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What if every pool program could also be an open water program? We sit down with Fernando Possenti, Swimming Australia’s new Open Water Head Coach, to talk about his blueprint for building race‑smart swimmers—starting with juniors, scaling to elites, and aiming at LA 2028 and Brisbane 2032. Fernando explains how to keep most training in the pool for control and consistency, then layer in the skills that decide races: sighting, buoy turns, feeding and clean positioning under pressure. He makes a compelling case for racing often at home, using formats like the Australian Cup to create real stakes, real feedback and real pathways to World Cups.

We dig into tactics you can use this weekend. Learn when to sit on toes versus ribs, how to read line and triangle packs, and the simple buoy‑check that keeps you connected to leaders. Hear how feeding plans shift with loop length, heat and salinity, and how to practice feeds in the pool so chaos at the pontoon doesn’t rattle your race. Fernando also shares weekly training outlines and why composure after contact saves the energy you need for the final surge.

The mental game is the next frontier. A 10K demands two hours of sharp focus and rapid decisions, a tall ask in a short‑attention world. Fernando outlines practical ways to build attention and decision quality: detailed debriefs, cognitive drills for peripheral vision, and a culture that rewards calm responses over emotional reactions. He also unpacks event innovation—from skins‑style 1Ks to richer live data and scenic point‑to‑point courses—that can make open water more watchable without losing its soul. At the heart of it all is a mantra worth taping to your bottle: dream big or small, the work is the same. Australia owns pool excellence; open water is the next frontier.

If this conversation fired you up, follow the show, share it with your squad, and leave a quick review so more swimmers and coaches can find it. Got a drafting or feeding tip that changed your racing? Tell us—we’ll feature the best on a future episode.

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Not all champions are built in perfect conditions — and Chantal Naassana is a powerful case in point.

A three-time Masters World Champion and national champion for both Egypt and the United States, Chantal shares how she returned to elite racing after moving from Cairo to the US, navigating Minnesota winters, a full-time career and a training life largely built on her own terms. Guided by online coaches and anchored by consistency, she’s crafted a high-performance approach that proves squads and daily deck side feedback aren’t the only path to world-class results.

In this episode of Torpedo Swimtalk Podcast Chantal breaks down the nuts and bolts of training solo: how to use the pace clock as your training partner, set precise intensity targets and keep sessions efficient without sacrificing quality. We talk strength and speed — phasing from force to power before major meets and using tools like sponge drag, parachutes, fins, and broken swims to convert strength into race-day speed.

The conversation also goes deeper. Chantal opens up about racing her first Masters World Championships in Japan just one week after losing her father — and how swimming became both an anchor and an outlet in that moment. We explore mindset, visualisation (especially for the 200) and why recovery, sleep, and nutrition aren’t extras — they are the training.

With eyes on more long-course racing and Budapest 2027, and a growing passion for coaching Masters swimmers, Chantal’s message is clear: you don’t need perfect circumstances — you need intention, patience, and belief.

This is an episode for swimmers building something meaningful alongside real life — and doing it well.

🎧 Press play, steal the ideas, and swim your own way forward.

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#swim #swimmer #swimming #mastersswimmer #mastersswimmers #mastersswimming #openwaterswimmer #openwaterswimmers #openwaterswimming #swimminglover #swimmingpodcast #mastersswimmingpodcast #torpedoswimtalkpodcast #torpedoswimtalk #tstquicksplashpodcast #podcast #podcaster #podcastersofinstagram #swimmersofinstagram #swimlife #swimfit #ageisjustanumber #health #notdoneyet

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What does it take to win an open water race when the water itself feels like a warm bath? On this week's Torpedo Swimtalk Podcast we sit down with Australian Masters standout Sharon Crisafi to unpack the 3km World Masters title she earned in Singapore - where heat, humidity and chop turned the race into a physiological and tactical puzzle. Sharon breaks down how she and her coach built a plan around the environment: hunting down warm indoor pools during winter, adding a wetsuit to simulate heat stress, and drilling race pace sets until the target speed felt familiar under fatigue.

We walk through the race from the pontoon to the final touch: drafting early to curb pacing nerves, taking the lead on lap two when the tempo dipped, and holding form through lap three. Sharon shares why she skipped mid-race fluids, how she fought to rehydrate after, and what she’d change next time. We zoom out to her full training picture—core pool sessions a week, open water practice, and strength work built around the swim chain with endurance-focused reps.

You’ll hear practical open water tactics you can copy right away: sighting advice, reading currents and ferry wake and understanding why ocean pace rarely equals pool pace. Sharon also opens up about managing nerves and aiming for Budapest with a realistic plan for freshwater and a deeper field.

If you care about open water strategy, heat acclimation, and training that respects real life while still chasing fast, this conversation is a blueprint.

Enjoyed the show? Follow or subscribe, leave a quick review, and share this episode with a swimmer who loves the ocean. Your support helps more athletes find Torpedo Swimtalk.

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You can connect with Torpedo Swimtalk:
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Torpedo Swimtalk is sponsored by AMANZI SWIMWEAR

#swim #swimmer #swimming #mastersswimmer #mastersswimmers #mastersswimming #openwaterswimmer #openwaterswimmers #openwaterswimming #swimminglover #swimmingpodcast #mastersswimmingpodcast #torpedoswimtalkpodcast #torpedoswimtalk #tstquicksplashpodcast #podcast #podcaster #podcastersofinstagram #swimmersofinstagram #swimlife #swimfit #ageisjustanumber #health #notdoneyet