The Science and Art of Open Water Swimming

One idea that stayed with me from my conversation with Brenton Ford:

Perfect technique doesn’t always survive open water.

In the pool, we can control the environment — pace, rhythm, movement.

In open water, things change. Conditions shift. Fatigue builds. Decisions matter.

At some point, it becomes less about how your stroke "looks"
and more about how well it holds together when things aren’t ideal.

That might mean:
• A slightly higher stroke rate
• Breathing adapting to conditions
• Letting go of symmetry to keep momentum

It’s not about abandoning technique —
it’s about knowing what to hold onto, and what to let adapt.

🎧 The full conversation with Brenton is in the latest episode (link in bio)

New Episode 🎧
Brenton Ford: Technique, Feel and Effortless Swimming in Open Water

Much of the conversation around swimming technique is built around what it should look like in the pool. But in open water, conditions change, fatigue builds and perfection rarely holds.

In this episode, I speak with Brenton Ford about what actually matters when technique meets reality - how swimmers adapt their stroke, how decision‑making becomes critical and why trying to be “perfect” can sometimes hold swimmers back.

We explore:
How pool technique translates (and breaks down) in open water
The gap between what swimmers think they’re doing and what’s actually happening
Why improvement is often about doing less, not more
What “effortless” swimming really means in practice

A really enjoyable conversation — and one I think will resonate with both swimmers and coaches.

🎧 Available now on your usual podcast platform

“I’d be interested to hear — what feels hardest to maintain when you move from the pool into open water?”

“Maintain your momentum, stay horizontal, don’t lift your head.”

One of the many practical insights from this week’s conversation with Mel Tantrum on open water swimming, coaching and high-performance sport.

We also discussed:

🌊 Race positioning and decision-making in open water

🏊‍♂️ Athlete development and coaching philosophy

🧠 Preparing athletes for unpredictable environments

🇦🇺 Leadership across open water and para swimming

A thoughtful conversation with plenty for swimmers and coaches alike.

🎧 Episode available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and other podcast platforms.

🎙️ New Episode Out Now

This week on the podcast, I’m joined by Mel Tantrum — one of Australia’s most experienced swimming coaches, with a career spanning open water, high performance and now para swimming at the national level.

Mel shares insights from her journey through the sport, including:
🏊‍♂️ Coaching open water athletes and preparing swimmers for unpredictable race environments
🌊 Race tactics, turns, positioning and decision-making in open water
🧠 Athlete development and coaching philosophy
🇦🇺 Leadership experiences within Australian swimming and the para pathway

It was a thoughtful and wide-ranging conversation with plenty for swimmers, coaches and anyone interested in high-performance sport.

🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or your preferred podcast platform.

If you enjoy the episode, feel free to share it with a training partner, coach or fellow swimmer — and a rating/review always helps support the podcast.

🎧 ICYMI Dave Budge

Behind every triathlon or open water event is a huge amount of planning, coordination and decision‑making — much of it invisible to participants.

In my recent conversation with Dave Budge, we reflect on how water safety and risk management have evolved over the past 30+ years and what it takes to deliver safe, meaningful events at scale.

🎙️ Episode available now

🎙️ New episode out now

Dave Budge has spent more than three decades delivering some of WA’s most iconic triathlon and open water events — from the Busselton Jetty Swim to the South32 Rottnest Channel Swim.

In this episode, we talk about how water safety, risk management and decision‑making have evolved, what goes on behind the scenes at mass participation events, and what years of experience can teach us about delivering safe and meaningful open water experiences.

🎧 Listen now



Triathlon Western Australia Inc | Busselton Festival of Triathlon | The Event Team

“Performance and wellbeing aren’t separate - especially for women.”
- A/Prof Claire Badenhorst

On Mother’s Day, it felt important to revisit this conversation.

In this episode, Claire spoke about women’s physiology, iron, recovery, and the often unseen demands that shape health, sport, and performance over time.It’s a reminder that understanding the body better is one way we can support women — in sport, in life, and in all the roles they carry.

🎧 Episode 11: A/Prof Claire Badenhorst — Women’s Physiology, Iron & Performance Wellbeing

Link in bio.

Experience teaches things the data alone can’t.

New episode with Dina Levačić - on preparation, recovery, risk, and staying healthy in marathon swimming.

🎙️ From Channel Swims to Researching Adaptation

Out now.

🎙️ New podcast episode out now

I first met Dina Levačić at UWA Exercise & Sport Science, where she visited to learn more about our research on SIPE and shared her own work with staff and students. Soon after, she took on the Rottnest Channel Swim — a local swim set within an extraordinary global marathon swimming journey.

Dina has gone on to complete the Ocean’s Seven and is now a PhD researcher focused on understanding how swimmers experience health, risk, recovery and adaptation over time.

In this episode, we discuss:
• how pain and risk become normalised
• the importance of support crews and experiential knowledge
• recovery beyond the physical
• and staying in the sport long enough to enjoy it

🎧 Dina Levačić: From Channel Swims to Researching Adaptation
Available now wherever you listen to podcasts.

Thanks to Dina for such an open and thoughtful conversation.