Drafting in swimming
SwimLow-pressure zone behind a faster swimmer that reduces your drag and conserves energy.
Swimming in the draft of a slightly faster swimmer can cut your energy use by 10-20%. The optimal position is behind their feet (0.5-1 m) or off to their side (hip level). In long-distance triathlon, swim drafting is ALLOWED, unlike bike drafting which is penalized. Learning to position in a draft is a trainable skill.
In TriPaced:
In TriPaced, long-distance race swim tips include a wave-start placement strategy to exploit the draft of slightly faster swimmers.
Source Chatard J.C. & Wilson B., 2003 : Drafting distance in swimming (Med Sci Sports Exerc)