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.
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Former Member
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?
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?
