A counter may verbally call split times. See USMS 102.10.6:
102.10.6 Counters
A A swimmer in any individual event of 16 lengths or more, except the individual medley, may appoint one counter to call lengths or indicate lengths by visual sign.
B Verbal counters shall be limited to one per swimmer and shall be stationed at the end of the course opposite the starting end. They may use watches and signal intermediate times to the swimmer.
C If visual counters are used, they may be stationed at the end or either side of the pool beyond the halfway point toward the end of the course opposite the starting end. Visual counters may be lowered into the water at the end of the swimmer’s lane, provided that, in the opinion of the referee, they neither physically aid the swimmer or interfere with another competitor or present any safety hazard.
D The count may be in ascending or descending order.
E In the event of official or counter error, it is the responsibility of the swimmer to complete the prescribed distance.
There's no requirement that counters be completely motionless with the counting device, so you could easily conclude as long as the counter does not interfere with the race, they're fine.
I wouldn't really want to try the trick with changing the count on the turncard to indicate pace in an actual meet. It would certainly drive the referee and timers nuts (assuming everyone's paying attention to the count), plus you would probably be violating 102.10.6D. Not sure what the penalty of that would be, but I'm not sure you'd want to find out either. Of course, there's also no definition of what a counter must be (the rules are written in such a way that it doesn't have to be the expensive things with turncards), so I suppose you could rig up a system that would indicate pace and length in ascending/descending order.
Patrick King
A counter may verbally call split times. See USMS 102.10.6:
102.10.6 Counters
A A swimmer in any individual event of 16 lengths or more, except the individual medley, may appoint one counter to call lengths or indicate lengths by visual sign.
B Verbal counters shall be limited to one per swimmer and shall be stationed at the end of the course opposite the starting end. They may use watches and signal intermediate times to the swimmer.
C If visual counters are used, they may be stationed at the end or either side of the pool beyond the halfway point toward the end of the course opposite the starting end. Visual counters may be lowered into the water at the end of the swimmer’s lane, provided that, in the opinion of the referee, they neither physically aid the swimmer or interfere with another competitor or present any safety hazard.
D The count may be in ascending or descending order.
E In the event of official or counter error, it is the responsibility of the swimmer to complete the prescribed distance.
There's no requirement that counters be completely motionless with the counting device, so you could easily conclude as long as the counter does not interfere with the race, they're fine.
I wouldn't really want to try the trick with changing the count on the turncard to indicate pace in an actual meet. It would certainly drive the referee and timers nuts (assuming everyone's paying attention to the count), plus you would probably be violating 102.10.6D. Not sure what the penalty of that would be, but I'm not sure you'd want to find out either. Of course, there's also no definition of what a counter must be (the rules are written in such a way that it doesn't have to be the expensive things with turncards), so I suppose you could rig up a system that would indicate pace and length in ascending/descending order.
Patrick King
