Wow, this is cool! A "starting wedge" for backstrokers. Looks like it's approved by FINA; it's on their YouTube page.
How to use the backstroke foot ledge:
- At the start, the toes of both feet must be in contact with the end wall or face of the touchpad. Bending the toes over the top of the touchpad is prohibited.
- The ledge may be adjustable to 4 cm above or 4 cm below the water level.
www.youtube.com/watch
To Chris' point... if you can dive start, and only the first stroke needs be on your back, and with the "new" turn, that would leave, what, maybe two actual strokes on the back in the first 25? Then SDK for 2/3 of the next length off the wall and maybe another four strokes and the 50 is done!
(Somehow, that doesn't seem like the backstroke I knew all those years ago....)
To Chris' point... if you can dive start, and only the first stroke needs be on your back, and with the "new" turn, that would leave, what, maybe two actual strokes on the back in the first 25? Then SDK for 2/3 of the next length off the wall and maybe another four strokes and the 50 is done!
(Somehow, that doesn't seem like the backstroke I knew all those years ago....)
It would be the same number of strokes either way since the 15m rule would still apply.
I did not notice the use of the backstroke ledge during the weekends broadcast of the phillips 66 swim championship. I believe one of the gals slipped at the start of the 200 back A finals, but I did not see it. Shortly we probably will start seeing the ledge at meets and then what would be the point of not allowing toes over the gutter that most pools in the US have. I suppose we would have to keep our heels in the water to prevent that wonderful back dive from a standing position which probably has an intolerable risk of injury. I'm thinking the cost of this device adapted to the vast majority of US pools would be a foolish use of resources when we generally have a "ledge" already available to us. Certainly the ledge was a good solution to the "FINA wall Omega pad" problem. I do not look forward to a time of selecting meets with the criteria of availability of the ledge at certain pools. That said I had been thinking of not competing in backstroke this year as the SCY Nats will be swum outdoors and after seeing Phelp's and Clary swim into the lane line I'm convinced. It will be fly this year hopefully my shoulders hang in there
I had the pleasure of watching 4x50 SCM backstroke relays last week. First swimmer in each relay team did a standard backstroke start; second, third and fourth swimmers did dive starts.
... but without going into boring detail about materials science and slat and tape switch vs mesh separation designs...
Huh? What is "slat and tape switch?" What is a "mesh separation design?"
I did not notice the use of the backstroke ledge during the weekends broadcast of the phillips 66 swim championship. I believe one of the gals slipped at the start of the 200 back A finals, but I did not see it.
It was Elizabeth Beisel, one of the worst slips I've ever seen. Video is below.
www.youtube.com/watch
The rules might have that covered:
102.12 Swimwear for Pool Competition
102.12.1 Design
E No swimmer is permitted to wear or use any device or substance to
enhance speed, pace, buoyancy, or endurance during a race (such as
webbed gloves, fins, power bands, adhesive substances, snorkels, neoprene
caps, etc.). Goggles may be worn, and rubdown oil applied if not
considered excessive by the referee. Medical identification items may
be worn. Any kind of tape on the body is not permitted unless approved
by the referee.
It seems like a simpler solution would be to just make the Omega pads more tacky (something like Colorado pads). That wouldn't help the situation with all the Omega pads currently in use, but I really don't understand why Omega can't change the design going forward.
