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ABSTRACT This study aimed to compare performance, kinematic, and physiological variables between open water and pool swimming conditions in elite triathletes and to examine the associations between conditions on these variables. Fourteen elite triathletes (10 males and 4 females 23.4 ± 3.8 years) performed two 1500‐m swimming tests in open water and in a 25‐m pool. Swimming speed, stroke rate (SR), length (SL) and index (SI), heart rate (HR), blood lactate concentrations La − , and end‐exercise oxygen uptake (EE V̇ O 2 ) were assessed in both conditions. Lower SL and SI and higher SR were obtained in open water compared with pool swimming ( p 0.6; p < 0.05). Despite physiological invariance, triathletes and coaches should monitor specific open water training to adapt their swimming technique to the competitive environment.
López‐Belmonte et al. (2024) studied this question.