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
I didn't even try to use it at Nats last year. Fumbled with it during warmup and didn't want to deal with the extra stress for just two backstroke starts.
I really don't like them--I tried one start in warmup in Mesa with it and it malfunctioned, so I did a gutter start sans wedge for my 200 back. I had less than a 50% success rate with them last year in Indy, but thankfully was able to use it successfully for my 200 back there. They are super finicky in my opinion.
I didn't even try to use it at Nats last year. Fumbled with it during warmup and didn't want to deal with the extra stress for just two backstroke starts.
I really don't like them--I tried one start in warmup in Mesa with it and it malfunctioned, so I did a gutter start sans wedge for my 200 back. I had less than a 50% success rate with them last year in Indy, but thankfully was able to use it successfully for my 200 back there. They are super finicky in my opinion.
