H₂Open is working with Triathlon Racing Inc and MySportingTimes to create a day of open water swimming activities at the Reading Lake Hotel on Saturday 28 April 2012.

The H₂Open Day is your early season opportunity to test out the water, see the latest kit and talk to open water swimming coaches and experts. Whether you're a casual open water swimmer, racer, long-distance specialist or swim tourist they'll be something there for you. We will have coached swimming sessions, free swimming and a programme of entertaining and informative speakers. For the competitively minded there will be a 750m training race for you to gauge the success (or otherwise) of your winter training. 

The Reading Lake Hotel hosts the Tri2O swim centre operated by MySportingTimes, which will be open throughout the day.

You are also welcome to attend the presentation of the H₂Open Awards*.

This is what's on offer:

• Exhibition space - we'll be inviting leading open water swimming brands to come and demonstrate their latest kit and services
• Equipment testing - try out wetsuits and other kit (in a lake, expected water temperature 10-14 degrees!)
• Open water swimming demonstrations - watch expert swimmers demonstrate starts, turns, drafting and great open water swimming technique
• Talks and presentations - hear from the experts (see list of speakers below)
• Coached open water session - get in some pre-season practice
• Training race - a low key 750m no-pressure practice race

Tickets

Open day only: £15 (in advance), £18 (on the day)

Open day plus training race: £25 (in advance), £28 (on the day)

Take advantage of the advance booking prices and ensure your place now:

(We are using PayPal to process payments. To complete the payment process you will temporarily be taken onto PayPal's website. If you wish to pay be cheque please post total payment to "H2Open Day, 20 Burnell Avenue, Richmond, TW10 7YE" and include your email and postal address. Make cheques payable to ZG Publishing Ltd.)

Please read our Terms & Conditions and Cancellation policy.

Programme

1200:            Registration and exhibition open

1300-1620:  Lake open for equipment testing and swimming

1300-1700:  Presentations and seminars for open water swimmers

1400-1430: Demonstration swim - top level swimmers demonstrate basic open water techniques including sighting, drafting, turning, deep water starts etc.

1500-1545:  Coached open water session

1630-1700:  750m mass participation race

1800:             Exhibition closes

1800-1900:  Awards presentation

Please note, this programme is subject to change. Refer regularly to our website for any updates.

Speakers

• Nick Adams, President of the Channel Swimming & Piloting Federation, on 'Becoming a long-distance swimmer'
• Colin Hill, Marathon Swimming Technical Manager for the 2012 Olympic Games, on 'Bringing Olympic open water swimming to Hyde Park'
• Mark Bayliss, ultra-endurance athlete, on preparing for his London to Paris challenge where he's attempting to become the first person to complete the swim portion without a wetsuit.
• Dan Bullock, head coach with Swim for Tri, on 'Swimming faster in open water'
• Joel Enoch, sports scientist and H2Open nutrition editor, for a Q&A on swimming nutrition.

A detailed information pack including directions, hotel booking information (if required), cancellation policy and other terms and conditions is available here.

*(limited places available on first come, first served basis– please sign up at registration).