Back to your question...
I'm doing a 5K OW race this weekend. It is USMS sanctioned. Are watches illegal for OW races? As Skip mentioned, yes it is legal, but I suggest you confirm this with the meet referee during the pre-race briefing.
Frank re open water swims. My brother was chased by a shark and had to go to little Island and sit on it during the Atlantic City Marathon. His boatmen chased the shark away by hitting it with oars. Tom got back in the water and went on to win the race. Would this be considered illegal now.
Was the shark wearing a watch?
I don't know if the shark wore a but I watch..ed it.
Thanks for this response. Curious minds wanted to know.
And as long as you watched it without a watch (on either you or the shark), I guess you're both legit. :groovy:
Aquageek:
We had this discussion before and I will provide a link to that here;forums.usms.org/showthread.php
I am going to say No that it is not illegal to where a watch. I did not see it in any of the rule infractions in the Open Water section of the 2007 Rule Book. It is illegal to where a watch for Pool events in both USMS and FINA. I believe the intent of the rule is that watches can become pace-making devices in pool swims very easily and they want swimmers to swim races without that information. In an Open Water swim its not that easy because even though everyone swims the same course, because swimmers can get off course you would have a hard time pacing for exact distance. Plus depending on how the course is set up, I think you would have a hard time knowing where the exact distances are on the course to get the pace per distance. In a pool you always know where you are and if you can see a clock you can figure your pace per distance. That can't be done very easily in an Open Water race unless you were on a 1/4 cable course and then you could possibly do it.
Open Water rules are a lot different than Pool rules and what applies in the pool does usually convert to Open Water rules. This also goes for stroke infractions that you would get called for in a pool race. You can do just about anything except the infractions that they state in Article 303.8 and they detail in sections 1 thru 10 on what infractions would warrant a disqualification. In section 303.6.6 that I just found in the section of swimwear rules says; "a wrist watch may be worn in open water competition" so I guess that answers the question.
Yes, this would be considered illegal now. The beating of fish by the oarsmen is definitely unsporting behavior and a “flagrant disregard of another swimmer.”
As for your brother, as long as he did not gain an advantage (exiting and reentering the water at the same location) he should not be disqualified, but it is up to the event referee.
When I did Atlantic City my only close encounter was with one of the East German women swimmers, but she didn’t bite.
Was the shark wearing a watch? ;)
I've heard that in any case it's not a good idea to wear a watch in OW swims b/c it can look like something a shark might want to chase. That and it's kind of hard to check a watch anyway in those conditions. I didn't wear watches in pool races b/c I figured someone was doing the time keeping anyway and looking at a watch would just be another distraction.
This is a lake race so sharks aren't a problem.
I saw a show the other night that listed all the comical things that are more likely to kill you than a shark. You are apparently more likely to die from a flying toilet seat than by sharks.
This is a lake race so sharks aren't a problem.
I saw a show the other night that listed all the comical things that are more likely to kill you than a shark. You are apparently more likely to die from a flying toilet seat than by sharks.
Oh the shame of it! ;)
Hope you have a safe and successful swim with neither flying toilet seats nor large fish to disturb it!
Frank re open water swims. My brother was chased by a shark and had to go to little Island and sit on it during the Atlantic City Marathon. His boatmen chased the shark away by hitting it with oars. Tom got back in the water and went on to win the race. Would this be considered illegal now.
George:
I do remember hearing about this. Back in 1983 after the Short Course Nationals in Fort Lauderdale, I was in the ISHOF in the Open Water section. I remember someone talking about that race in Atlantic City and how everyone was being chased by sharks. Your brother must be Tom Park. www.acswim.org/.../PastStandings.htm
The ISHOF had films of sharks in Open Water Races and I do remember that electronic shark shields were used by crew members to repel the sharks in the Bahmas. They allowed Electricity to be used to repel any kind of threating mamels during attempeted solo swims. I believe Diana had this type of equipment when she swam the 102 miles from the Bahmas to Jupiter, Florida. I also remember the Shark cages that they allowed both Diana Nyad and Shelly Taylor when they atemped solo swims back in 1978.
