By Andy Jacobs

Today, I want to delve into a skill that’s absolutely vital in open water swimming: sighting and navigation. It’s a skill that can make or break your performance in the open water, and here’s why.

Did you know that you can add 20 percent or more to your overall open water swim race distance by not sighting effectively or often enough? We often see GPS swim tracks where swimmers have gone further than they expected. For example, swimming 2700m in a 1900m IRONMAN 70.3 swim due to poor sighting. Sighting every six to eight strokes and checking on your navigation reference regularly is important to swimming and sighting effectively (and ensuring that you swim in a straight line). It’s best to sight on something higher like a darker tree, building, or spire, than a buoy in the water! Learning to sight efficiently while swimming in open water saves time and energy.

Sighting is a key skill to develop as an open water swimmer. Once you leave the pool lines below, it’s only sighting that will help you swim straight. Sighting is the act of looking up from your stroke to identify your surroundings and guide the direction you’re swimming in. It identifies hazards and keeps you on your swim path. Being good at sighting stops zigzagging, giving you a competitive advantage in races. But it’s equally important for recreational swimmers, who need to look out for hazards ahead, whether that’s fallen trees in a river or boats.

Sight after you breathe, there’s more time for water to clear from your goggles, thus improving visibility, and less drag from pulling your head directly forward out of the water. Practice sighting off landmarks such as highly visible buildings or other structures on shore. Don’t rely solely on race buoys as they can be harder to see while in the water. In a race choose these landmarks beforehand while you’re warming up or during practice swims.

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Drills to Improve Your Sighting

Practice sighting by turning your head slightly forward either before or after taking a breath. When sighting after a breath, you are more likely to rely on peripheral vision, which will also reduce drag. The greater the distance you’re covering, the more important sighting is.

• Alligator Eyes Drill: In the pool, practice lifting your eyes just above the surface (like an alligator) with each stroke to glance forward without lifting your whole head. It conserves energy and keeps you aligned.

• Buoy Turns: Set up markers in open water and practice swimming straight towards them, then making sharp turns. It’s great for simulating race conditions.

• Landmark Alignment: Choose a fixed landmark and practice swimming towards it in open water. This helps in straight-line swimming and improves your orientation skills.

In conclusion, sighting and navigation are skills that require practice and attention. They’re as important as your stroke technique or your endurance. In the open water, they’re your guides, helping you navigate the vast, lane-less expanse. So, take the time to master these skills – your race times and overall open water experience will thank you for it.

Happy swimming, and remember – keep your eyes on the prize (quite literally)!