I was measuring a pool for placement of the markers for the referees to monitor surfacing off the starts and turns at a meet this weekend, and after doing so, wondered how many of you have ever been DQ'd or even "Warned" for exceeding the 15m distance in the various strokes...
I didn't include freestyle, well, because I just thought that was silly! :D
But, HEY! someone fixed the poll later... (I didn't think they could DO that!)
I voted Never because I haven't been warned by an official, but a couple years ago I did get warned by sharp-eyed spectator swimmj that I had pushed it pretty far on my backstroke start. I haven't taken 14 SDK's to start a race since :D
My vote is never as I don't have a very good SDK,but there have been a few times when I was deep on my BR pullout and was pretty sure I started my insweep before my head broke the surface.Either I was wrong or the judge didn't see it as I have never been DQd for that.
My coach and I joked about that this morning as I was telling him of Fort's latest meet (he met her in 2009). He told me that getting really good at SDKs and going max underwater until the 15 yard mark was something he doesn't ever see me worrying about. I have horrible lungs.
So my answer is "never".
I've been close, but never past in a meet that counted the 15M. 11 SDKs for me on backstroke puts my at the limit (or at least it use to).
Another masters swimmer (who is also the local H.S. swim coach) asked me about my position on the 200 Medley Relay record - I'm listed first as the backstroker. He knows how much I suck at backstroke now, and this was puzzling to him. I said yes, I did the backstroke** on that relay.
**By backstroke, I did a stand-up start, SDK'd till I saw the backstroke flags at the far end, flip turn, SDK'd till I saw the flags again, surfaced and took 1 or 2 strokes diving to the finish. :) So basically I got the spot for the SDK abilities in high school. In Washington State for high school meets there was no 15Meter rule, at least back in 1995. :applaud:
