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Safety Management For Open Water Workouts

May 5, 2021

As we progress towards warmer weather across BC many member’s have been inquiring about open water training opportunities.  Open water training will definitely create opportunity for Masters as they can move from limitations placed on training by the Provincial Health Order (PHO) from 2 per session indoors, to 10 outdoors (physically distancing 3m).   

For Masters and any Age Group programs looking to move training outdoors, we’ve expanded last year’s Open Water Swimming recommendations to a more comprehensive “Safety Management for Open Water Workouts” document.  If your club is planning open water activities, we ask that club boards become familiar with this document, particularly to ensure open water activities are ‘permitted’ by waterway authorized governing bodies, and that Health Authorities deem water quality safe for swimming activities.  Coaches are encouraged to develop safety plans and ensure introduction to open water swimming is taken seriously with inexperienced, novice and younger participants.   

A quick note regarding competition, we do not anticipate the current province-wide restrictions and PHO limitations to be eased in a substantive manner to permit open water competition this summer.