The Copacabana Beach, which will be home to the open water swimming at the 2016 Olympic Summer Games, have given athletes a reminder this winter season that not all open water swimming is done in rowing basins.
Record-setting 4.66 meter waves lashed the beach in June in front of the temporary structure built by the Olympic Broadcasting Services building that was constructed to support the marathon swims that take place in the 2nd week of the Olympic Games. Those waves tore down 2-meter high (over 6 feet) barriers built to protect the building, which have now been replaced by sand barriers. There is some concern about the building, which has been flooded due to the high waves, and its structural soundness – especially after a nearby elevated bike path collapsed in April of this year, killing 2.
The phenomenon isn’t new to the area, though this winter has been particularly unsettling. This past weekend, waves as high as 3 meters have been reported on the same beach.
Here’s a video of waves breaking at the Copacabana Beach last December, from Daniel Collina, to give an idea of what waves of this size look like:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=od9iuPdBhHU
The Copacabana Beach will be home to marathon swimming, triathlon, and beach volleyball during the Olympics.
In London, marathon swimming was held in The Serpentine in Hyde Park, London – an artificial recreational lake.
More video from this past weekend, courtesy Kavya Soman:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55h3Gi5rooE
Men’s 10k is tomorrow at 8:AM U.S. East Coast time.
What’s the problem? Open water swimmers should be able to handle this!
What could possibly go wrong?
Being an elite open water swimmer means adapting to changing conditions. They will be fine
Within reason, sure. Personally, I might draw the line at three meter sewage waves.
With added body parts.
I’m truly flabbergasted that surfing is not yet made a Summer Olympics sport.
King – it’s pretty close to being added for 2020. https://www.google.com/search?q=surfing+2020&oq=surfing+2020&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l2.748j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#safe=off&q=surfing+2020+swimswam
Yayy! That’s marvellous!
Well, in the US, mainly its a sport in Ca,Hawaii, and Florida, sometimes folks in the Northeast do it but not as popular.
Yay! An Olympic open water swim race that doesn’t look like it’s just being held in a big pool! (You know, sewage aside).