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.
Former Member
OK, I'm back from the Livorno 2.5KM race... asked the (FIN) judge about the wrist watch rule and he had never heard of it before. This man is the judge in about 30 open-water races per season, so I have a feeling he knows his rules.
I chose not to wear a watch.. just thought it might bug me on my wrist.
By the way, I got the gold for my age category!! (44-49) and am very proud. It was a tough race - the sea was very very rough, the surface water temperature was:
19 degree Celsius = 66.2 degree Fahrenheit
Sometimes I almost felt like giving up, but I didn't! YAY!
I love open-water swimming!
Mary
Originally posted by LindsayNB
For pool races, in Italy at least, FINA SW 10.15 applies:
SW 10.15 No pace-making shall be permitted, nor may any device be used or plan adopted which has that effect.
So I s'pose something like this would be out for pool competitions then...
www.cnn.com/.../index.html
Originally posted by Bobber
So I s'pose something like this would be out for pool competitions then...
www.cnn.com/.../index.html
Pretty cool--but I think I'd have the same problem trying to press the "start" button while diving in--which wouldn't make it as helpful in a meet as one might think. Maybe if there were a device to start it by remote control so a friend or coach could activate it as the swimmer dives.
This remote control technology could really go overboard, having coaches figure out how to stop their swimmers' compeitors' watches--or the competitors themselves--holding them in mid-dive like a freeze frame. Okay, bear with me...it's early in the day. ;)
