As a follow-up to our report on Swim England seeking clarity on training options under the United Kingdom’s revised coronavirus (COVID-19) guidelines, the organization’s CEO, Jane Nickerson, has made an important announcement via Twitter today.
In her social media post, Nickerson says, “From tomorrow (June 1st), Swim England members can do outdoor land training and outdoor swimming with a coach on the basis of 1:5, adhering to social distancing.” (meaning 1 coach to 5 swimmers)
She states that official guidance will appear on the Swim England website tomorrow, but reminds members that open water is different than pools swimming.
https://twitter.com/JMNSwimmer/status/1267150976617713671
Swim England had anticipated the possibility of open water training in small groups based on the government’s easing up of some coronavirus-related restrictions, such as the ability of 6 people stemming from different households now having the ability to meet in-person.
“This raises the possibility that land training and open water training in small groups may be allowed and we are seeking further detail on this on behalf of our members which we expect to receive next week,” read Swim England‘s statement on May 29th.
“Should this activity be permitted, we will issue guidance in due course to support our clubs and members.
“Clubs should not undertake this form of training until we have further information and guidance has been issued.”
Bring on the river punts.
“Open water is different to pools”. Swim England giving us the answers to life’s toughest questions. But it’s fine, the chosen few are back in the water at the ITC’s while anyone else with Olympic hopes can stay home and keep working on those core muscles and push ups while Swim England spend weeks developing a plan we could all put together in an afternoon.
And that is it in a nutshell. The British Swimming funded swimmers are back, the other “elite, but not quite as elite” swimmers are not. Anyone not on “the list” aiming for senior selection can forget it for next year at the very least. The gap just gets wider. It seems as if there is no rush to get the others back in the pool now that the Olympians have been taken care of.