Two events I'd like to see

RE: Two events I'd like to see

Former Member — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 12:24:05 GMT

DanSad;86166 How does relay strategy really work? It's seem like it's only about peception during the course of the race. If you have four swimmers, (swimmer A swims a 50 sec 100, swimmer B swims a 52 sec 100, swimmer C swims a 48 sec 100, swimmer D swims a 50 sec 100 ), it would seem as though no matter how you rearrange the order they should still swim a 400 in 200 sec. Is it that if your order them so that you're losing during the first half you can hope to get a better time out of your last 2 swimmers because they're trying harder to catch up? Or that if you put your faster 2 swimmers first you demoralize the opposing teams? 'Xactly. Because of what you said in your last two sentences. The total of 200 secs works on paper based on recorded PBs and estimates but not on the psychology of the individuals, but you -as the coach- know that if you put swimmer A as the starter you'll get 50secs 99% of the time, but if he jumps in trailing an opponent, he's such a fighter that you might be able to get a mid-to-low 49 out of him. In that sense, relays are a game of chess. South Africa did not open with Schoeman and suffered, for example. :2cents:

RE: Two events I'd like to see

ljlete — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 10:01:32 GMT

I believe the traditional order for a freestyle relay is 2nd fastest, 4th fastest, 3rd fastest and fastest. Of course, this is subject to the individual's starts. One could shift someone with a fast start to first if the 2nd fastest is really slow. Part of the strategy involves getting smooth water and having someone who might be able to catchup at the end. Leo

RE: Two events I'd like to see

DanSad — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 09:24:16 GMT

How does relay strategy really work? It's seem like it's only about peception during the course of the race. If you have four swimmers, ( swimmer A swims a 50 sec 100, swimmer B swims a 52 sec 100, swimmer C swims a 48 sec 100, swimmer D swims a 50 sec 100 ), it would seem as though no matter how you rearrange the order they should still swim a 400 in 200 sec. Is it that if your order them so that you're losing during the first half you can hope to get a better time out of your last 2 swimmers because they're trying harder to catch up? Or that if you put your faster 2 swimmers first you demoralize the opposing teams?

RE: Two events I'd like to see

Former Member — Tue, 03 Apr 2007 15:58:45 GMT

what, no 800 IM? :) Even though an 800 IM would be interesting, per se, in most cases you would have a "Phelps" just outracing everybody else. When I said an 8x200 IM Relay, it's because I'd like to see how each coach would strategize this race: eight different swimmers, each doing four strokes. How would they start or finish (with which of their swimmers)? Some teams might be ahead by 50m at the 300m mark and might be finishing last (or next to) nearer the end or v.v. Do you start with the men to give your team the largest headstart possible? Or do you keep your men (supposedly faster than women, in general) for the four (or maybe only last three) anchor spots, to catch-up? But maybe team B has more fast women swimmers than fast men. I know that the expression "more fast" does not sound grammatically correct but I mean more -as in quantity- with a pause after "more" and "fast women" pronounced quickly together.

RE: Two events I'd like to see

art_z — Tue, 03 Apr 2007 08:59:04 GMT

what, no 800 IM? :)

RE: Two events I'd like to see

Former Member — Sun, 01 Apr 2007 14:56:22 GMT

David, following that model, the announcer would be blithering on (in a plummy British accent) about Lance Armstrong, even though he wasn't competing...

RE: Two events I'd like to see

Former Member — Sun, 01 Apr 2007 14:03:30 GMT

peter, think of it.... tight pace line, alternating 30 second pulls, the precision of the blue angles in the ow!

RE: Two events I'd like to see

Former Member — Sun, 01 Apr 2007 13:57:37 GMT

Dave- there are some team cyclist strategies that I think we would just as soon not see. Oh wait, those were the actions of individual team members, not reflective of the cyclist team's high standards. Carry on then...

RE: Two events I'd like to see

Former Member — Sun, 01 Apr 2007 13:36:25 GMT

i would like to see the 800 im. i would also like to see an OW team time trial (four swimmers start together, finish time is when the last swimmer crosses the line) it would be interesting to see the same team strategies in swimming that are employed by cyclists.

RE: Two events I'd like to see

FlyQueen — Sun, 01 Apr 2007 11:54:37 GMT

They are doing a mixed 400 relay at the Duel ... I can't wait to see the team they put up, how fun!

RE: Two events I'd like to see

DanSad — Sun, 01 Apr 2007 10:25:59 GMT

I think you'd see the 4x200 medley relay before the 8x200 co-ed medley relay. Mixing men and women in the same race seems like a big step/change. Adding a 4x200 medley relay though would be neat though.