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.
Parents
Former Member
I did ask at my open water swim this weekend and it was the opinion of the referee that watches (for USA-S) were illegal.
Part 7 of the USA-S rulebook (Open Water Swimming) opens with "USA Swimming Rules and Regulations apply to open water competition, unless specifically indicated otherwise in Part Seven". FINA's open water rules open with "All World Championships, World Cups, and FINA competitions shall be governed by the rules of FINA with the following exceptions and additions."
I scanned the open water rules and saw nothing that addressed this issue so I would assume from this that watches were illegal due to the base rule not being trumped (in either case) by an exception. (I did just scan so could have missed something.)
I did ask at my open water swim this weekend and it was the opinion of the referee that watches (for USA-S) were illegal.
Part 7 of the USA-S rulebook (Open Water Swimming) opens with "USA Swimming Rules and Regulations apply to open water competition, unless specifically indicated otherwise in Part Seven". FINA's open water rules open with "All World Championships, World Cups, and FINA competitions shall be governed by the rules of FINA with the following exceptions and additions."
I scanned the open water rules and saw nothing that addressed this issue so I would assume from this that watches were illegal due to the base rule not being trumped (in either case) by an exception. (I did just scan so could have missed something.)
