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
... 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
This is inevitable I expect, but not imminent.
I favor just letting backstrokers curl their toes over the gutter. FINA walls with Omega pads - just say NO.
15 might be hard to control with the dolphin kick being so strong in most swimmers now.
Why? Isn't that where the other stroke starts/turns have to surface?
Dan
Couldn’t they (FINA) just do some trials with backstroke stars from up on the blocks just to see if/how it’d work?
Another consideration...IMs and medley relays could finally have the same sequence.
Dan
Just regarding the backstroke wedges, none of the standup starts or dive starts mentioned here...
It's likely not an issue at meets like Worlds or Nationals, or other major meets like that, but one factor for pools is the cost of backstroke wedges. There are no cheap backstroke wedges out there--last I checked, the Colorado Time Systems ones retail for over $650 apiece. The only price I've found online for the Omega ones used at major FINA meets is over $1200 (AUD) apiece. Finis has a fixed one that I think retails for ~$250 apiece, though I have not seen one in the wild to see how well it works, but none of those are in a price range that's easily achievable for most pools out there.
Ugh! Backstroke from a forward dive?
Ugh is right.
Why not just revert to the stand-up backstroke start instead?
agree
Either way, another change to smash records, IMO.
Yup, not enough records going down, change the rules. Oops, too many records going down, change the rules.
Wedges on the blocks can malfunction, too. Maybe not in the same way, but they can not seat, not move, seat on one side, etc. So I don't think moving to the blocks is a good idea. If the retractable ones are a problem, there are some that don't retract, but are a fixed distance, and rely on the officials/timers to pull them up after the start. If anyone has been to the pools in Cary or Greensboro in North Carolina, that is how they are
