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Open Water Courses - 2023 DATES NOW LIVE!

Feeling nervous about venturing into the open water? Just getting into Open Water Swimming or Triathlon? We know it can be a bit daunting at first, so we've designed these courses to improve your confidence, skills and speed. We enable you to feel safe and confident in your swimming ability in this new environment, so you can go it alone either just for fun or to complete an upcoming race with ease.

 

We'll improve your swimming technique, help you manage any anxieties you might have and you'll come away feeling inspired to jump in every week. We've offered these popular courses for over a decade now and they're back this season better than ever!

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Held at the Oxford Wakeboard & Ski Centre, Queenford Lakes, Berinsfield.

Which Level Am I?

Level 1: Open Water Confidence £35

If you’re just starting out on your open water swimming journey or a little nervous of the water, then we can help you to: 

  • Get relaxed in the water

  • Put your face in

  • Learn to float

  • Get used to a wetsuit (optional in summer)

  • Overcome any fears you might have 

  • Not stroke specific

  • You must be able to swim 25m freestyle/front crawl or breast stroke continuously to attend this course, if you can't please come on a pool based course first

  • Open to all abilities

  • One hour session (15-20 minutes in the water)

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Level 2: Beginner Open Water Skills £79

  • 3 Week Course (3 x 1 hour sessions)

  • Swimming freestyle in the open water for the first time

  • Controlling breathing, proper exhalation and staying calm

  • Swimming with your face in the water

  • Sighting to swim straight

  • Mass starts and confidence swimming close to other people

  • Managing anxieties and phobias

  • Basic stroke modifications for wetsuit swimming

  • Open water skills for endurance races such as the Henley Mile, Lock to Lock, Bridge to Bridge etc.

  • You must be able to swim 50m freestyle/front crawl or breast stroke continuously to attend this course, if you can't please come on a pool based course first

Level 3: Open Water Improver Session £35

  • 1 hour session

  • Improve your distance freestyle stroke 

  • Have any individual stroke faults corrected

  • Learn proper open water swimming technique for wetsuit and non-wetsuit swimming

  • Master breathing to both sides

  • Tune up your sighting technique

  • Learn how to pace your swimming to enable swimming over longer distances

  • Race tips

  • Training tips

  • You must be able to swim 100m freestyle , if you can't please come on a pool based course first

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Pre-Requisites

You must be able to tread water comfortably for Cold Water Swimming, swim 25m freestyle/front crawl or breastroke continuously to complete the Level 1 Course, 50m freestyle for the Level 2: Beginner Open Water Course and 100m for the Level 3: Improver Course. If you need to improve your stroke technique and endurance please also have a look at our very popular Pool Courses or book a 1:1 Pool Swimming Coaching session prior to the course starting.

"I tried swimming on my own in the lake and it was a disaster. I had a panic attack and was pretty much rescued by the safety boat. A friend and I came on the beginner skills course and we were both blown away by Annie's calm coaching nature. She was so supportive in helping build my confidence. It was great swimming around others as I had no idea I would find that so nerve wracking. By the end of the course I was confidently completing loops on my own. Thank you Annie I couldn't have done it without you!

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