15m Rule Question

In the strokes that require that you surface within 15m of the start, does the head itself have to break the surface by the 15m mark or does the head have to surface before the feet reach the 15m mark? I had thought it was the former but just read that it was the latter and am not sure if I should believe it or not. For many swimmers there's an almost 2m difference. Thanks in advance! Lindsey, Without looking it up in the rule book I can't cite the exact rule, but the official looks for the head to break the surface at or before the 15 meter mark. You can find it in the rules if you go to the USMS home page and look at the tabs across the top of the page. The rule book is under the "Articles and Publications" tab. Hope this helps.

Thanks. I did read the rule and it isn't completely unambiguous. I read it to say the head must break the surface by the time the head reaches the 15m mark, but... When your feet leave the wall have you traveled 0 distance or have you traveled a distance equal to your height? Does "distance" refer to the distance from the wall or the distance you have traveled? The markers on the lane lines are measured from the wall.

The rulebook is a little ambiguous, but judges are basically just looking for the head to come up before the marked buoy. Your head (or any part of it, including for example, the chin if you're swimming backstroke), can surface at the buoy, in the three strokes that require surfacing at or by the 15m mark. In addition, if there are two markers in your lane (one each rope), and they are not at the same position, the buoy in question is the one that is more favorable to you (for example, the one further down the pool in your lane). I would personally say that the rule seems pretty clear cut to me ("It shall be permissible for a swimmer to be completely submerged for a distance of not more than 15 meters (16.4 yards) after the start and after each turn. By that point, the head must have broken the surface."), because the determination only refers to what the head is doing, and not anything else, but it's very easy to think that a familiar rule is clear cut. Patrick King

Thanks. I did read the rule and it isn't completely unambiguous. I read it to say the head must break the surface by the time the head reaches the 15m mark, but... When your feet leave the wall have you traveled 0 distance or have you traveled a distance equal to your height? Does "distance" refer to the distance from the wall or the distance you have traveled? ...it shall be permissible for the swimmer to be completely submerged during the turn and for a distance of not more than 15 meters (16.4 yards) after the start and each turn. By that point the head must have broken the surface.

The rulebook is a little ambiguous, but judges are basically just looking for the head to come up before the marked buoy.

pakman044 Active Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Chapel Hill, NC So.... how's the mood today in Chapel Hill? :cry:

So.... how's the mood today in Chapel Hill? :cry: Complete smiles from me, because it's anybody but Carolina as far as I'm concerned. Of course, this comment will probably get me strung up by the 15m tape measure that is lying somewhere in my room. Patrick King

I believe it says the swimmer must surface before reaching the 15m mark. Well if the swimmers feet surface at 15m, I would DQ that swimmer because thier head went beyond the 15m mark while submerged.

Check out this: www.flocasts.org/.../videos.php That's Chris Stevenson just about nailing the 15m limit. I've seen more than a few Masters swimmers hitting the 15m mark on a regular basis. It's both impressive and depressing :-) Paul

Your head must break the surface of the water at or before the 15 meter mark. By that point, the head must have broken the surface. "That point" is the 15 meter mark. Your head must break the surface before 15 meters. -Rick