Backstroke Rules - Some Questions

We allow them to be underwater as they lunge for the wall at the finish. But that doesn't mean they can lunge at the flags and kick in underwater either. Basically a final stroke reach for the wall. This was the interpretation of one of the referees here who has been involved in officiating swimming (at all levels) for a very long time . If they are underwater prior to the touch, it is a DQ recommendation. It doesn't matter if it is a lunge or not. USA Swimming clarified this in the past year and it has been clarified at every meet I have officiated the past year as well. Here's excerpts from the memo: Question: Article 101.4.2 states that it is permissible for a swimmer to be completely submerged at the finish. What is the definition of “finish”? Answer: Article 101.4.4 states that at the finish, the swimmer must touch the wall. Therefore, the “finish” is defined as the instant that a swimmer touches the wall. If a swimmer is completely submerged any time prior to that, except for 15 meters after the start and after each turn, it would be cause for a disqualification because the swimmer was completely submerged prior to the finish wolf? wolf? Where are you?

If they are underwater prior to the touch, it is a DQ recommendation. It doesn't matter if it is a lunge or not. USA Swimming clarified this in the past year and it has been clarified at every meet I have officiated the past year as well. Here's excerpts from the memo: Question: Article 101.4.2 states that it is permissible for a swimmer to be completely submerged at the finish. What is the definition of “finish”? Answer: Article 101.4.4 states that at the finish, the swimmer must touch the wall. Therefore, the “finish” is defined as the instant that a swimmer touches the wall. If a swimmer is completely submerged any time prior to that, except for 15 meters after the start and after each turn, it would be cause for a disqualification because the swimmer was completely submerged prior to the finish wolf? wolf? Where are you? Ah, this is a fun one. The issue here is being able to make the call that the swimmer was COMPLETELY submerged prior to the finish and still be judging the actual touch. So unless the swimmer submerges completely 2-3 feet or farther away, this is a non-call as any good coach will get the ref to over turn this (and I rarely accept submerged at the finish - the S&T has to really prove to me that they were in an excellent position to judge the entire swimmer's body AND the touch). The finish is the point at which the S&T's judging shifts from the swim to the touch. That's the definition I use in my briefings. As for re-submerging prior to the 15m mark? Hate to say that is perfectly legal as long as the some part of the swimmer is above the surface of the water when the swimmer's head reaches the 15m mark. Read the rule again, it never says anything about the swimmer remaining on the surface once they come up, it only states that some part of the swimmer must break the surface of the water throughout the race with the exception of prior to the swimmers head reach the 15m mark. Someone somewhere is going to figure out how to take advantage of this but so far no one has managed to make that faster. Because resubmerging will lose you any possible gain you would get from SDKs as that costs time and energy.

... 101.4.2 Stroke—Standing in or on the gutter, placing the toes above the lip of the gutter or bending the toes over the lip of the gutter immediately after the start is not permitted. The swimmer shall push off on the back and continue swimming on the back throughout the race. Some part of the swimmer must break the surface of the water throughout the race, except it shall be permissible for the swimmer to be completely submerged during the turn, at the finish 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 of the water. ... I don't believe you can go back under once you surface. I have seen people get DQ'd for this on the finish: they lunge/dive under the water for the touch, and the judge's hand goes up. ... You have seen people DQ'd for going under at the finish? I think all the top backstrokers finish underwater now.

Ok thanks. I just looked at a video more closely and the head and arms are underwater but the core/suit is at the surface. They show the finish in slow motion in this clip at around 4:30 YouTube - ‪Men's 100m Backstroke A Final - 2011 Indianapolis Grand Prix‬‏ It looks like Matt Grevers goes completely underwater a fraction of a second before touching the wall.

With this discussion in mind, watch the two swimmers in the center lanes: YouTube - ‪5-15-11 Jims 50 yd back.AVI‬‏ In this tie finish, both swimmers missed their touches and lunged to the wall. Was this a DQ?

With this discussion in mind, watch the two swimmers in the center lanes: YouTube - ‪5-15-11 Jims 50 yd back.AVI‬‏ In this tie finish, both swimmers missed their touches and lunged to the wall. Was this a DQ? Impossible to tell from that angle and probably too close to call anyway.

My bad, I skimmed the posts too quickly. Yes, leaving a pinky or whatever above the water would make it legal past 15m, it seems to me. But I cannot imagine it would be faster than swimming. It seems to me that there are two big reasons SDK is fast, even though you are giving up some propulsion (ie, from your arms): you are more streamlined, and you aren't making surface waves. You lose both of these if you stick an arm up to the surface. I think it would be a huge drag (no pun intended). Over the years I have found myself naturally seeking deeper water off the pushoff and I think it makes my underwaters faster. My :2cents:, anyway. Exactly.At race speed wave drag is the greatest drag.SDK is fast because you aren't making waves.As you get close to the surface you begin making waves.If you are close enough to the surface to have a finger out and maintain any sort of streamline you are going to be making waves.If you are deep with a finger at the surface then your arm will be extended well away from streamline and that will slow you down significantly.If you can dolphin kick at the surface faster than you can swim backstroke then the idea has some merit,but I doubt that is true for many.

Just SDK to the 15M mark, breakout and continue SDKing on the surface. :) I could probably be faster doing this in a shorter race (probably not) since my arm turnover is slow and my backstroke kick is lazy.

It does not have to be a pinkie. It could be a foot! SDK on your side; rooster tail splash at an angle with one foot. Faster? maybe not for old people.

It does not have to be a pinkie. It could be a foot! SDK on your side; rooster tail splash at an angle with one foot. Faster? maybe not for old people. You still have the wave problem.If you are that shallow you will have wave drag which will almost certainly slow you below your backstroke speed.Try it though,the stop watch doesn't lie.