At the past 4 Masters meets I officiated (including 2 Nationals), I have observed slower butterfliers completely submerged at some point in the stroke cycle (after surfacing before the 15 mtr mark). Although the swimmer is not attempting to submerge for the purpose of streamline dolphin kicking, their momentum coupled with slow turn-over takes them completely underwater for short periods of time.
The video link - http://vimeo.com/248356962 - shows me swimming slow fly. For brief moments I am completely submerged with no forward propulsion - just resting before the next stroke.
An overly strict, by-the-rules official would be within the rules to DQ a swimmer doing butterfly like the video. It is called "resubmerging after the 15 mtr mark".
This is one of those cases where Masters might need an interpretation of the rule - specific for masters swimmers - that allows for submerging during a stroke cycle provided the swimmer does not perform more than "x" dolphin kicks while submerged.
_Steve_
Not quite. The rule requires the entire body to be submerged at the same time - not just the rear. Admittedly, my attempt to completely submerge should be better and longer. Usually what happens is a swimmer's upper body (arms, head, shoulders, rear) submerges and then their feet/heels pop out of the water at the same time. This is what makes the call difficult, if not impossible, to make.
This might be a better vantage point: vimeo.com/248535719
However, I have observed at least 4 slower fly swimmers who completely submerge long enough that there is no doubt.
We tend to see our rules as cast in stone and they never change. A look back shows that is NOT true. In the 50s and 60s, a freestyler had to touch the wall with their hand. Until the early 90s, backstroke was completely on your back. In the 70s and 80s, it was legal for backstrokers to stand on the gutter (as long as their heels were in the water) and do "back dives" for starts. Until the 80s, your head had to stay above the surface of the water - ALL THE TIME - swimming breaststroke. ZOf course, we know about the dolphin kick during the underwater pull-outs on breaststroke. Someday, Backstroke will be done with a forward start....
Happy Holidays!
It is time to to clarify this resubmerge rule - imho.
Paul
_Steve_
Not quite. The rule requires the entire body to be submerged at the same time - not just the rear. Admittedly, my attempt to completely submerge should be better and longer. Usually what happens is a swimmer's upper body (arms, head, shoulders, rear) submerges and then their feet/heels pop out of the water at the same time. This is what makes the call difficult, if not impossible, to make.
This might be a better vantage point: vimeo.com/248535719
However, I have observed at least 4 slower fly swimmers who completely submerge long enough that there is no doubt.
We tend to see our rules as cast in stone and they never change. A look back shows that is NOT true. In the 50s and 60s, a freestyler had to touch the wall with their hand. Until the early 90s, backstroke was completely on your back. In the 70s and 80s, it was legal for backstrokers to stand on the gutter (as long as their heels were in the water) and do "back dives" for starts. Until the 80s, your head had to stay above the surface of the water - ALL THE TIME - swimming breaststroke. ZOf course, we know about the dolphin kick during the underwater pull-outs on breaststroke. Someday, Backstroke will be done with a forward start....
Happy Holidays!
It is time to to clarify this resubmerge rule - imho.
Paul
