to the finish
>>> line.
>>>>>> Plus we have to often communicate with police, race officials and
>>> power
>>>>>> boaters on our GPS. I have found that it is really a team effort
>>> between
>>>>>> the
>>>>>> kayaker and the swimmer. If I make a mistake in a Hudson River
>>> crossing
>>>>>> and
>>>>>> tell my swimmer to move to the left instead of the right I could cause
>>> him
>>>>>> to lose time.
>>> 
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> 
> **********************************************************************
> The NYCKayaker mailing list is hosted by www.rockandwater.net, and is a public
> service offered to the kayaking community by the Hudson River Watertrail
> Association. Learn more about HRWA at www.hrwa.org
> 
> To unsubscribe or change delivery options:
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