The Science and Art of Open Water Swimming
The Science and Art of Open Water Swimming explores what it really takes to swim well and safely, in open water. Hosted by endurance swimming coach and sport scientist Grant Landers, the podcast brings together swimmer stories, coaching insights, and evidence-based science to unpack performance, preparation, and decision-making in unpredictable environments. Each episode features conversations with open water swimmers, triathletes, coaches, and researchers, covering topics such as training alongside work and family life, adapting to conditions, managing uncertainty, and learning from both success and setbacks. The podcast is informed by Grant’s work coaching endurance swimmers and triathletes, as well as his research at the University of Western Australia, but it’s intended for the broader open water swimming community. Whether you’re preparing for your first open water event or refining your performance at the endurance end of the sport, this is where swimmers, science, and the sea converge.
Episodes
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 also reflecting on her own experience...
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 adult swimmers, coaches and anyone na...
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 reshaped her relationship with spo...
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-spenc...
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 more enjoyable.
Links mentioned...
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 about Nat’s work: https://northbri...
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 Gaby’s work at: https://www.intenseatf...
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 the Traditional Custodians of this ...
In this episode of The Science and Art of Open Water Swimming, I’m joined by April Mobsby to discuss her progression from a team swim to a duo, and now preparation for a solo Rottnest Channel crossing. We explore confidence, reflection, pacing, and what it means to learn to trust your body as the distances increase.
This interview was recorded on Whadjuk Noongar Boodjar. I acknowledge the Noongar people as the Traditional Custodi...
In this episode, Tyson Landers shares his journey into open water swimming, the challenges that shaped him along the way, and what he’s learned about resilience, preparation, and embracing the longer path when conditions and life don’t go to plan.
This interview was recorded on Whadjuk Noongar Boodjar. I acknowledge the Noongar people as the Traditional Custodians of this land and pay my respects to Elders past and present
Episode 1 is live.
This podcast isn’t about training plans or race results.
It’s about the people, decisions, and experiences that shape open water swims and what we can learn from them.
In this short episode, I explain why I wanted to start these conversations and what to expect from future episodes.
If there’s someone you think I should talk to on the podcast, let me know.
This was recorded on Whadjuk Nyungar Boodjar. I acknow...
A short introduction to The Science and Art of Open Water Swimming — exploring what it really takes to swim well and safely in open water, where experience, preparation, and science meet.
This was recorded on Whadjuk Nyungar Boodjar. I acknowledge the Whadjuk Nyungar people as the Traditional Custodians of this land and pay my respects to Elders past and present
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