I attended an open water swim competition this past weekend and about 80% of the swimmers were wearing wrist watches. This meet was USMS sanctioned/recognized as all competitors had to be registered USMS members. None of the approximately 550 swimmers were disqualified for wearing wrist watches. I thought timing devices were not allowed but couldn't find wrist watches specifically mentioned in the open-water swimming rules. Could someone clarify this and/or point me in the right direction as to where this is addressed in the rules.
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Former Member
Originally posted by Rob Copeland
There was some confusion when USA-Swimming added language to their disqualification section “102.10.10 (DISQUALIFICATIONS) No swimmer is permitted to wear or use any device or substance to help his/her speed, pace or buoyancy during a race.” Questions were raised about considering wrist watches as “pacing devices”; as I understand it, USA-S determined that watches were not pacing devices and are legal.
USMS typically follows USA-S, however USMS 102.15.9 only addresses “speed or buoyancy” NOT pace. For USMS watches are legal.
I'm a USA-S stroke & turn judge (with North Carolina Swimming LSC) and, one more than one occaison in the last few months at age group meets, have had the official briefing state that wrist watches were definitely illegal and that we should ask the swimmer to remove it if we noticed it before they got on the blocks but that we should DQ if we caught it in the water. It's then ultimately up to the referee as he/she has to countersign any DQ.
I'm actually participating in an open water meet tomorrow and also intend to help officiate the events I'm not participating in. As it's a jointly sanctioned meet, I intend to ask the question at the officials briefing. (My memory being what it is, hopefully I'll *remember* that I intend to ask the question!!! :D )
Originally posted by Rob Copeland
There was some confusion when USA-Swimming added language to their disqualification section “102.10.10 (DISQUALIFICATIONS) No swimmer is permitted to wear or use any device or substance to help his/her speed, pace or buoyancy during a race.” Questions were raised about considering wrist watches as “pacing devices”; as I understand it, USA-S determined that watches were not pacing devices and are legal.
USMS typically follows USA-S, however USMS 102.15.9 only addresses “speed or buoyancy” NOT pace. For USMS watches are legal.
I'm a USA-S stroke & turn judge (with North Carolina Swimming LSC) and, one more than one occaison in the last few months at age group meets, have had the official briefing state that wrist watches were definitely illegal and that we should ask the swimmer to remove it if we noticed it before they got on the blocks but that we should DQ if we caught it in the water. It's then ultimately up to the referee as he/she has to countersign any DQ.
I'm actually participating in an open water meet tomorrow and also intend to help officiate the events I'm not participating in. As it's a jointly sanctioned meet, I intend to ask the question at the officials briefing. (My memory being what it is, hopefully I'll *remember* that I intend to ask the question!!! :D )
