Rules Corner

RULES CORNER #11 by Kathy Casey, USMS Rules Chair July 25, 2008 QUESTIONS and CLARIFICATIONS 1. Competitor’s Age: Question: Why am I 59 years old at 25-yard meets but 60 years old at 25- and 50-meter meets this year? I’m not 60 until October 5th! Answer: The rest of the world determines the age as of December 31 of that year for meters competition. The current USMS rules for age determining date (102.2.1 and 102.2.2) are a compromise between the way the rest of the world determines age and the way USMS has traditionally determined age. For short course yard meets, age is determined as of the last day of competition in a meet. For meter meets age is determined as of December 31 of the year of competition. That way we also match the rest of the world in age determining date for World Top 10 and World Records which are meters only. 2. Breaststroke: Question: I noticed that the language for body position when leaving the wall has changed from “the shoulders must be at or past vertical toward the ***” to “the body shall be kept on the ***”. Does that mean I could now be disqualified for leaving the wall on my side? Answer: No, even though the language of 101.2.2 has changed to match the USA Swimming and FINA language, the interpretation has not changed. “Kept on the ***” means at or past vertical toward the ***, and breaststrokers should not be disqualified for leaving the wall on their sides if they are at or past vertical toward the ***. 3. Breaststroke Turn: Question: If I approach the wall with a complete stroke cycle but am still a foot or so away from the wall and after that last kick there’s not enough room for another complete cycle, can I add an extra little arm pull or kick? Answer: You can add an extra little arm pull only, since an arm pull is what would occur after the kick of that last complete cycle, and touch the wall after that little arm pull. That is an incomplete cycle which is allowed in the turn and finish rule, 101.2.4. That is not a disqualification. If you take a little extra kick following the kick of the last complete cycle, that is a disqualification. Only an arm pull can follow that last kick. 4. Pool Measurement: Question: Is it possible to accept USA Swimming pool length certifications for USMS pool measurements? Answer: Yes. USMS accepts certifications of course length that are on file with USA Swimming (105.1.6A), even though USA Swimming and USMS pool measurement and certification rules are a little different. 5. Butterfly Turns and Finish: Question: If my butterfly stroke leaves me just a bit short of the wall on turns or at the finish, can I take one dolphin kick to bring me in without an arm pull? The rule only mentions one breaststroke or whip kick. Answer: Yes. There is not a prescribed limit to the number of dolphin kicks per arm pull, and a swimmer is allowed to take extra dolphin kicks without an arm pull into the wall on turns and finishes. The kick rule for butterfly specifically addresses a single breaststroke or whip kick without an arm pull prior to the turn because an arm pull is required for each breaststroke or whip kick during the rest of the stroke (101.3.3). That is not the case with the dolphin kick. Proposed Rule Changes: Proposed changes this year address scoring at nationals, the minimum number of officials required at nationals, the location of nationals, and the deadline for bids for national championship meets. For any questions about rules contact Kathy Casey, USMS Rules Chair, rules@usms.org.

RULES CORNER #11 by Kathy Casey, USMS Rules Chair July 25, 2008 QUESTIONS and CLARIFICATIONS 1. Competitor’s Age: Question: Why am I 59 years old at 25-yard meets but 60 years old at 25- and 50-meter meets this year? I’m not 60 until October 5th! Answer: The rest of the world determines the age as of December 31 of that year for meters competition. The current USMS rules for age determining date (102.2.1 and 102.2.2) are a compromise between the way the rest of the world determines age and the way USMS has traditionally determined age. For short course yard meets, age is determined as of the last day of competition in a meet. For meter meets age is determined as of December 31 of the year of competition. That way we also match the rest of the world in age determining date for World Top 10 and World Records which are meters only. 2. Breaststroke: Question: I noticed that the language for body position when leaving the wall has changed from “the shoulders must be at or past vertical toward the ***” to “the body shall be kept on the ***”. Does that mean I could now be disqualified for leaving the wall on my side? Answer: No, even though the language of 101.2.2 has changed to match the USA Swimming and FINA language, the interpretation has not changed. “Kept on the ***” means at or past vertical toward the ***, and breaststrokers should not be disqualified for leaving the wall on their sides if they are at or past vertical toward the ***. 3. Breaststroke Turn: Question: If I approach the wall with a complete stroke cycle but am still a foot or so away from the wall and after that last kick there’s not enough room for another complete cycle, can I add an extra little arm pull or kick? Answer: You can add an extra little arm pull only, since an arm pull is what would occur after the kick of that last complete cycle, and touch the wall after that little arm pull. That is an incomplete cycle which is allowed in the turn and finish rule, 101.2.4. That is not a disqualification. If you take a little extra kick following the kick of the last complete cycle, that is a disqualification. Only an arm pull can follow that last kick. 4. Pool Measurement: Question: Is it possible to accept USA Swimming pool length certifications for USMS pool measurements? Answer: Yes. USMS accepts certifications of course length that are on file with USA Swimming (105.1.6A), even though USA Swimming and USMS pool measurement and certification rules are a little different. 5. Butterfly Turns and Finish: Question: If my butterfly stroke leaves me just a bit short of the wall on turns or at the finish, can I take one dolphin kick to bring me in without an arm pull? The rule only mentions one breaststroke or whip kick. Answer: Yes. There is not a prescribed limit to the number of dolphin kicks per arm pull, and a swimmer is allowed to take extra dolphin kicks without an arm pull into the wall on turns and finishes. The kick rule for butterfly specifically addresses a single breaststroke or whip kick without an arm pull prior to the turn because an arm pull is required for each breaststroke or whip kick during the rest of the stroke (101.3.3). That is not the case with the dolphin kick. Proposed Rule Changes: Proposed changes this year address scoring at nationals, the minimum number of officials required at nationals, the location of nationals, and the deadline for bids for national championship meets. For any questions about rules contact Kathy Casey, USMS Rules Chair, rules@usms.org.