One of the most influential books in the open water swimming community includes the first-hand reports compiled by Conrad Wennerberg in his authoritative book, Wind, Waves and Sunburn: A Brief History of Marathon Swimming.

The book focused on the exploits of professional marathon swimmers and many of the most famous marathon swims from the 1920’s to the 1960’s. The book was published in 1999 and remains available in paperback (see Amazon here).

We find it interesting and quite profoundly accurate that Wennerberg, a lifelong swimmer and an Honor Administrator in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (Class of 1977), titled his book with three key parameters of open water swimming: Wind, Waves, and Sunburn.

Wind

Wind can be the bane of every open water swim and swimmer. When the winds come up, the calm surface can become turbulent with surface chop and oncoming or lateral waves.

Waves

Waves can also be the bane of every open water swim and swimmers. When the waves come up, the swim can turn from easy and comfortable to extremely difficult and impossible.

Sunburn

Sunburn is caused by an overexposure to ultraviolet radiation, a common visible effect of swimming too long outdoors.

We find it interesting that Wennerberg did not use other meteorological elements, oceanographical conditions or marine life in his title. He did not use the words currents or tides in his title. He did not use sunshine or cold, hypothermia or hyperthermia, as part of his title. He did not use jellyfish or sharks.

Wennerberg stuck with wind first, waves second, and sunburn third. Nothing more, nothing less.

When we hear of a windy day out in the ocean or in a lake, we know the conditions will be tough. We have the same impression when we hear there will be waves on the open water course. We know the swim will be more difficult than normal. And we know our telltale visual clue that we have spent a long time out in the water is a sunburn, even on a cloudy day.

Wennerberg captured the main elements of the sport just right.

© 2023 Daily News of Open Water Swimming

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