Olympic Tri question

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calderst
calderst Posts: 222 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I am doing my first Olympic distance tri in June. The swim is in a river and from what I understand the water temp should be low-mid 70s. Do I need a wetsuit?

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  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
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    I haven't done an olympic but water in the low 70s is cool enough to warrant a wetsuit (plus the extra buoyancy doesn't hurt either). I'm not a great swimmer - a wetsuit helps me improve my form a bit.
  • iuangina
    iuangina Posts: 691 Member
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    How strong a swimmer are you? A wetsuit helps you float a little bit, so it can help weaker swimmers feel more confident. It is not a requirement, but with water temps in the low to mid 70s I would definitely wear one. Once the water is over 78, the wetsuit is optional and I probably wouldn't wear it because I would get too warm during the race. BTW, river swims are awesome if they are downstream. You can use the current of the river to help propel you along :)

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