Renato Ribeiro on Ocean Reading, Ultra Swims, and Training

Training structure and methodology at Equipe Navegantes

Based out of Posto 6 in Copacabana, Navegantes operates Monday through Saturday with groups ranging from beginners to high-performance athletes. The methodology organizes training days into specific blocks: shoreline interval sets on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and long-distance ocean routes toward Copacabana Palace and Arpoador on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The team features eight coaches on the beach, supplemented by customized training plans for remote athletes and pool sessions at the Mackenzie branch.

Can you excel in swimming by training exclusively in the ocean?

Renato debunks the myth that pool training is strictly mandatory for achieving elite performance. Taking advantage of the sheltered conditions at Posto 6, several athletes built their entire aerobic base in the ocean using circuits marked by 50- and 100-meter buoys. The coach highlights inspiring cases of swimmers who started from scratch and became ultramarathoners, including athletes who finished the 16 km BISA and even completed a solo English Channel crossing while training almost exclusively on the beach.

Seasonality, weather, and safety in open water events

Weather variations directly impact the ocean routine in Rio de Janeiro. Cold upwelling currents and harsh winter conditions cause seasonal dips in attendance, requiring continuous adjustments. For competitive events, Renato emphasizes that respecting meteorological forecasts is non-negotiable: cancellations and contingency plans are executed strictly to ensure the safety of swimmers facing extreme winds and currents.

Interpreting cold fronts, winds, and marine forecasts

Technical ocean analysis requires cross-referencing data from multiple weather satellites on platforms like Windy and Surf Guru. Cold fronts moving up from the south typically bring southeasterly winds, altering swell patterns along the southeastern coast. Knowledge of local geography helps identify sheltered zones, such as the bay by Copacabana Fort, but demands heightened vigilance from race organizers making critical safety decisions.

Launching major challenges: LPSA, BISA, ROSA, and Travessia da Guanabara

Driven by a passion for charting new aquatic routes, Renato co-founded the Leme to Pontal Swimming Association (LPSA), the Big Island Swimming Association (BISA), and the Rio Open Water Swimming Association (ROSA). His most recent venture is the Travessia da Guanabara (TGSA), a 25 km challenge between Urca and Paquetá Island designed to celebrate the historic significance and environmental recovery of Guanabara Bay.

Career milestones and historic achievements

During the episode, key moments from Ribeiro's coaching career were highlighted, including securing the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming with Leonardo Natal and taking part in the historic Capri-Naples crossing. Another major milestone was the Strait of Gibraltar expedition with Adherbal de Oliveira—which required a 21-day wait for a safe weather window—alongside coaching a South American men's record crossing of the English Channel.

Quick-fire questions, professional ethics, and integrity in sports

In the rapid-fire segment, Renato cited professionalism and discipline as his greatest strengths, underscoring the vital ethical bond between coaches and athletes. He voiced concern over social media training fads lacking practical groundwork, stressing that technical trust is essential for a swimmer's safe progression, and concluded with a call for greater unity and professional development across Brazil's open water community.