1. Review the Course - Check for rips and currents when reviewing the course. Taking the fastest route via a rip may not necessarily be the straight line off of the beach, but it will get you to the turn buoy in record time.

2. The Start - Avoid the "centre field", "middle of the pack" position on the beach. Outside start position with a clear line to the first buoy is more advantageous.

3. Slipstreaming – The best position is on the outside, preferably behind someone's feet. Avoid getting boxed in the middle or you will get hammered on both sides. Think horse racing; the worst position is against the fence as you cannot get out. If you cannot get out, stop and duck under and out of the way, then go to the back of the pack or onto the outside of the person next to you.

4. Open Water 'Sighting' - The key to proper navigation. Lifting your head too often will slow you down, but if you don't do it enough you may veer off course. A good school of thought would be to 'sight' every 5 or 6 strokes. If you have a naturally straight swimming stroke you may go to every 10 strokes. Most swimmers 'sight' as they are exhaling, then lower their eyes back into the water, turn to the side for a normal breath. The key is to only lift your eyes high enough to see the buoy or other landmark that you are using for sighting. It's good to practice this move in the pool. Practice the drill in the middle 20 metres because the walls at either end can be less forgiving.

5. The Final Sprint – You've rounded the last turn buoy and you're heading back into the beach/finish. So far you have been primarily using your upper body muscle group. Now it's time to bring in the legs and lower body. To help get the blood to move to the lower extremities increase your kick the last 100m of the swim.