More than 130 participants from across the globe joined the fourth World Aquatics webinar on women's health, focusing on the practical importance of tracking the menstrual cycle for athletes, coaches and support staff in aquatic sports.
Olympic Swimming Champion Pernille Blume (Denmark) and Open Water Olympian Caroline Jouisse (France) again led the interactive sessions. They shared their personal experiences with cycle tracking and its impact on training and performance, emphasising that consistency is key and that tracking should be sustainable and tailored to individual preferences.
In addition, Marine Dupuit, Sport Scientist at the French Institute of Sport Performance, and elite coach Tom Rushton provided valuable evidence-based insights that support performance, recovery and overall wellbeing.
“It's been incredible to see how these webinars have grown and the impact they're having across the aquatics community. When we started this series, we knew there was a need for these conversations, but the engagement we've seen from athletes and coaches around the world has been very impressive. Understanding your cycle is such a powerful tool for any female athlete,”
“What I've loved most about this webinar series is seeing how it's creating a safe space for athletes to learn and share their experiences. Tracking your cycle helps to understand your body and take control of your health. The fact that we're having these conversations openly now is a huge step forward for women in aquatic sports,”
“Across all these webinars that World Aquatics has initiated, the most important takeaway has been recognising the menstrual cycle as a key component of athlete health, not something separate from performance. Sharing knowledge on this topic is essential if we want to support female athletes in a more informed, holistic and sustainable way.”
“As a coach, being part of this series has been eye-opening. The more we understand about the menstrual cycle and its effects, the better we can support our athletes. I've seen first-hand how valuable having these important conversations can be for athlete wellbeing and performance.”
The fourth webinar highlighted why monitoring the menstrual cycle is essential for female athletes. Cycle tracking serves as an important health indicator that can detect conditions such as low energy availability, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), thyroid disorders or endometriosis.
Understanding cycle patterns helps athletes to recognise what is normal for their bodies, manage premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) symptoms more effectively, and potentially optimise training and recovery around different cycle phases.
Interactive polls during the sessions also provided insights into current tracking practices among the aquatics community. They showed 73% of participants in the first session and 75% in the second track their cycles, and looked at which elements they track. Feelings, pain levels and energy were the most tracked elements, followed by motivation and sleep. Mobile apps proved the most popular method for tracking cycles, being used by 60% of respondents in the first session and 68% in the second.
The session concluded by reinforcing the message that the menstrual cycle serves as a vital health indicator. While it can impact training and performance, there is currently no scientific consensus on optimal training strategies around the cycle.
The World Aquatics women's health webinar series aimed to break down barriers and create supportive environments for discussing menstrual health in aquatic sports. It has built momentum since its launch in April 2025, and previous sessions have covered breaking the taboo in the menstrual cycle in aquatic sports, understanding of the impact of the menstrual cycle and managing symptoms, and optimising training and performance across the menstrual cycle.
Before making any changes to the management of your menstrual cycle, please consult with your general practitioner (GP) or obstetrician-gynaecologist (OBG). They can provide personalised advice tailored to your individual health needs and medical history.
In 2026, World Aquatics plans to deliver a series of webinars covering topics such as sleep and nutrition. Stay tuned for more details early in the year.