dripping with style - Qantas

IMAGES
GETTY
Competitors in the 20th Bondi
Beach Cole Classic, 2003 PHOTOGRAPHY:
swimming
Words SUSAN OWENS
dripping with style
Shane Gould’s golden guide to ocean swimming and wetsuits.
At 6.30am on a cold winter morning in Sydney, 1972
Olympic triple gold-medallist Shane Gould, one of
Australia’s iconic “golden fish”, slips into Bondi’s
rolling waves, stroking her way beyond the break to
lap headland to headland. The water temperature has dropped
to 15 degrees, but it’s no reason to hang up her goggles – she
pulls on a wetsuit. Thousands of ocean swimmers around the
Australian coast are doing the same, making this sport a yearround
lifestyle choice.
The growing calendar of organised races (for further details,
visit www.oceanswims.com) is a focus for many swimmers,
with entries rising about 30 per cent annually. Only the very
toughest winter swimmers go without a wetsuit, bravely
claiming it robs you of that feeling of swimming with Nemo.
“The alternative is to eat your way to a layer of body fat, but
I prefer the insulation of a wetsuit,” says Gould, who enjoys
ocean swimming all year, both in Sydney and her home town
in Western Australia. Swimming and surfing in rash vests and
wetsuits since 1974, she has seen them improve, especially
with the introduction of wetsuits designed just for women.
When Gould is out of the ocean, she’s usually motivating
and teaching people how to get into it – with improved stroking
skills. Along with her US partner – international swimming
consultant Milt Nelms – Gould holds seminars around the
world, including Asia, the Middle East, Europe, UK, USA and
the Pacific region in the last 12 months (for more information,
see www.shanegould.com.au).
Gould chooses a wetsuit for comfort. “It won’t improve your
swimming technique and it won’t keep you dry, but it will keep
you warm. Combine it with one or two silicone swimming caps,
an exercise warm-up on land before and after your swim and
ocean swimming will be a pleasant experience.”
128 QANTAS QANTAS
129

swimming
Shane Gould
buying and using wetsuits: a dry run
“When you buy a wetsuit, make sure it’s designed for swimming,
not diving or surfing,” Gould says. “The popularity of triathlons
has improved wetsuit design and those reviewed here are
specifically for swimming. It should have flexibility built into the
shoulders and under the arms. Unlike a surfer’s wetsuit, it’s a
‘second skin’, smooth on the outside to minimise water
resistance and offer flotation assistance.
“The colder the water, the thicker the wetsuit. Surfers call
a long arm and leg wetsuit a ‘steamer’ for good reason. Thicker
wetsuits, at 4mm, can constrict arm strokes. That’s OK for 20-
30 minutes, but it makes a longer swim hard work. Even the
best-fitting wetsuit can cause a rash around the neckline
armpits and crotch – but don’t use vaseline as it will perish
the neoprene rubber. Lanolin is great or choose a lanolinbased
nappy rash cream.
“Know the water temperature, consider how long you plan
to be in it and choose the wetsuit thickness accordingly. Try
different makes. Women shouldn’t use a wetsuit designed for
men. It needs to be skintight as it will loosen a little over time.
You need freedom of shoulder movement and to be able to
breathe and bend your knees and elbows. If you’ve never worn
a wetsuit before, it may feel claustrophobic. Sleeveless suits
are an alternative, but they don’t offer all-round warmth.
“Roll the wetsuit down inside-out halfway to put it on. Don’t
punch it with your fingernails. A plastic bag over your feet can
help get it on over heels and ankles. Once it is on, blow into
the neck area and the suit will fill with air and sit better on your
skin. A friend can do the same for the arms.
“When you leave the ocean, put salty wetsuits and towels in
a plastic box in your car (to avoid rust). Rinse the wetsuit in
fresh water and hang it inside-out in the shade.”
130 QANTAS
OCEAN SWIMMING
the goulden rules
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Swim like you are walking, coordinating four
limbs with the body, keeping the base rhythm.
Keep energy in your body, but don’t be tense
or totally relaxed.
Swing your arms in curved lines. Take the
“corners” out of your stroke. The swing takes
you forward and connects to body rotation.
Be patient with the water, don’t grab at it. Use
the whole arm to get a hold of the water, not
just the hand.
Look down, but check your direction every 10
or so strokes.
Sighting: take a quick look at the top of a swell
during one stroke and get horizontal again
quickly. If you don’t see clearly ahead, wait
until you regain your rhythm and balance,
which may take three to six strokes, then look
again. The less you lift your head, the more
energy you conserve.
Breathe every three strokes to keep rhythm.
Exhale in the water just before you roll for air.
If you get tired – even after 30m – stop and rest
for three to five breaths, then continue.
Balance the energy throughout your body,
don’t just power through your shoulders.
In choppy water or bubbly white water take
shorter strokes – drop your arms in deeper by
putting more energy in your torso.
PHOTOGRAPHY: TINA LOPPACHER

swimming
MARINE LIFE
In her Margaret River, WA, home town, Shane swims with the
Prevelly Penguins. “Sometimes the ocean is so wild and cold in
a nor-west winter storm, we just do a tea-bag swim [dip in and
out] then sit around drinking hot coffee or chocolate. I have the
rank of Adelie penguin [the smallest Antarctic penguin]. On the
winter solstice [June 21] the Penguins swim through a bucket of
ice thrown into the sea, go out 25m then come back for a
seafood breakfast. We all get together on Clean Up Australia
Day and clean the beach at Prevelly. On the 1km ocean swim
at Prevelly just after New Year’s Eve, the Penguins join other
ocean swimmers. Many ocean races support local surf clubs,
which mostly have volunteer lifesavers patrolling beaches.”
big dip tips
“Always swim with someone close to your speed, and
never swim alone,” Gould says. “Sit, listen and wait before
a swim. Observe conditions for five to 10 minutes. Look for
rips, currents, wave size and wind direction. Tides can affect
conditions. Decide if your skill matches the situation. Plan a
place to get in and a place to get back out.
“Drink water before and after swimming. You lose a lot of
fluid making heat, energy and sweating – even in cold water.
When you first dive into cold water it can take your breath
away. Exhale and inhale consciously until you adapt to the cold.
This may take 15-60 seconds, depending on the temperature.
Focus on your exhale, even while you swim, to blow off carbon
dioxide. If you feel dizzy or get a stitch when you swim you
have probably inhaled more than you’ve exhaled.
“Mix speeds as you swim. It’s easy to get into a one-speed
groove, but ocean conditions and races may require some fast
swimming at the start, to overtake a slower swimmer, or trying
to swim onto that winning wave.
“Warm up as quickly as you can afterwards. When you begin
swimming in winter, if it takes a couple of hours to warm up, the
bad memory will act as a mental deterrent next time. A warm
(not hot) shower is best. At least peel off the wetsuit and get
dry immediately – those few minutes of cold air on damp skin
is the worst part. Have plenty of warm clothes handy including
a windproof jacket, fleecy top and pants. Pull on warm socks
and shoes. Drink fluids at body temperature until you stop
shivering. Keep moving – walk for 10-15 minutes.”
132 QANTAS
SUITS HER
Shane Gould rates the
new wave of wetsuits.
Living 4
www.living4com.au
“Neoprene suits with a large choice
of sizing, including suits specifically
for women. The suit is softer and
there’s less neck and armpit
rashing. It felt like a second skin,
but I needed to take more care
putting it on.” Bullet (pictured), $600.
Orca
www.orca.com
Orca claims its wetsuits are the
fastest in the world, with the
neoprene fabric offering supreme
buoyancy and shoulder flexibility
while minimising drag. Popular with
athletes for whom speed is a high
priority. Apex (pictured), $899.
Ironman
www.ironmanwetsuits.com
“Ironman has a suit especially
designed for women. It is functional
and warm. It’s made with triathletes
in mind. It was a little stiff for my
first two swims, but I eased into it
and it became comfortable by the
third swim.” Stealth (pictured), $699.
Radiator
www.radiatoroz.com
“This design allowed me to stay in
the water for over 20 minutes. The
suits are made in four layers, with
a nylon outer skin with a titanium
coating and an inner ‘slipskin’
lining. At 1.5mm they’re lighter than
most.” Radiator 1.5 (pictured), $423.