Hey Fellow Swimmers,
I am a backstroker and I have a fairly good underwater SDK for my age. I can swim faster underwater than I can on the surface. Usually, 15 meters is not a problem for me.
From the USMS rule book:
101.4 Backstroke
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.
My main question:
Upon reviewing the rules, I believe that I could break the surface of the water with my head before the 15 meter (16.4 yards) and then continue to swim underwater (SDK on my back) for the remaining part of the race as long as I held my pinkie above the water (or until I drown).
A minor question: most pools have lane markers embedded in the lane lines - how does one know if the markers are exactly 15 meters (16.4 yards). It does not appear that there is a stringent requirement to measure the markers (as opposed to the length of the pool).
A minor question: does the 15 meter rule hold for 25 yard competition. I was told that for 25 yard competition, the maximum allowable distance is 15 yards.
Respectfully yours,
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.
That's almost like someone I know who swims breaststroke on their back during the 15M of the backstroke events? Who was that again? I forget his name...what was it?...That G...no, that's not it... :dunno: Said it was faster though...
It's always 15 meters, never yards.
I agree with your read on the rules. Your head must break the surface by 15 meters, but after that you could go back under as long as you keep one hand (or pinkie) up out of the water. I'd love to see someone try it! I have a feeling that position is very difficult to maintain AND not at all streamlined.
Yup, I'm still mad about my DQ in the 100 back earlier this season. I don't usually go underwater on the finish, but I lunged towards the wall on the finish, and I was nowhere near it. I lost momentum and must have popped up and then touched, and I was DQ'd, AND I screwed up my race anyway.
I think the deal is that you can only go underwater you can only come up again once. If you come up twice, that's it.
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.
Are you going to try it? When will you come up before starting the second SDK on the side?
I'm tempted to try it with your new rooster tail version, just to see ...
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 why I find it to be such an easy call. It is really really obvious when a swimmer goes under long before the wall because otherwise my eyes are on the touch, not the feet. And, the swimmer always gets the benefit of the doubt.
Right, but they're going all the way under (for it to be a valid DQ, anyway). In pdjang's scenario he keeps some part of his body above the surface of the water. That should be legal per the wording of the rule.
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.
