We had a pair of THEMAGIC5 goggles ready for Caspar Stornes. He’d actually ordered three pairs!
He was preparing to defend his IRONMAN World Championship title in Kona on October 10. Then a training crash took him out of the race.
As Caspar said after the crash, “It’s very disappointing. I’m glad I didn’t injure myself more. It could have been way worse.”
So the goggles will have to wait for another day.
That’s the reality of triathlon. You can prepare for months, get everything ready and still have something happen that is completely outside your control.
What you can control is the preparation.
At the highest level of triathlon, the swim is where races are set up — and where small problems can become big ones. We asked some of our triathletes what they focus on in the water, and what age-group athletes can take into their own training.
Hayden: Racing With Total Focus
Hayden Wilde is a two-time Olympic medallist and IRONMAN 70.3 World Champion. At his level, attention is already divided between pacing, positioning and tactics. Anything that takes his attention away from racing is a distraction.
“You shouldn’t be thinking about your goggles when you’re racing. Even small distractions can break focus. With these, you put them on and you trust them. There’s no adjusting on the pontoon. It’s just focus and go.”
That’s exactly what you want from your equipment. Put it on and forget about it.
THEMAGIC5 uses a smartphone face scan to create a personalized goggle built around each swimmer’s individual facial features. The goal is simple: put them on, get in the water and focus on racing.
The takeaway: Don’t test new equipment on race day. Train in the goggles you intend to race in. Wear them for longer sessions and make sure they remain comfortable and secure when the swim gets long.
Ben: Removing the Variables
Ben Kanute represented Team USA at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. His approach to the swim is straightforward: eliminate as many things that can go wrong as possible before the race begins.
“The last thing you want in a swim is a goggle malfunction, uncomfortable goggles, or an impaired view. THEMAGIC5 goggles solve all of these issues and allow me to focus on the task at hand.”
For triathletes, that matters. The clock is already running from the moment you enter the water.
Fit is a big part of that. Nose width, eye-socket depth, brow line and cheekbones vary dramatically from swimmer to swimmer. A standard goggle can work brilliantly for one person and leak for another.
THEMAGIC5 starts with a face scan and uses that data to create a personalized fit.
The takeaway: Remove the variables before race morning. Know your goggles. Know your fit. Know your visibility. Then focus on the race.
Daniel: Built in the Pool
Daniel Bækkegård came to triathlon with a strong swimming background, collecting 20 Danish National Championship medals before making the move to triathlon.
That foundation has stayed with him throughout his career.
“In 2019 I transferred into long distance racing, winning my debut Ironman in Austria and qualifying for my first Ironman World Championship in Hawaii. Since then I haven’t looked back.”
And his ambition hasn’t changed.
“My biggest dream is to win Hawaii.”
For age-group athletes, there’s an obvious lesson here: strong race-day swimming isn’t created on race day.
It’s built through thousands of lengths, early mornings and consistent work when nobody is watching.
The takeaway: You don’t need every training session to be spectacular. Consistency builds the swim you can rely on when the race gets long.
AND CASPAR?
We’ll save the goggles.
Caspar knows what it takes to prepare for the biggest races in the sport. This time, circumstances took the decision out of his hands.
The goggles are ready. We’ll see Caspar back in them when the time is right.
The Common Thread
Whether you're chasing focus like Hayden, removing the variables like Ben, or building your base like Daniel, the principle is the same: do the work, trust your equipment, and keep your attention where it belongs. As Casper puts it, "I just put on THEMAGIC5, jump in and don't think about them."
The pool block is where swim fitness gets built. Make it as simple to show up for as possible
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