Rules Corner

RULES CORNER #7 by Kathy Casey, USMS Rules Chair July 25, 2007 Quiz: Try to answer this question without looking at the rule book: If a recall rope is used, it shall be placed…(where?)…in short course facilities. (The answer is at the end of this article.) Questions and Clarifications: Question 1: During the backstroke, can I turn over past vertical and do an open backstroke turn? Answer: Yes, as long as it meets the following criteria: “The swimmer who turns past vertical and, in a continuous motion, grabs the wall before pushing off with the feet while on the back is considered to have executed a ‘continuous turning action.’” (101.4.3, Note, page 3) Question 2: Why do I have to request an initial backstroke split in writing to the referee before I swim the race? Answer: The officials have to watch to make sure that you do a legal finish rather than a turn at the initial distance requested (103.13.1B&, page 24; 105.2.2C&D, page 38; and 105.3.7C&D, page 38). Question 3: Can I get an official time for a 50 meter relay leadoff split with three watches? Answer: Only for world records. Split times will be considered for USMS official times if recorded by fully automatic timing equipment (103.13.3, page 25 and 105.2.2A and 105.3.7A, page 38). Question 4: If the two watch or button times for a swim are 1:20.09 and 1:20.10, what is the official time? Answer: 1:20.09; “the time shall be the average of those two button or watch times. The digits representing thousandths of a second shall be dropped with no rounding.” (103.12.4B, page 22) Question 5: Which is the better timing quality, 3 watches or 2 semi-automatic buttons? Answer: Three watches, according to 103.13.3, page 25. Three watches or three semi-automatic buttons will count for World records, USMS national records, and USMS Top 10 times. Two watches or two semi-automatic buttons will only count for USMS Top 10 times. Question 6: What do I do if there is an unresolved rules question/issue at a meet? Answer: Email the Rules Chair at rules@usms.org immediately or as soon as practical with the rules question. If it’s the first day of a two-day meet, you could have an answer for the second day of the meet. Clarification 1: Averaging two times: Check the electronic timing system at your pool for rounding up or truncating (dropping the thousandths digit) when averaging two button times. There are still a few systems that have not been changed over to truncating. Both USA Swimming and USMS drop the thousandths digit when averaging two times (see question #4 above). Clarification 2. Choosing primary and secondary timing systems for a meet: “A secondary system of precedence equal to or lower than the primary system shall be used.” (103.12.2B, page 21) Don’t back up the primary system with a system of higher precedence because, “The primary system shall determine the official time of each swimmer unless a comparison of the primary with secondary and/or tertiary system times indicates a malfunction of the primary system.” (103.12.2A, page 21) For example, three watches would not be the secondary system to a two-button semi-automatic primary system because three watches are considered a superior timing method. If at all possible and particularly if world or national records could be set at a meet, choose a primary timing system that will give the official timing level required for world and national records (3 buttons, 3 watches, or automatic timing; see 103.13.3 on page 25). Clarification 3. “Choice” events: If swimmers will only be allowed to enter one 400 event due to time constraints at a meet and they will be allowed to choose the event (free or IM), announce such in the meet information including how the combining of events and the seeding of stroke choices will be done (so it's easier for officials to judge). Events 200 yards or longer may be combined (102.10.1B, page 8). Do not call the event 400 freestyle. If it’s called freestyle, any event chosen would count only as freestyle, not as the event chosen by the swimmer (103.13.2, page 24). For example the entry form could list “Event #14 400 meters (choose one) free or IM” and the swimmer would choose one. Clarification 4. Event limit per day: If two sanctioned events are offered in one day as part of a meet, the event limit is still 5 individual events per day (102.6, “Event Limit”, page 7). For example, if time trials are offered in conjunction with a meet, and the meet and the time trials have separate sanctions, a swimmer can not exceed 5 individual events per day regardless of the separate sanctions. Hosting two sanctioned events in one day does not change the individual event limit because the rule states that the limit is 5 individual events per day not 5 per sanctioned event. Another rule book reference for trials/finals is 102.10.1, page 8. Answer to quiz question: It goes at the backstroke flags at the turn end of the pool. “If a recall rope is used, it shall be placed …at the turn end backstroke flags in short course facilities” (107.15, p. 44). To quote one official upon hearing the correct answer to this quiz question (to date, no one has answered it correctly), “Well, it goes to show you, you should never work without a net.” In this case that “net” is the rule book. Even the Rules Chair was surprised by the correct placement for a recall rope, if one is used, in short course pools (yards and meters). So, by all means, read that rule book and keep it handy at all meets! For any questions about rules contact Kathy Casey, USMS Rules Chair, rules@usms.org.

RULES CORNER #7 by Kathy Casey, USMS Rules Chair July 25, 2007 Quiz: Try to answer this question without looking at the rule book: If a recall rope is used, it shall be placed…(where?)…in short course facilities. (The answer is at the end of this article.) Questions and Clarifications: Question 1: During the backstroke, can I turn over past vertical and do an open backstroke turn? Answer: Yes, as long as it meets the following criteria: “The swimmer who turns past vertical and, in a continuous motion, grabs the wall before pushing off with the feet while on the back is considered to have executed a ‘continuous turning action.’” (101.4.3, Note, page 3) Question 2: Why do I have to request an initial backstroke split in writing to the referee before I swim the race? Answer: The officials have to watch to make sure that you do a legal finish rather than a turn at the initial distance requested (103.13.1B&, page 24; 105.2.2C&D, page 38; and 105.3.7C&D, page 38). Question 3: Can I get an official time for a 50 meter relay leadoff split with three watches? Answer: Only for world records. Split times will be considered for USMS official times if recorded by fully automatic timing equipment (103.13.3, page 25 and 105.2.2A and 105.3.7A, page 38). Question 4: If the two watch or button times for a swim are 1:20.09 and 1:20.10, what is the official time? Answer: 1:20.09; “the time shall be the average of those two button or watch times. The digits representing thousandths of a second shall be dropped with no rounding.” (103.12.4B, page 22) Question 5: Which is the better timing quality, 3 watches or 2 semi-automatic buttons? Answer: Three watches, according to 103.13.3, page 25. Three watches or three semi-automatic buttons will count for World records, USMS national records, and USMS Top 10 times. Two watches or two semi-automatic buttons will only count for USMS Top 10 times. Question 6: What do I do if there is an unresolved rules question/issue at a meet? Answer: Email the Rules Chair at rules@usms.org immediately or as soon as practical with the rules question. If it’s the first day of a two-day meet, you could have an answer for the second day of the meet. Clarification 1: Averaging two times: Check the electronic timing system at your pool for rounding up or truncating (dropping the thousandths digit) when averaging two button times. There are still a few systems that have not been changed over to truncating. Both USA Swimming and USMS drop the thousandths digit when averaging two times (see question #4 above). Clarification 2. Choosing primary and secondary timing systems for a meet: “A secondary system of precedence equal to or lower than the primary system shall be used.” (103.12.2B, page 21) Don’t back up the primary system with a system of higher precedence because, “The primary system shall determine the official time of each swimmer unless a comparison of the primary with secondary and/or tertiary system times indicates a malfunction of the primary system.” (103.12.2A, page 21) For example, three watches would not be the secondary system to a two-button semi-automatic primary system because three watches are considered a superior timing method. If at all possible and particularly if world or national records could be set at a meet, choose a primary timing system that will give the official timing level required for world and national records (3 buttons, 3 watches, or automatic timing; see 103.13.3 on page 25). Clarification 3. “Choice” events: If swimmers will only be allowed to enter one 400 event due to time constraints at a meet and they will be allowed to choose the event (free or IM), announce such in the meet information including how the combining of events and the seeding of stroke choices will be done (so it's easier for officials to judge). Events 200 yards or longer may be combined (102.10.1B, page 8). Do not call the event 400 freestyle. If it’s called freestyle, any event chosen would count only as freestyle, not as the event chosen by the swimmer (103.13.2, page 24). For example the entry form could list “Event #14 400 meters (choose one) free or IM” and the swimmer would choose one. Clarification 4. Event limit per day: If two sanctioned events are offered in one day as part of a meet, the event limit is still 5 individual events per day (102.6, “Event Limit”, page 7). For example, if time trials are offered in conjunction with a meet, and the meet and the time trials have separate sanctions, a swimmer can not exceed 5 individual events per day regardless of the separate sanctions. Hosting two sanctioned events in one day does not change the individual event limit because the rule states that the limit is 5 individual events per day not 5 per sanctioned event. Another rule book reference for trials/finals is 102.10.1, page 8. Answer to quiz question: It goes at the backstroke flags at the turn end of the pool. “If a recall rope is used, it shall be placed …at the turn end backstroke flags in short course facilities” (107.15, p. 44). To quote one official upon hearing the correct answer to this quiz question (to date, no one has answered it correctly), “Well, it goes to show you, you should never work without a net.” In this case that “net” is the rule book. Even the Rules Chair was surprised by the correct placement for a recall rope, if one is used, in short course pools (yards and meters). So, by all means, read that rule book and keep it handy at all meets! For any questions about rules contact Kathy Casey, USMS Rules Chair, rules@usms.org.