It's the time of year when you take to the open water. You know you need a wetsuit, but have you considered a change of goggles? The small, clear goggles you've been using in the pool won't stand up to the demands of the open water.When it comes

When you're starting out in triathlon, one of the most important bits of kit you'll buy is your wetsuit. For those lacking a little confidence in the water, making the right choice is crucial, but even if you're comfortable ploughing through chilly

and wasted no time in asking him exactly how each and every one of us can make big improvements in the pool or open water. Now a Speedo coach, Furniss has coached elite swimmers at Olympic, World, European and Commonwealth level. We asked him to identify

wetsuit in open water. It's important not to get too attached to your pull buoy, though: it will make swimming feel a lot easier, but don't let it become a security blanket.Zoggs' pull buoy (£5.99, www.zoggs.com, above) is layered for maximum buoyancy

Man Triathlon and her local Southwater Relay. "I ride the route beforehand if I can," she says. "I've driven courses before, just to get an idea of what I'm in for. It helps me to know what's around the next corner. I swim regularly in the lake I'll be racing

. At the end of an open-water swim, try to keep moving. Many athletes will stop abruptly, creating a bottleneck that affects those further back in the field. Similarly, moving away from the mount/dismount line of the bike leg will help avoid congestion. Should

Keri-Anne Payne's name is synonymous with open-water swimming. She won silver in the gruelling 10km marathon swim at the 2008 Beijing Summer Games, when open-water made its Olympic debut.With London 2012 quickly approaching, Keri-Anne is predicted