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Oshkosh Tragedy (Page 2)
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 2009-08-10 5:43 PM in reply to: #2339681 |
Champion  7163     Verona WI--Ironman Bike Country! |  Subject: RE: Oshkosh Tragedyfirstnet911 - 2009-08-10 4:33 PM "I like Deanna's idea of a novice wave. I have done other triathlons that offer this and in my first year I was thrilled to be in the group" Food for thought. Hmmmm, not every novice needs help so I cannot imagine the lifeguards would be overwhelmed, but you won't know if you don't try it. What it would certainly help with is separting those who are competitive, aggressive swimmers from those who are not. I swear I get more discombobulated (sp?) when I get swam over or punched than any wave or dark water or deep water will ever provide. I think there a lot of other ideas to bounce around. I did a triathlon in Northern WI a few weeks ago. While we were seeded based on sign up we went off every four minutes which gave a much better spread than the 1-2 minutes yesterday. I also did the Verona Triterium and we were split by AG. The old women (me) and old men were first to go off because the vast majority of us were slow and we had a 4 minute spread....I had clean water for quite a while, got some rhythm before the 25-29 yo men overtook me......sweet.  I would hate to think this dialogue becomes a "beginner swimmers shouldn't participate" similar to the "runners who are walkers should stay home" that you hear so frequently. It is an inclusive sport and that is one of the things I really like about it. Edited by SSMinnow 2009-08-10 5:43 PM |
| 2009-08-10 6:23 PM in reply to: #2339835 |
Master 2099 Madison, WI | Subject: RE: Oshkosh Tragedy BbMoozer - 2009-08-10 5:35 PM Thing with novice races is that they are typically shorter than a sprint. 200 yards swim, 8 mile bike, 2 mile run or similar. Y's do shorter ones... Or is it just novice for the swim? - just sayin' It's a novice wave - and around here, how it works is that the elites go off first, and then the novice wave starts. And, then there's about 10 minutes (seriously) until the next wave goes off. Most of the novice swimmers are nearly out of the water before the next wave goes off. Oshkosh is the only tri I've done where waves weren't based on age or gender or ability, and it was by far the most congested, cluster-bumble swim I've ever done (both years - though the Olympic was better than the sprint). It is a good race, and I'd have done it this year if it weren't for schedule/money/etc. I enjoyed the race, the people were friendly, and the venue is beautiful. But, the wave situation could really use some re-thinking. |
| 2009-08-10 9:38 PM in reply to: #2337077 |
Master 2139 piece o heaven | Subject: RE: Oshkosh Tragedy the Manitowoc Triathlon has the greatest solution EVER- they have a 350 yd swim, with large corner buoys which are connected by a LONG rope covered in swim NOODLES!!! Trust me NO ONE can make the excuse that there was no help out there. It is easy to sight and easy to grab!!!
NOW picture this IMWI with a string noodle line!!! EEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAWWWWesome!!! |
| 2009-08-10 11:22 PM in reply to: #2339777 |
Expert 1105 Milwaukee, WI | Subject: RE: Oshkosh Tragedy trizimmermann - 2009-08-10 4:10 PM so of the people some of the time, all of the people NEVER WILL BE HAPPY  no matter how hard you try.Couldn't agree more, Bob. I know Gloria is just sick about this...maybe some good ideas will come from this tragedy, and races can be safer in the future.  |
| 2009-08-11 12:07 PM in reply to: #2339321 |
Champion 34263 Chicago | Subject: RE: Oshkosh Tragedy Lake Swimmer - 2009-08-10 2:44 PM I attened the event this weekend as a volunteer and I did the event last year as a beginner and have had nothing but a positive experience with the exception of the untimely passing of the young woman. I would like to make a few corrections to the post by SSMinnow, as an individual who started her day at the Lake I would like everyone to know there were 14 lifeguards in the water during the event, 5 of those lifeguards were patroling the Olympic Race where you could touch bottom during the entire swim and the remainder of the lifeguards were watching the Sprint. The waves for the Olympic were sent off exactly 2 minutes apart, I helped with the gate and had to watch the clock, so I know this to be fact. I also helped with the gate for the Sprint, a short break was taken in between sending the last wave of the Olympics and the first wave of the Sprints, after that the Sprint waves were sent out every 2-3 minutes, again I was watching the clock, so I know this to be fact. As for this not being a beginer friendly race, I completely disagree, the course is fairly flat with a nice bike and run. The swim course is also well laid out, the problem is when word gets out that an event is beginner friendly more individuals tend to participate, as a result the swim naturally becomes more congested. Obviously after the tragedy that occured yesterday some issues will be addressed and things will be changed for next year, I just hope people do not get discouraged and stop attending the event, it truly is well run and the course is great. If the course is too crowded, perhaps the number of participants needs to be limited. Edit: That said, this could happen at any race in any town in any state in any country. It's unfortunate it happened here, or that it happens anywhere, and likely there's not much that could've been done to prevent this tragedy. Be prepared, people, that's the only advice that seems appropriate. In traithlon you're going to get kicked, grabbed, swam over, swam under, pushed and even plunged. It sucks, but that's the sport. I tend to start on the outside back of my wave to avoid the `wash' since I'm a slow swimmer. Edited by mr2tony 2009-08-11 12:09 PM |
| 2009-08-11 4:37 PM in reply to: #2337077 |
| New user 1 | Subject: RE: Oshkosh Tragedy I think we all agree that what happened was very tragic and that there is always room for improvement. As much as we are talking and brainstorming here about making a race safer and more organized, I’m sure the Race Directors are doing the same but ten fold. Being this was my first tri I have nothing to compare it to as far as organization goes or safety. Like SSMinow I did make note of the number of life boats and life guards I saw and for some reason I expected more, but then again what do I know and I’ve never been to a race before. Also, being my first tri and going out in wave 3, I started in the back and went wide to avoid any of the collisions I’ve read so much about. Every time someone touched me or swam over me I stopped and checked my position, but for the most part a person could find open water if at least for a minute or two. It definitely spread out on the way back with very few touches, but maybe that was only on the Olympic side of the course because there were less people. It seemed like the event was well organized and run.
My thoughts and prayers go out to the family. |
| 2009-08-11 9:34 PM in reply to: #2337077 |
| Member 48 NE Wisconsin | Subject: RE: Oshkosh Tragedy What good ideas to help increase the safety. I happened to read over my training plan, a sprint plant taken from a magazine last year. It said "Try to do one or two open water swims before the race." Looking at this, I think this is not enough for someone who is a total beginner and not used to open water swimming. What I might begin to suggest to total newbies who happen to ask (not that I'm the great resource, mind you) is to sign up for the swim part of a relay the first year to focus on it. After reading the GB Press Gazette article, one was left with the idea of this being a cardiac death as opposed to a drowning. So I am reflecting on:each death this year was the first tri for all of them and all were in the sprint. If the swim-related deaths were all some undiagnosed arrhythmia, which could happen anytime under stress, over time the number of cardiac deaths should be equal in Olympic participants and sprint participants. Arrhythmias don't discriminate amongst the well or not-so-well-conditioned. Or maybe most of those people prone to arrhythmias have their arrests in their home pools early in training and we don't hear about it. I hope one of the WI Schools of Public Health follows this issue-maybe keeping a registry-and maybe some good can come from these tragedies. I hope to be at Lake Winneconne next year! Too bad 5 feet is still over my head. Anne Bib #464 |
| 2009-08-12 3:11 PM in reply to: #2337077 |
Extreme Veteran 502 Mayville, Wi | Subject: RE: Oshkosh Tragedy |
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