Backstroke starts at Nationals and Budapest

RE: Backstroke starts at Nationals and Budapest

Karl_S — Fri, 22 Sep 2017 07:45:37 GMT

...How about they not sanction meets at the too high wall pools and go back to toes over the edge starts.I'll vote yes on that proposal.

RE: Backstroke starts at Nationals and Budapest

orca1946 — Fri, 22 Sep 2017 01:49:56 GMT

Toes over the gutter is how i used to make good starts - well good for me. How about they not sanction meets at the too high wall pools and go back to toes over the edge starts.

RE: Backstroke starts at Nationals and Budapest

knelson — Wed, 20 Sep 2017 12:45:34 GMT

A long time ago we were allowed to curl our toes over the edge of the gutter so there was no need for the wedge-ledge, except on those hideous European/FINA walls. Gotta agree with you on this. I don't understand the point of those at all.

RE: Backstroke starts at Nationals and Budapest

jackback — Wed, 20 Sep 2017 11:48:38 GMT

FINA/Omega walls are hideous ... i for one will not compete in Fly/IM with those walls, so frequently will not go to a meet that has those walls ... i go back to when you could stand on the gutter for backstroke ... i loved it ! ... i hate having to get wet prior to the start of a race ... sadly FINA and Omega have a deep financial connection ... no change there soon

RE: Backstroke starts at Nationals and Budapest

sunruh — Wed, 20 Sep 2017 10:58:42 GMT

they should have made those awful walls illegal, but when does FINA ever get it right?... my guess, is that the awful walls go way back to when they built pools that way because they had no clue on a good gutter design for the turn ends. now, this has to predate the 70s for sure. and so to keep those pools relevant they introduced these rules to keep meets at those horrible wall pools. thusly allowing the tradition of really horrible turn walls forever in international meets. as for when does fina get it right....it might be a while before i can answer that.

RE: Backstroke starts at Nationals and Budapest

ForceDJ — Tue, 19 Sep 2017 10:26:16 GMT

Couldn't all the BS (bull$4it and backstroke) controversy be eliminated by having the backstrokers start the same way all the other strokes start? Dan

RE: Backstroke starts at Nationals and Budapest

Karl_S — Tue, 19 Sep 2017 08:58:34 GMT

well dan a long time ago there was not a 15m rule...so that still would not have worked. A long time ago we were allowed to curl our toes over the edge of the gutter so there was no need for the wedge-ledge, except on those hideous European/FINA walls. What's with those anyway? they make it harder to get out of the pool so they especially $uck for very young kids and very old people. For everyone, if you don't time your short-axis turns perfectly you are in deep $hit because you can't hook the gutter with your fingers to compensate for not having enough momentum to execute a touch-turn. They create a huge reflected wave, unless there is a wave-absorbing bulkhead. Basically they are a seriously bad idea. Instead of FINA making curling the toes over the gutter illegal, they should have made those awful walls illegal, but when does FINA ever get it right?...

RE: Backstroke starts at Nationals and Budapest

sunruh — Tue, 19 Sep 2017 03:44:14 GMT

well dan a long time ago there was not a 15m rule...so that still would not have worked.

RE: Backstroke starts at Nationals and Budapest

ForceDJ — Tue, 19 Sep 2017 02:59:16 GMT

Of course backstrokers will probably think this is a stupid idea, but a long time ago they should have dictated that backstroke races would start from standing on the blocks just like all other races do. That would negate the need for special backstroke start equipment, and the need for swimmers to learn an additional start technique. Starts could be regulated just like backstroke turns are...i.e. 15m underwater rule. Dan

RE: Backstroke starts at Nationals and Budapest

orca1946 — Mon, 18 Sep 2017 12:07:19 GMT

I used the "self pull down" wedges at S C nationals at san antonio but they were not available at nationals at riverside. I did not find them difficult to use. They were set up in the warm up pool to practice with. Yes, there are 2 brands the are purchased or rented? I agree that one type should be settled upon. the cost is more for the self retracting ones but, if an official does not pull up the other type a dangling meet could occur at the start end for a turn.

RE: Backstroke starts at Nationals and Budapest

jpetyk — Mon, 18 Sep 2017 11:30:55 GMT

It is my understanding that backstroke wedges are stupid expensive and are owned by the facility or host team. It's not something that can be "decided" upon for a masters meet. In fact, they aren't even available everywhere. A lot of the delay in Minneapolis, was that was the first experience swimmers had with the device.

RE: Backstroke starts at Nationals and Budapest

Jeff Enge — Mon, 18 Sep 2017 09:47:40 GMT

Are you talking about backstroke wedges? I'm just curious, as my break between college swimming in '11 and starting up Masters this month included the introduction of the wedges, so I've never had a change to encounter them in any of their forms.

RE: Backstroke starts at Nationals and Budapest

sunruh — Mon, 18 Sep 2017 01:03:11 GMT

no where in any rule book does it say that a backstroke ledge must be provided by the facility no you cannot bring your own 106.12 Backstroke Ledge The backstroke ledge shall conform to FINA specifications when used in competition as follows: 1 2017 U.S. Masters Swimming Rule Book Page 47 106.12.1 The ledge may be adjustable to 4 centimeters above or 4 centimeters below the water level. 106.12.2 The ledge shall be a minimum of 65 centimeters in length. 106.12.3 The ledge must be 8 centimeters in height, 2 centimeters at the width with 10 degrees of slope. 106.12.4 The ledge shall not be used in water depth less than 4 feet (1.22 meters).