This question has come up offline so I thought I'd post the question to find out the rule about this transitional turn between the IM's back and *** since I no longer do IMs.
Years ago, a flip turn between back and *** was allowed; it was not the new "freestyle" back turn, a swimmer could touch the wall in backstroke, and then flip over to enter the breastroke. Now I believe more swimmers are backstroking into the wall and open turning into the breaststroke portion of the IM.
For all of you Im'ers out there, what is now legal: both turns or does a swimmer have to do an "open turn"?
Donna
Either turn is legal as long as the finish to the backstroke portion is finished on the back. Here is the rule:
101.5 INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY — ....
.3 Turns
A Intermediate turns within each stroke shall conform to the turn rules for that stroke.
B The turns when changing from one stroke to another shall conform to the finish rules for the stroke just completed, and shall be as follows:
(1) Butterfly to backstroke — The swimmer must touch as described in 101.2.5. Once a legal touch has been made, the swimmer may turn in any manner, but the shoulders must be at or past the vertical toward the back when the swimmer leaves the wall.
(2) Backstroke to breaststroke — The swimmer must touch the wall while on the back. Once a legal touch has been made, the swimmer may turn in any manner but the shoulders must be at or past the vertical toward the *** when the swimmer leaves the wall and the prescribed breaststroke form must be attained prior to the first arm stroke.
(3) Breaststroke to freestyle — The swimmer must touch as described in 101.1.4. Once a legal touch has been made, the swimmer may turn in any manner.
This question has come up offline so I thought I'd post the question to find out the rule about this transitional turn between the IM's back and *** since I no longer do IMs.
Years ago, a flip turn between back and *** was allowed; it was not the new "freestyle" back turn, a swimmer could touch the wall in backstroke, and then flip over to enter the breastroke. Now I believe more swimmers are backstroking into the wall and open turning into the breaststroke portion of the IM.
For all of you Im'ers out there, what is now legal: both turns or does a swimmer have to do an "open turn"?
Donna
Either turn is legal as long as the finish to the backstroke portion is finished on the back. Here is the rule:
101.5 INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY — ....
.3 Turns
A Intermediate turns within each stroke shall conform to the turn rules for that stroke.
B The turns when changing from one stroke to another shall conform to the finish rules for the stroke just completed, and shall be as follows:
(1) Butterfly to backstroke — The swimmer must touch as described in 101.2.5. Once a legal touch has been made, the swimmer may turn in any manner, but the shoulders must be at or past the vertical toward the back when the swimmer leaves the wall.
(2) Backstroke to breaststroke — The swimmer must touch the wall while on the back. Once a legal touch has been made, the swimmer may turn in any manner but the shoulders must be at or past the vertical toward the *** when the swimmer leaves the wall and the prescribed breaststroke form must be attained prior to the first arm stroke.
(3) Breaststroke to freestyle — The swimmer must touch as described in 101.1.4. Once a legal touch has been made, the swimmer may turn in any manner.
This question has come up offline so I thought I'd post the question to find out the rule about this transitional turn between the IM's back and *** since I no longer do IMs.
Years ago, a flip turn between back and *** was allowed; it was not the new "freestyle" back turn, a swimmer could touch the wall in backstroke, and then flip over to enter the breastroke. Now I believe more swimmers are backstroking into the wall and open turning into the breaststroke portion of the IM.
For all of you Im'ers out there, what is now legal: both turns or does a swimmer have to do an "open turn"?
Donna
