I read the following PDF regarding the updated rule and interpretation for the freestyle portion of the IM:
www.usms.org/.../20150911_fina_im_interpretation.pdf
My question is regarding the freestyle flip turn. When you turn, you flip onto your back, push off and start twisting to the proper position for freestyle. It usually happens fairly fast so you're not completely on the back for any more than one kick worth at the most and by then you've begun rotating to the side. Honestly, I still flip slightly diagonally, so my feet land a bit off-horizontal but I've been working on correcting it to what has been shown to me as a more proper technique.
But I know as soon as I post this notice for my masters team on Wednesday, they are going to ask the same questions. I would assume that this position of being on the back is normal in freestyle and wouldn't constitute backstroke swimming but I've been wrong plenty of times in trying to interpret rules. But it gets me into wondering, what's going to be the line between a normal freestyle flip turn and too much time on your back? Obviously, no SDK-ing on your back down the length of the pool but exactly how fast does that twist need to be? Is there a standpoint from the officials on this yet?
Thanks in advance!
Ok, so after reading this thread, I looked around a little to read up on the rule change. And it seems, from what I'm seeing elsewhere, that it actually has nothing at all to do with flip turns. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the clarification specifically deals with 200 IM in LCM, which means the only turn involved in the freestyle leg is the transition from *** to free. Which is a breaststroke turn. Which feels like a whole different kettle of worms...
What prompted the clarification was the particular performance of an individual in the ***-to-free transition of a 200M LC race. The specific "interpretation" as published, however, says nothing about the ***-to-free transition specifically, nor does it mention distance or course.
According to SW 9.1 each of the strokes must cover one quarter (1/4) of the distance. Being on the back when leaving the wall for the Freestyle portion of the Ind. Medley is covering more than one quarter of the distance in the style of Backstroke and is, therefore, a disqualification.
It's certainly easy to imagine that the "must cover 1/4" phrase and the subsequent verbiage Backstroke swimming is only defined as being on the back. could, in a strict application, be used to disqualify swimmers who come off a free-free turn in a 400 IM or a short course 200 IM at anything more than 90* from the ***.
Ok, so after reading this thread, I looked around a little to read up on the rule change. And it seems, from what I'm seeing elsewhere, that it actually has nothing at all to do with flip turns. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the clarification specifically deals with 200 IM in LCM, which means the only turn involved in the freestyle leg is the transition from *** to free. Which is a breaststroke turn. Which feels like a whole different kettle of worms...
What prompted the clarification was the particular performance of an individual in the ***-to-free transition of a 200M LC race. The specific "interpretation" as published, however, says nothing about the ***-to-free transition specifically, nor does it mention distance or course.
According to SW 9.1 each of the strokes must cover one quarter (1/4) of the distance. Being on the back when leaving the wall for the Freestyle portion of the Ind. Medley is covering more than one quarter of the distance in the style of Backstroke and is, therefore, a disqualification.
It's certainly easy to imagine that the "must cover 1/4" phrase and the subsequent verbiage Backstroke swimming is only defined as being on the back. could, in a strict application, be used to disqualify swimmers who come off a free-free turn in a 400 IM or a short course 200 IM at anything more than 90* from the ***.
