Open Water Beginners
This is the best place to start if you feel anxious about open water swimming. We begin with short, shoreline swims to hone your skills and build confidence, gradually progressing towards longer off-shore swims throughout the course. We will cover: wetsuit fit and comfort, open water safety, identifying hazards, reading the tide and currents, acclimatizing to colder water, breathing control, navigation skills and general technique development to improve swim efficiency.
Suitable for anyone who can swim front crawl with their face in the water for 50m without stopping.
Most courses are 6-weeks, currently limited to 8 swimmers, and cost $255 + GST.
Round 1 - Registration opens May 3 at 9:00 am
Tuesdays from 7:15 - 8:15 pm
May 25 until June 29
Wednesdays from 6:00 - 7:00 pm
May 26 until June 30
Thursdays from 7:15 - 8:15 pm
May 27 until June 24 (no class July 1st)
5 weeks for $212 + GST
Tuesdays from 12:00 - 1:00 pm
June 8 until July 13
Round 2 - Registration opens June 15 at 9:00 am
Wednesdays from 7:15 - 8:15 pm
July 7 until August 11
Thursdays from 6:00 - 7:00 pm
July 8 until August 12
Open Water Race Skills
Swim with confidence amid the chaos of triathlon or open water swim racing. We'll review the fundamentals of efficient open water swimming skills in the first few weeks and then add more specific racing skills as the course progresses. We will cover everything in the Beginner course, plus: stroke adjustments for open water racing, how to navigate and swim straight without slowing down, pacing and race strategy, starts and exits, and a fancy trick for quickly turning around the swim buoys.
Suitable for anyone who is confident getting in the ocean and can easily swim 100m+ non-stop.
Most courses are 6-weeks, currently limited to 8 swimmers and cost $255 + GST.
Round 1 - Registration opens May 3 at 9:00 am
Tuesdays from 6:00 - 7:00 pm
May 25 until June 29
Wednesday from 7:15 - 8:15 pm
May 26 until June 30
Thursday from 6:00 - 7:00 pm
May 27 until June 24 (no class July 1st)
5 weeks for $212 + GST
Wednesday afternoons from 12:00 - 1:00 pm
June 9 until July 14
Round 2 - Registration opens June 15 at 9:00 am
Tuesday from 7:15 - 8:15 pm
July 6 until August 10
Wednesday from 6:00 - 7:00 pm
July 7 until August 11
Open Water Masters
Masters classes will return this summer. Previous open water swimming experience required. Expect to start off slow with a review of the basics and gradually build to longer and faster swims throughout the summer.
To join this class you must be pre-approved by Coach Stewart.
Round 1 - Registration opens May 3 at 9:00 am
Swimmers of a similar experience and speed will be grouped together based on demand,
but likely group 1 will be for those with an average pace of 1:50 per 100m or slower,
and group 2 for those 1:50 per 100m or faster.
Mondays from 6:00 - 7:00 pm and 7:15 - 8:15 pm
9 weeks from May 31st until July 26th
Coached by Stewart & Oscar
Costs = $382 + GST
Round 2 - Registration opens June 15 at 9:00 am
New for this season, the classes that were Race Skills in round 1 will progress to be
Masters in round 2, allowing for continued progression throughout the summer .
These classes will run for 6 weeks and cost $255 + GST.
Tuesdays from 6:00 - 7:00 pm
July 6 until August 10
Thursdays from 7:15 - 8:15 pm
July 8 until August 12
our summer coaches
Mondays with Stewart & Oscar
For most of you, Coach Oscar needs no introduction! Oscar was one of my first coaching clients back in 2012 and now he is one of the most experienced open water coaches around, with 7+ years of coaching experience and 20+ triathlon and open water swim races under his belt. Don’t be fooled by that mean face and death stare though, Oscar is notoriously laid back and calm under pressure. Fun fact: Oscar despises cold water, but was the first coach to get in the ocean this year! Oscar will be coaching on Monday evenings this summer.
Tuesdays with Stewart & Lishan
Lishan initially joined Stewart five years ago to prepare for his first Ironman and has been involved at every tier of swim classes since. Currently training for his third Ironman, Lishan has completed 15+ triathlons of all distances, is the age-group Provincial Champion in both Olympic and Half-Iron distance triathlons, as well as 2020 Canadian Masters Swim Champion in the 200m Breaststroke! As a strength & conditioning coach, massage therapist, and one of the best athletes around Lishan brings valuable experience to our coaching team and will be working with Stewart on Tuesday evening's this summer. Fun fact - Lishan can out run the wind!
Wednesdays with Stewart & Hannah
Hannah is a former collegiate swimmer specializing in distance freestyle and butterfly. She has a strong coaching background working with swim teams and triathletes. For the past 5 years Hannah has been coaching open water swimming, surfing and bodysurfing in Costa Rica and Massachusetts, primarily working with triathletes who have a fear of the open water, guiding them through relaxation drills and technique work to develop their confidence. Hannah will be coaching with Stewart on Wednesday evenings this summer. Welcome to Vancouver!
Thursdays with Stewart & Joseph
Joseph has been a swim client for many years, initially working his way up through the technique courses and now consistently training with the masters group (and even doing some masters racing now and then). Currently training for his first Ironman, he has a wealth of triathlon training and racing experience, having completed 6 half-irons and 15+ sprint and olympic events. Having previously coached and mentored Team In Training first-time triathletes and marathoners, this summer Joseph is returning for his second coaching season, helping Stewart on Thursday evenings. Fun fact: an avid strongman, Joseph can deadlift a baby Orca!
Welcome to Swim Smart!
Come in and take a look around. Feel free to get in touch and tell me a little about your current swim ability and goals so we can work out the best option for you to improve. Coach Stewart