The backstroke wedges have been malfunctioning.
I didn't want to hijack Allen's thread about the "FINA Worlds Controversy" but his comment about the backstroke starts is something I've thought about a lot.
The swim events that I participate in are pretty much non-meet type events. So, I don't really have much experience with the starts in pool events. Consequently, there will probably be some disagreement with my comment, or just plane refusal to consider it. But I've talked with numerous swimmers who've had issues with backstroke starting "wedges" and/or handles, and other backstroke start related equipment. And, I've seen lots of complaints about that same equipment here in the swim forums. But...why in the world won't FINA take steps to have backstroke start up on the blocks like the other strokes and eliminate all that backstroke start equipment as a problem? Make it so that backstrokers dive into the water just like all the other strokes, and have to surface by the 15m line and first stroke must be on their back. Wouldn't that make things so much easier?
Dan
In response to my suggestion of forward-facing standing starts on the blocks...the only opposing responses have been "ugh." OK, I understand that some backstrokers wouldn't like it. But why? Is it simply a matter of people generally resisting change? Why is it such a bad idea? Alternatively, I guess the standing backstroke start (standing on the edge of the pool, holding onto the block, with a backwards dive) would be 'doable' too. It just seems to me that eliminating the (often failing) apparatus would be a better situation.
Dan
In response to my suggestion of forward-facing standing starts on the blocks...the only opposing responses have been "ugh." OK, I understand that some backstrokers wouldn't like it. But why? Is it simply a matter of people generally resisting change? Why is it such a bad idea? Alternatively, I guess the standing backstroke start (standing on the edge of the pool, holding onto the block, with a backwards dive) would be 'doable' too. It just seems to me that eliminating the (often failing) apparatus would be a better situation.
Dan
