How does pool swim event work?

I just did a tri with one last week.
1- they ask you to estimate your time for seeding
2 -it's time trial start, mine was every 10 seconds
3- you swim back and forth and after each length flip under the ropes
4-yes you can push off
5- you keep to the right and pass on the left

Edited by losta 2009-09-20 7:33 PM

Two of the three tri's I've done were pool swims. We didn't do the 'snake' thing in either, at least as I understand what the other responses were describing. We had 4 people per lane in one race and 3 people per lane in the other. In each they had us estimate our time and seeded us accordingly. We then started every ten seconds and circle swam, touching the feet of the person in front of you and passing at the wall when needed. I think I was pretty lucky and was seeded with people of very similiar abilities, I did see folks in other waves that were obviously swimming at very different speeds. I also slightly over estimated my time (by about 5 seconds per 100) as I would much rather pass people than be passed, but that's just me.

Side note, I think the OWS is soooo way much more fun! I know some new people understandably struggle with it at first, but I had both a swimming and whitewater rafting background which helped me stay more comfortable. I just loved the feel of being out in the open with a strange sense of other body's around, some you could see and some you just seemed to sense. Hard to put into words, but it was a much more enjoyable experience to me than just swimming back and forth.

I've done a few of these, and they have not all been done the same way, as the previous posters make clear.  I would read the race literature or contact the race director to find out how it works.

All of the pool swim tri's I have done have 1 to 2 swimmers per lane (1 than you have the lane to yourself, 2 than you take half of the lane and the other swimmer takes the other half)  All but one was seeded based on self reported times.  I actually had one that seeded based on when you sent your entry in. 

As others have said it can work in both ways.

Just to add though, all have involved an in-water start with no diving at the start. I find them easy and have enjoyed the pool sessions. Not yet done an OWS and really dont fancy it from everything I have read about being swum over etc.