LD16 303.6.3 SWIMWEAR p. 62 OWLDC Modify
303.6.3 Wetsuits may be allowed in all USMS-sanctioned open water events, at the
discretion of the meet event director. Wetsuits generally provide a competitive advantage. If
awards are given to wetsuit competitors they shall be awarded separately from those for nonwetsuit
competitors. Any published results or records must clearly indicate which swimmers
wore wetsuits.
Rationale 1: Because the OWLDC is aware that people wearing wetsuits are no longer allowed to be treated as
non-participants because they represent a major area of growth to our organization. In most cases, these
neoprene-clad souls would trade their eye teeth to go without but for whatever reasons they chose to look like
shark bait, they want/need/can’t live without it so by allowing this new rule, they can now wear their wetsuit in
our USMS races and get a prize from USMS. Also, members of the OWLDC are getting tired of extracting
naked, frozen people from the bathrooms where they are attempting to warm up by splashing themselves with
lukewarm water from the sink and recognize that if these folks had been offered an opportunity to wear a
wetsuit in their race, they would be having a much more fun time at this USMS event than experiencing
hypothermia and swearing on their mother’s grave to never swim in an open water race again.
Rationale2: This rule is leading our organization down the slippery slope to The Sanitization of Open Water
Swimming. We have regulated water temp, hot hats, buoys every so often, swim suits that help us float, and
more devices to take the element of nature out of the events, sort of like rock climbing with an elevator, so are
we “purists” now viewed as the extremists in our sport, the on the fringe element? But on the other hand at
least people are swimming and staying healthy, which is a wonderful thing for our society.
Rationale3: As purists spend time acclimating to less warm water temps and not spending time cycling 140
miles or running 26 at a stretch, do we get a motor on our bike? How about we start a “Buffet Event”, similar to
the 300IM: Pick a few choices you want and we’ll all compete together. This could lead to the “All Gadget
Olympics.”
Parents
Former Member
first off, no one is forcing anyone to do anything they are not comfortable doing.....period.
this proposed rule change would "force" event organizers to maintain a separate division for all catagories for wetsuit wearers if they are to run a usms sanctioned event. as i mentioned before; i have never attended an event where anyone was refused the right to participate because he/she wanted to wear a wetsuit.
some events are about overcoming adverse conditions and some are not.
the ederle swim is a 16 mile event being held oct 25 from lower manhattan to sandy hook nj. no wetsuits. no fastskins. no neoprene caps....
likewise for the english channel, the manhattan marathon, the catalina channel etc.
While no one is "forced", I thought the prior rules essentially made wetsuit wearers be ineligible for awards. This essentially "forces" you to not wear one if you wish to compete for awards. (If am wrong on the prior rules, I apologize, please correct me.) I probably would never enter a competition where I didn't have a chance at winning something. I can understand it may be harder to plan events, ultimately each event planner should be able to dictate wetsuit/non-wetsuit or blended event. Supporting more swimmers of all types will get them more registrations anyway and that should be worth the extra overhead for planning. I dont think event directors should be forced to suddenly double the amount of events and I agree its not a level playing field for awards to be shared between the two types of swimmer. Having awards for wetsuit and non-wetsuit is just the only fair way to allow wetsuit swimmers to actually compete for awards without giving them an advantage over those that dont wear them.
I was mostly responding to the antagonism there seems to be that wearing a wetsuit is somehow not experiencing nature and that roughing the harsh temps and jellyfish is somehow a required part of the "real" sport.
first off, no one is forcing anyone to do anything they are not comfortable doing.....period.
this proposed rule change would "force" event organizers to maintain a separate division for all catagories for wetsuit wearers if they are to run a usms sanctioned event. as i mentioned before; i have never attended an event where anyone was refused the right to participate because he/she wanted to wear a wetsuit.
some events are about overcoming adverse conditions and some are not.
the ederle swim is a 16 mile event being held oct 25 from lower manhattan to sandy hook nj. no wetsuits. no fastskins. no neoprene caps....
likewise for the english channel, the manhattan marathon, the catalina channel etc.
While no one is "forced", I thought the prior rules essentially made wetsuit wearers be ineligible for awards. This essentially "forces" you to not wear one if you wish to compete for awards. (If am wrong on the prior rules, I apologize, please correct me.) I probably would never enter a competition where I didn't have a chance at winning something. I can understand it may be harder to plan events, ultimately each event planner should be able to dictate wetsuit/non-wetsuit or blended event. Supporting more swimmers of all types will get them more registrations anyway and that should be worth the extra overhead for planning. I dont think event directors should be forced to suddenly double the amount of events and I agree its not a level playing field for awards to be shared between the two types of swimmer. Having awards for wetsuit and non-wetsuit is just the only fair way to allow wetsuit swimmers to actually compete for awards without giving them an advantage over those that dont wear them.
I was mostly responding to the antagonism there seems to be that wearing a wetsuit is somehow not experiencing nature and that roughing the harsh temps and jellyfish is somehow a required part of the "real" sport.
