Currents, waves and changing conditions make the Portuguese venue particularly demanding. This is where the key difference between pool and open-water swimming becomes apparent.
An athlete must not only swim fast, but continuously read their position, the competition and the water.
Train tactics
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Drafting, pack position, buoy approaches and choosing the right moment to attack can decide between victory and defeat.
Modern open-water training therefore needs to simulate race situations as realistically as possible. Conditioning provides the foundation – tactics often decide the result.
The water becomes part of the tactics
In the pool, distance, water depth and lane conditions are largely standardised. In open water, the environment changes constantly. A current can make the direct line to a buoy inefficient, waves can affect breathing and sighting, and wind can change the most advantageous position in the pack.
Successful athletes therefore need not only to react quickly but often to anticipate situations before they develop. Recognising where a pack is opening or how the current affects a section of the course may save more energy than can be gained through a short increase in pace.
Practise pack racing deliberately
These skills can only be developed to a limited extent in solo training. Coaches should regularly include group drills in which athletes deliberately take up different positions within the pack.
Buoy turns can also be simulated with several swimmers at the same time. The goal is not only speed, but also spatial awareness, contact management, acceleration and the ability to regain a good position immediately after the buoy.
Setúbal is therefore a good example of why open-water swimming requires its own training methodology. The race is determined not only by physiological capacity, but by the ability to apply that capacity correctly under constantly changing external conditions.
SCIENTIFIC SOURCE
https://www.worldaquatics.com/news/4384297/open-water-swimming-world-cup-2026-racing-calendar-announcement-world-aquatics