Effect of surface waves on overarm swimming performance and behaviour

Effect of surface waves on overarm swimming performance and behaviour

Status: Complete

Researchers

• Scott Draper
  Associate Professor, Oceans Graduate School, UWA
• Justin Geldard
• Xander Lim
• Benjamin Turner

Project Description

Almost all open water swimming events (including the 10 km Olympic swimming race) occur in the presence of surface waves. This characteristic is one of the factors which distinguishes open water swimming from pool swimming. Nevertheless, despite this difference very little research has been undertaken to investigate how surface waves influence swimming performance (i.e. speed) and behaviour(i.e. coordination). This project undertook swimming experiments in the newly refurbished 54 m long wave flume at UWA’s Shenton Park field station. Four elite swimmers swam lengths of the flume whilst swimming both into and with regular waves of varying period and amplitude. The overarm motion of the swimmers was captured to assess performance and behaviour, and it is hoped this will enable better understanding of this unique fluid-structure interaction problem. The work was also undertaken with the support of A/Prof. Grant Landers and colleagues from the School of Human Science (Exercise and Sport Science).