Wednesday, December 25, 2013

Mentone Open Water Swim Race Report



Couple of Saturday’s ago I completed my first Open Water Swim race of the season. I have ridden, driven and run past the Mentone Life SavingClub more times that I can recall. I have also swam there with Ellie many times, the countless times I have seen their open water swim notice; so it was familiar waters and why not do the event. This year there are so many events on that they are doubling open on the same day or the day after. This was a perfect opportunity to get a long distance swim in before the season became very busy. To top it off it was a perfect chance to test our my new 2xu Project X Wetsuit.

When we showed up to rego the wind was blowing hard from the South West and the Bay was very lumpy, after registering and walking down to the turnaround point the wind had claim down and so had the bay. It was going to be a hard effort down the bay to the turnaround buoys.


View from on top of  Mentone LSC

Finish line area and white caps on the bay

Ready to go in my new 2xu Project X2 Wetsuit
I put on my wetsuit got into the water and did my warm up swim out to the start line, which was a deep water start. You could feel the push up the bay, so some work was going to be needed going down the bay. All swim competitors headed in to listen to the race briefing which is where I bumped into Stephen and fellow Tri Alliance Member who had just shown up at the last minute who was also doing the 2km Event.

We all headed out to the start buoys and waited for the horn to sound and off we went, the standard washing machine of bodies as we headed down the bay. I lost count of the number of people who swam over, into and kicked me. I managed to find some clear water and push on to the turn buoy and headed back towards to the finish line. Coming back was far easier than going as the push was back up the bay. I found the last buoy and headed into the beach and short run up the sand to the finish line.


Stephen and I after the race
My time, 40m 24s. A few days later I swam a 2km loop at Half Moon Bay in 37m and 26s in very flat conditions clearly the difference in conditions shows in the times.


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