Skills for Open Water - Drafting

The most important thing to know about drafting is that you definitely want to do it. If you can stay right behind another swimmer, you’re using about 30% less energy than when you’re swimming on your own, and that can be a huge advantage in a long race or in a triathlon.

You get the most powerful draft when you’re directly behind another swimmer...and the best place to be is right on their feet.

The farther back you are, the less draft you’ll get, but if you’re directly behind someone, you can feel the effect from up to 10 meters away.

When I’m drafting right at someone’s feet, I try to keep my stroke the same as in the pool -- nice and long. I don’t try to avoid their feet, but sometimes I’ll send my hand a little to the side so I’m not constantly hitting them.

When I’m drafting, and if I trust the person in front of me and know he’s sighting, I’m not going to sight. I want to keep a normal stroke with normal breathing, and not waste energy by lifting my eyes.

When it’s time to make a move and pass someone, you’ve got to go with it and go all the way through. It takes energy to pass someone, so if you’re going to use energy, you want it to equal results. You want to make sure you complete the pass. You don’t want to go half way and then think, nah...I’ll just drop back.

When you pass, you want to put a couple of feet between you and the other swimmer.

As you pass, you’ll still get some drafting effect when you’re at their knees.

But when you get to their hip, you’re no longer drafting and you’re actually slowing each other down.

The worst place to swim is right at someone’s hip. So when you pass, go a little bit wide and make sure you get past them. If you don’t, you’re better off getting behind them so you get the draft.

The best place to practice drafting is in open water. But if you have a 50-meter pool, you can practice leap-frog swimming. Several people swim in one lane and the person in the back sprints up to the front. Do one length at a time and take turns being at the back.