Open-water swimmers may have to contend with ducks and reeds as they race the Olympic course in Hyde Park’s Serpentine lake. Those would be but minor inconveniences, though, compared with some of the wildlife elements that have featured in previous races.

Britain’s Kerri-Anne Payne was the first athlete to try out the Serpentine course Wednesday, July 25 and was full of enthusiasm.

“It was really nice to get in there,” she said of her morning swim. “I had to fight with a couple of ducks though to get round the buoys. But other than that it was pretty good.” She also found swimming through the reeds rather interesting. “I kept getting a little tangled in them, but I’ve overcome that now.”

As an open-water swimmer racing in natural settings rather than the controlled environment of a pool, being prepared for the unexpected goes with the territory, according to Associated Press.