race anxiety

Hi all

I'm doing an open water sprint race on Sunday. It is at a venue I have raced at earlier in the year (in bad weather and a longer course). The swim takes place in a lake, the bike course is flat and fast and on the side of the lake shielded from the wind (if I remember correctly from the last course) the run is an out and back on the other side.

I'm getting anxious about the race, mainly I'm nervous about the swim. I've just received a new wetsuit which replaces a faulty one that I've been wearing this season. It doesn't seem flexible as the previous one, probably because its new, its an upgrade to an ORCA Sonar (from an EVO) so it should be more flexible. I have soaked it a few times and wore it in the pool at training last night, but I really feel it is slowing down my swim and making it harder.

So I'm mainly nervous of the swim, I've had three OW races so far, the first swim was horrible, but I really enjoyed the other two. And I don't want a repeat of the first one. I think I've got enough training time under my belt to get through the race but would like to do better than in my previous races and have a strong end to the season (strong for me anyway)

So how do you handle race anxiety? And I'd be very grateful if anyone has any advice to offer on the wetsuit thing.

thanks for your help
xx