500 free - what stroke/s are acceptable? Can I mix them?

Thanks, Chowmi. Once I realized you were at usaswimming and not usms, I found what it wanted. The following was included: 3. Choice of strokes during freestyle events Question: I told a swimmer that she could not do the 200 IM during the 200 free because once a stroke is selected in a freestyle event, you cannot change to another stroke during the race. The swimmer’s coach insisted I was wrong. Who was right? Answer: The coach was correct. In an event designated as freestyle, the swimmer may swim any style (101.5.2). There are no restrictions about changing the style of swimming during a freestyle event. The only restriction regarding style is during the freestyle portion of a medley event; in a medley relay or individual medley event, freestyle means any style other than butterfly, breaststroke or backstroke (101.5.2). Again there is no restriction about changing the style of swimming during the freestyle portion of the medley event. Regardless of the stroke(s) used, times achieved in freestyle events can be recorded only as freestyle times (103.12.2). Yes, you see these interpretations make more sense. Other than in an IM race or medley relay, it is anything goes, including doggy paddle, corkscrews (i'd like to see knelson do this for his distance events, WOW, i can just imagine how dizzy he'd get! oh wait. never mind. he can corkscrew both ways!), and therefore you can change strokes mid-pool as well. It's so awesome we have a stroke where you don't even have to commit to a 25 of it! Of course be mindful of the 15 mark AND that you CANNOT be completely submerged, so no going 15 meters, waving and doing a sexy leg up and twisting down syncro move and going underwater to the wall. I find it interesting that if you miss a turn, and for whatever reason it takes you just short of the next wall to figure it out, you can swim back and touch that wall without getting DQ'd as long as you don't touch the opposite wall. That's a huge grace time in a LCM pool, and boy would you get your entry $ worth out of that swim.

Thanks, Chowmi. Once I realized you were at usaswimming and not usms, I found what it wanted. The following was included: 3. Choice of strokes during freestyle events Question: I told a swimmer that she could not do the 200 IM during the 200 free because once a stroke is selected in a freestyle event, you cannot change to another stroke during the race. The swimmer’s coach insisted I was wrong. Who was right? Answer: The coach was correct. In an event designated as freestyle, the swimmer may swim any style (101.5.2). There are no restrictions about changing the style of swimming during a freestyle event. The only restriction regarding style is during the freestyle portion of a medley event; in a medley relay or individual medley event, freestyle means any style other than butterfly, breaststroke or backstroke (101.5.2). Again there is no restriction about changing the style of swimming during the freestyle portion of the medley event. Regardless of the stroke(s) used, times achieved in freestyle events can be recorded only as freestyle times (103.12.2). Yes, you see these interpretations make more sense. Other than in an IM race or medley relay, it is anything goes, including doggy paddle, corkscrews (i'd like to see knelson do this for his distance events, WOW, i can just imagine how dizzy he'd get! oh wait. never mind. he can corkscrew both ways!), and therefore you can change strokes mid-pool as well. It's so awesome we have a stroke where you don't even have to commit to a 25 of it! Of course be mindful of the 15 mark AND that you CANNOT be completely submerged, so no going 15 meters, waving and doing a sexy leg up and twisting down syncro move and going underwater to the wall. I find it interesting that if you miss a turn, and for whatever reason it takes you just short of the next wall to figure it out, you can swim back and touch that wall without getting DQ'd as long as you don't touch the opposite wall. That's a huge grace time in a LCM pool, and boy would you get your entry $ worth out of that swim.