How to make open water 10K races safer - Cold water and wetsuits!

Premise & Inference: Both hot water and 100-degree air temps plus a profoundly long swim were the most likely issues that led to Fran Crippen's death. He most likely drowned after going hyperthermic but may have survived if he had instantaneous access to a lifeguard or flotation device.

Note, Christine Jennings is the living example of what most likely happened since she and four others were rushed to the hospital for hydration and high core-temp treatment. (Also consider that the winner Thomas Lurz was highly critical of the same swimming conditions that Jennings suffered through.)

This obviously infers that hot water and hot air temps are a dangerous mix for an open water event. The body cannot cool itself via evaporative cooling nor can the body hydrate itself fast enough when it is in trouble. (Diana Nyad, is another case in point when she required 4-liters of IV fluid to recover form a 89-degree water swim.) Thus, the potential for overheating, unconsciousness, and even death is a de facto high risk and this must be confronted aggressively.

Conclusion: All races should be held in water that is on the cool side - 65-degree temps or less. That athletes MUST have an instantaneous access to flotation aids (read "flotation aids" as a mandatory wetsuits), so as to assist any athlete in staying above the water if they are fighting unconsciousness and/or exhaustion. Also include GPS timing chips for location assistance and a trained medical staff on site for faster treatment.

Granted, this would eliminate swim races under golden, tropical, suns but since FINA and event organizers are not capable of keeping an eye on all the athletes, it is my belief that stringent solutions like these are more workable than not.