switching lanes in a race

Yeah, I'm with the folks asking why. Seems as if it would actually be a disadvantage to the lane changing swimmer, since the shortest distance between two points is a straight line. I can see only one possible exception: Swimmer A (lane changer) has been assigned to share a lane in a race. Swimmer B was supposed to swim in the next lane over but unexpected business (some meeting or other about lane changing rules, no doubt) prevented him/her from participating in the race, leaving the lane empty. In Swimmer B's absence, Swimmer A sees the opportunity to enjoy a lane to him/herself. (Of course, Swimmer C, A's lane mate might have the same idea about the empty lane, making the matter more complicated, but that's why Swimmer B is off at this meeting about rules.) :joker:

This thread reminds me of "The Switcher," who swims sometimes at the same gym I train at. I don't know what her name is, and I've never spoken to her, so that's what I call her. After she swims a length of the pool, she switches from one lane to the next, without ever touching the wall or the lane rope. I guess it's an open-water simulation. Refraining from comment...

The league goes by uss rules but there wont nessesaraly be a uss judge. I was thinking that he could do it on 100 free styleon the last turn when he is behind. He would push off the wall into the next lane, do a few strokes and then slip back into his lane. there is no where in the rule book where it says switching lanes is illegal. So would this be a DQ or not?

Sounds fun...I say do it. We are not talking about a meet where college scouts are present.

He would push off the wall into the next lane, do a few strokes and then slip back into his lane. Wow, I try not to do this.

I think Warren wants to play 'tag you're it!' in a race with the next lane.

Doing so accidentally is not illegal as long as you don't interfere. If you do so intentionally, and the referee believes it was intentional, then the referee has every right to disqualify you for unsportsmanlike conduct. And in a summer league meet? Please. The net effect of that is you get all of the 10 and under kids seeing it happen, think it's a great and funny idea, and then they all start doing it. -Rick Just to clear things up, I'm not going to be the one doing it, its one of my friends on another team. I won't be present for it either becasue we don't swim them this season. And the 10 and unders won't try to do it.

there is no where in the rule book where it says switching lanes is illegal. So would this be a DQ or not? Doing so accidentally is not illegal as long as you don't interfere. If you do so intentionally, and the referee believes it was intentional, then the referee has every right to disqualify you for unsportsmanlike conduct. And in a summer league meet? Please. The net effect of that is you get all of the 10 and under kids seeing it happen, think it's a great and funny idea, and then they all start doing it. -Rick

This is somewhat embarrassing, but have been guilty of swimming in three lanes during a 400 im about 10 years ago. While swimming at a local meet, and after having a few too many drinks the night before, I managed to surface in the wrong lane on one of my backstroke turns, and if that wasn't bad enough, I came out of my underwater breaststroke sequence in the other lane beside me. It wasn't one of my best performances :) As I did not interfere with anyone, I don't think I was dq'd.

This is somewhat embarrassing, but have been guilty of swimming in three lanes during a 400 im about 10 years ago. While swimming at a local meet, and after having a few too many drinks the night before, I managed to surface in the wrong lane on one of my backstroke turns, and if that wasn't bad enough, I came out of my underwater breaststroke sequence in the other lane beside me. It wasn't one of my best performances :) As I did not interfere with anyone, I don't think I was dq'd. LOL! Awesome story...thanks for sharing! :laugh2: