AC Marathon Swim results can be found at:
http://www.acswim.org/
Question: If you look at the photo section, there are a number of pictures where it looks like the swimmers are swimming directly behind (i.e. drafting) their boat. Is that legal?
-LBJ
For the AC Marathon it had been an accepted practice to draft off the back of your escort boat. It least it has been traditionally accepted, possible a carryover from the old Pro Marathon, pre-FINA days, and there are some interesting stories of swimmers who have taken extreme advantage of this practice.
It used to be that the crews would add weight to the stern of the boat to increase the draft. And most crews would have a tennis ball on a stick attached to the boat and extended about 3 feet behind the boat so the swimmer could hold a steady position, sighting using the tennis ball.
In looking at the photo’s it appeared that the swimmers are further back than I remember from my swim. And I didn’t see any of the tennis balls, but I did notice that a couple of the boats seemed a bit stern heavy.
For the AC Marathon it had been an accepted practice to draft off the back of your escort boat. It least it has been traditionally accepted, possible a carryover from the old Pro Marathon, pre-FINA days, and there are some interesting stories of swimmers who have taken extreme advantage of this practice.
It used to be that the crews would add weight to the stern of the boat to increase the draft. And most crews would have a tennis ball on a stick attached to the boat and extended about 3 feet behind the boat so the swimmer could hold a steady position, sighting using the tennis ball.
In looking at the photo’s it appeared that the swimmers are further back than I remember from my swim. And I didn’t see any of the tennis balls, but I did notice that a couple of the boats seemed a bit stern heavy.
