How do you assemble relays?

The fastest possible relay is not always the one that will place best or have the highest TT ranking. Sometimes it is better strategically to have a slower relay in an older age group. Or even a younger age-group: in SCY, for example, the 18+ relays are often slower than the 25+ versions. Or there may be fewer of them, so you are guaranteed a higher placing. My workout group has this very issue, we have lots of older swimmers who aren't necessarily very quick against the clock. But they swim, compete, have fun, and that's where it's at. We end up winning a lot of the relays we swim, mainly because we don't see a lot of 55+ or 65+ competition in our LMSC. I get excluded from relays quite often even though I'm the fastest in the group. But my age always would bring down our relay competition age to the 25+ (or now 35+) age group. I'm now included more now that I'm 35. :cake: Sometimes it's nice to get older.

The fastest possible relay is not always the one that will place best or have the highest TT ranking. Sometimes it is better strategically to have a slower relay in an older age group. Or even a younger age-group: in SCY, for example, the 18+ relays are often slower than the 25+ versions. Or there may be fewer of them, so you are guaranteed a higher placing. My workout group has this very issue, we have lots of older swimmers who aren't necessarily very quick against the clock. But they swim, compete, have fun, and that's where it's at. We end up winning a lot of the relays we swim, mainly because we don't see a lot of 55+ or 65+ competition in our LMSC. I get excluded from relays quite often even though I'm the fastest in the group. But my age always would bring down our relay competition age to the 25+ (or now 35+) age group. I'm now included more now that I'm 35. :cake: Sometimes it's nice to get older.