Is anyone else disappointed at the new FINA decision to allow dolphin kick on breaststroke starts and turns? It may be that the "short-axis"strokes now become indistinguishable from one another! With this new FINA ruling and the currently-allowable armstroke breaking the plane of the water on recovery, why not go all the way back to the 1950's designation of "butterfly-breaststroke"? Kitajima's 2004 "victory" certainly prompted this ruling, but that doesn't make the decison a proper one.
If this had been in affect years ago (when I was om high school and college) it would have helped me substantially. My breaststroke kick is truly weak.
Terrible, terrible, terrible decision! We were always taught to keep our legs quiet on the turn; it's just part of the stroke.
Politics as usual in world organizations!
Been Racing Breaststroke Since 1955.
Kitajima's 2004 "victory" certainly prompted this ruling, but that doesn't make the decison a proper one.
But the rule does not address what Kitajima did, it does not address the 'long-standing controversy' and it makes things more complicated for judges.
What happened in the infamous Kitajima's race is that he pushed off the wall, did a large butterfly kick, followed that with a pull down, and when he finished that pull down, pretty much simultaneously, he did another butterfly kick, and followed that with a breastroke kick.
The first butterfly kick has always been illegal and would never have been controversial. It is easy to judge as a violation of the rule. The second kick is difficult to judge, as if it occurs as a natural part of the pull down it is OK, and that kick, done often by breaststrokers, is controversial. A rule which allowed a significant kick during the pulldown could be justified as making judging easier, less controversial, and acknowledging what is almost common practice already.
However, the way the rule appears to be worded, things are not simpler. Now the judge could watch Kitajima's first kick, say in his mind "that's one" and when he saw the second kick, would wonder "is that an illegal or legal motion?" So really, the new rule allows a big dolphin kick and a still-controversial little one.
Here's the FINA link announcing the rule change. Note the allusion to the 2004 Olympics controversy.
www.fina.org/montreal05_press_techrules.html
By the way, backstrokers can now keep their feet dry on the start. As little as I understand anything about backstroke, I never could figure that one out. FINA got that ruling right, at least.
This is an interesting change. Depending on how the rule is worded (is there any statement of the actual wording of the new rules?) we may see backstrokers disappear under the water at the backstroke flags.
That does not seem very exciting for the spectators, but I will try it. Is it better to go to the wall with one arm overhead, or two?
As for the start, does this mean we can curl our toes around the gutters? If so, will they start putting little launch ledges, so those pools with flat walls won't have slower times than other pools with gutters? Will electronic pads need extra reinforcement on their tops so they don't get damaged during backstroke starts?
Actually, Natalie Coughlin was - as FINA regulations allow - submerged well ahead of touching the wall for her win in Athens. But the backstroke rules continue to be tricky. That "continuous turn" should be re-vamped.
As you ponited out Phil...times in the non-gutter pools will definitely be slower by not having the gutter edge available as a launching pad. I always found it to be a huge help on the starts.
My interpretation is that... yes, you can place your toes over the gutter. But perhaps the heel is still required in the pool? It's not specific in the wording.
