8/8/2019 New Water Temperature Policy for Open Water Swimming

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Copyright 2010 by The Daily News of Open Water Swimming p. 1

New Australian Water Temperature Policy

In an pro-active, reasonable decision, Australia'sSwimming New South WalesTechnical Open Water Swimming Committeedeveloped a new Water TemperaturePolicy that was recently approved and announced by its Board of Directors.

It is a welcomed move in the open water swimming world.

The new water temperature policy can help other governing bodies and race directorsconsider water temperature ranges to consider for safety reasons.

As part of its risk minimization program,Swimming New South Walesconducted aninvestigation into recommended maximum and minimum temperatures for safe swimming inthe open water environment. It found that there appears to be no recognized authority thathas published such information.

A safe maximum water temperature is a risk that had not previously been considered,whereas, a minimum water temperature for the conduct of open water swimming events hasbeen set by FINA and is currently 16C (60.8F) and 18C (64.4F) for masters swimmers.

As a result, theTechnical Open Water Swimming Committeeresearched relevantinformation and its recommendations were approved by the Swimming New South WalesBoard of Directors.

The water temperature ranges approved were as follows:

The minimum water temperature for the conduct of an open water swimming event

irrespective of distance is 16C (60.8F).

The maximum water temperature for the conduct of an open water swimming eventirrespective of distance is 32C (89.6F).

The water temperature shall be taken in the manner specified within the Open WaterSwimming Rules prior to the start of the event.

Where the water temperature exceeds 29C (84.2F) and the ambient air temperature is 5C(9F) or more higher than the water temperature, the event, no matter the distance, will bepostponed until the ambient air temperature has decreased by a minimum of 2C (3.6F); and

In events of 10K and over, for each degree that the water temperature exceeds 29C (84.2F)and the ambient air temperature is 3 C (5.4F) higher than the water temperature, the eventdistance will be reduced by 2.5K. If the event distance is reduced by 50% or more, then theevent will be postponed and re-swum at a time and place determined by the event organiser.

For 5K events, the event will be postponed until Condition 3.4 has been achieved.

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8/8/2019 New Water Temperature Policy for Open Water Swimming

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Where the water temperature exceeds 29C (84.2F):

feeding stations are permitted even where the rules preclude them throughout the event the water temperature shall be carefully monitored by the SafetyOfficer in company with another independent person (who will witness the taking of the

temperature and the recording of temperature readings) with such information beingimmediately relayed to the Chief Referee. If the water temperature increases, then the policy conditions referred to above shall beapplied immediately by the Chief Referee.

Where the water temperature was less than 17C (62.6F) prior to the start of the event:

throughout the event the water temperature shall be carefully monitored by the SafetyOfficer in company with another independent person (who will witness the taking of thetemperature and the recording of temperature readings) with such information beingimmediately relayed to the Chief Referee.

ifthe water temperature decreases then the policy conditions referred to in condition[described above] shall be applied immediately by the Chief Referee and the event stopped.

The definitions include ambient air temperature which means the temperature of thesurroundings.

The far-forward-acting Committee determined their new standards by reviewing informationfrom the FINA Open Water Swimming Rules, the Guidelines for Managing Risks inRecreational Water drafted by the Australian Government, the National Health and MedicalResearch Council documents of February 2008 (Section 4), and the Physiology ofthermoregulation during swimming by Neilsen, B. (1977) in Swimming Medicine IV -

Proceedings of the Fourth International Congress on Swimming Medicine by B. Eriksson & B.Furberg, University Park Press.

The decisions and actions by the New South Wales Technical Open Water SwimmingCommittee, in the middle of the Australian summer, are an admirable example of experiencedindividuals acting quickly to develop reasonable standards for race directors, coaches andathletes to consider when faced with extreme temperatures in open water swimmingcompetitions.