The Science and Art of Open Water Swimming

Adam O'Byrne's endurance sport journey spans Ironman triathlon, multiple Rottnest Channel crossings and the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming. In this first part of our conversation, Adam reflects on his progression from AFL football and paramedic shift work into Ironman racing, qualifying for Kona and eventually discovering marathon swimming. We discuss his first solo Rottnest crossing, the les...

In this episode, Grant sits down with Dr Jen Walsh, a sleep scientist at the University of Western Australia, for a practical and grounded conversation about sleep — not as an optimisation strategy, but as a fundamental part of everyday life. Together, they explore how sleep works, why it matters, and how it fits into the realities of early mornings, work, family demands, and imperfect routines. T...

  In this episode, Grant speaks with Dr Terry Griffiths, ocean engineer, long-distance swimmer and recent finisher of the Australian Triple Crown of open water swimming. Terry’s journey into the water hasn’t been about chasing podiums but about curiosity, persistence and a desire to better understand the ocean. From his early experiences around the water through to completing three very different...

In this episode, Grant sits down with high-performance triathlon coach Warwick Dalziel to explore the evolving role of the swim in elite draft-legal racing. Drawing on over 20 years of coaching experience — from junior development pathways through to Olympic and Commonwealth success — Warwick shares how the swim has shifted from a point of separation to a high-speed, highly skilled entry into the...

  From Rottnest to Celtman—adapting to cold water, managing effort, and learning to race in extreme conditions. In this episode, I’m joined by Duncan Kinnear, an endurance athlete whose journey spans the Rottnest Channel Swim, Ironman racing, and the unique demands of Celtman in Scotland. We explore how different environments fundamentally change the experience of open water swimming—from warm, lo...

🟢 New to the podcast? Start here. This episode brings together what actually matters in open water swimming.   Over the past six months, this podcast has explored open water swimming through the voices of swimmers, coaches, scientists and practitioners. In this episode, we step back and reflect.   What actually matters when you’re out in the water - when conditions change, plans break down and th...

What makes good swimming technique actually hold up in open water?   In this episode, Grant speaks with swim coach, entrepreneur and Effortless Swimming founder Brenton Ford about the gap between pool swimming and the realities of open water. From stroke mechanics and breathing patterns to racing strategy, mindset and lifelong improvement, Brenton shares insights drawn from nearly two decades of c...

In this episode, I’m joined by Mel Tantrum, one of Australia’s most experienced swimming coaches, with a career spanning open water, high performance and now para swimming at the national level.   Mel reflects on her journey from swimmer to coach, the experiences that shaped her coaching philosophy and the lessons she wishes she had known earlier in her own swimming career. We explore the unique d...

In this episode, Grant speaks with Dave Budge, one of Western Australia’s most influential figures in triathlon and mass participation sport, about how water safety, risk management and event delivery have evolved over the past three decades. As a Life Member of Triathlon WA and Race Director for more than 200 triathlons,  along with major open water swims including the Busselton Jetty Swim and th...

In this episode, Grant speaks with Dina Levačić, an elite marathon swimmer, Ocean’s Seven finisher and emerging researcher, about what years of extreme open water swimming can teach us about health, risk and adaptation.   Dina reflects on the lived experience of channel swimming: how pain, fatigue, cold and uncertainty become normalised over time; the role of support crews and community knowledge...

In this episode of The Science and Art of Open Water Swimming, I’m joined by recently retired professional triathlete and coach Kate Bevilaqua to explore the role of swimming in non‑drafting long‑course triathlon. With the Busselton 100 marking the close of the WA triathlon season, this conversation looks at how athletes should think about the swim not as a standalone effort, but as the first deci...

In this episode, Grant is joined by Vicki Delves to explore what it really takes to help people feel confident, capable and supported as they begin their journey into open water swimming. Drawing on her experience coaching beginners and working closely with multisport athletes, Vicki shares how she helps swimmers translate fundamental skills into confidence in real‑world environments. The conversa...

This episode was originally recorded for Dr Kate Baldwin’s podcast, The Distance Dr: In Practice, and is republished here with permission. In this conversation, Kate and I unpack one of the most persistent ideas in endurance sport — that lighter is always faster. We explore where this belief comes from, how it has been reinforced through measurement culture and why it is often oversimplified or mi...

In this episode, Grant speaks with engineer and open‑water swimmer Mariko Collins about how swimmers move in waves, and what those forces feel like in the body. Drawing on her research and her recent first solo Rottnest Channel crossing, Mariko reflects on adaptation, curiosity, and the psychological challenges that emerge when things start to unravel late in a long swim.   This interview was reco...

In this episode, I speak with Glenn Taylor, race director of the Lake Argyle Swim, about what it takes to create and safely deliver one of Australia’s most unique open water events. They explore freshwater swimming, reduced buoyancy, big‑lake conditions, risk management, and why Lake Argyle can behave more like an inland sea than a typical lake.   For more information on the Lake Argyle Swim visit...

In this episode, I’m joined by Dr Kate Baldwin - a physiotherapist, sport scientist, former professional triathlete and Rottnest Channel solo swimmer. We explore injury in swimmers and endurance athletes, focusing on why injuries occur and how they can be prevented. Kate shares practical insights on common swimmer injuries, the role of strength training in endurance sport, and how athletes can bet...

Qantas pilot Adam Knight shares the journey from years of team swims to committing to a solo Rottnest Channel crossing. Balancing irregular rosters, structured training and lessons from the podcast, Adam prepared meticulously for the challenge. When the official event was cancelled, he and his son Patrick organised an out-of-event tandem crossing - turning months of preparation into one of the mos...

  In this episode, Associate Professor Claire Badenhorst joins the show to explore the science of women’s health and performance in endurance sport. We discuss menstrual health literacy, iron regulation, hepcidin, and how female athletes can better understand their bodies to support training and wellbeing.   Claire shares insights from her research career across Australia and New Zealand, while al...

After months of preparation for a long‑distance swim, many athletes reach the finish line without a plan for what comes next. In this episode, strength and conditioning coach Ryan Evernden breaks down what smart recovery really looks like, from rehydration and real food to gentle movement, early mobility, and the first steps back into training. A practical and evidence-informed conversation for ad...

In 2024, Felicity Sheedy-Ryan lined up for her first solo Rottnest Channel Swim. Fit, prepared, and ready — only for the race to be abandoned mid-crossing in some of the worst conditions in the event’s history. For many swimmers, that would have been the end of the story. In this episode, Flick reflects on what it meant to have a deeply personal goal taken away, how injury and identity had already...

Marathon swimmer and exercise physiologist Dr Angela Spence joins the podcast to unpack what happens to the heart, lungs and body temperature during long open water swims. We discuss swimming induced pulmonary oedema (SIPE), hypothermia, and emerging considerations around female physiology and individual variability in endurance swimming.   Instagram  @dr_angie_phd LinkedIn:  angela-spence-69a682a...

  Join me as I talk with Dr Olivia “Liv” Stewart an experienced channel swimmer and optometrist, about the relationship between vision, confidence, and performance in open water. We unpack practical sighting techniques, smart goggle choices, and how to navigate changing conditions with more calm and control. A must‑listen for anyone who wants their open water swimming to feel smoother, safer, and...

Endurance open water swimming is as much a psychological challenge as it is a physical one, yet mental preparation is often overlooked. In this episode, psychologist and Rottnest solo swimmer Nathaniel Wells explores how swimmers can work with discomfort, uncertainty, motivation, and self-talk during long swims, while also protecting their mental wellbeing before and after big events.   Learn more...

Sports nutritionist and triathlete Gaby Villa joins the podcast to discuss nutrition for long open water swims, with a focus on fuelling strategies and the practical realities of feeding in the water during events like the Rottnest Channel Swim. Gaby shares common mistakes swimmers make, how to plan and practise nutrition, and why effective fuelling needs to be individualised. Learn more about Gab...

In this episode, I’m joined by Professor Scott Draper, an experienced Channel swimmer and ocean scientist, to explore how waves influence swimmers and how route optimisation can improve both performance and safety during Channel swims. link to the route optimisation website: https://www.rcs.optiswim.com/   This interview was recorded on Whadjuk Noongar Boodjar. I acknowledge the Noongar people as...