Tips for open water turning buoys

Open water turning buoys will be in use during competitions and can be a crucial point in a race when swimmers come together because they are all aiming for the same point in the water.

If you are in a pack, try not to be on the inside track as this is the point all the other swimmers are aiming for.

The more experienced open water swimmers will have strategies to cope with this, such as speeding up into the turn and holding their space.

If you are a less confident open water swimmer, practise open water turning buoys using the following tips:

• it may be best to be on the outside of the pack at the turning buoys
• this will generally keep you out of trouble, but will slightly increase the distance you have to travel
• if it’s a right angle turn you can swim just past the buoy, then turn onto your back and then onto your front, at the same time changing direction to make the turn at a right angle.

Open water turning buoys training session

It’s time to get in some open water training sessions and hone those skills to perfection.

Source a local facility and never train by yourself in the open water environment, no matter how confident you now feel swimming in open water.

Use your open water training sessions to practise turning buoys and sighting the buoys.

Remember the most import thing is to have fun in this great sport of open water swimming.