I organized a swim recently and we had non-wetsuit and wetsuit categories. I'm fine with accommodating wetsuits for open water swimming. However, the challenge comes up in the awards portion. Should wetsuit swimmers be entitled to the exact same type of awards as non-wetsuit swimmers? The problem this poses as an organizer is that suddenly you need to purchase twice the number of awards to accommodate a separate division (wetsuit), even though everyone's swimming the same race.
What might be fair for next time (learning as I go) is to award the top 3 male/female non-wetsuit swimmers for each event, but just the #1 male and female in the wetsuit category for each event. They at least get acknowledged for their efforts.
Curious if anyone else has thoughts on this.
For most of the NYC swim series, jammers aren't allowed:
www.nycswim.org/.../FAQ.aspx
I don't really care for OW swimming that much, but those NYC OW rules for swim suits are just ridiculous!!
Open water swimming needs to allow for wetsuits to thrive as a sport to bring as many people out there as possible.
Open water swimming will be a major Olymipic event in time. probably with non wetsuit races.
The '08 olympic 10k was held in a rowing basin, and '12 will be in the serpentine. neither venue does justice to the phrase "open water". i doubt that any major network will have complete live coverage. the serp is a bit chilly, so i expect that wetsuits will be worn.
the only obstacle I saw was a lot of ducks
Don't disrespect the duck. We have a few with quite an uppity attitude in our university lake.
And don't get me started on the Canadian geese. I wouldn't want to swim through them; they routinely chase people off the sidewalk. And there are several curious and unexplained muggings at night near the lake...
Should wetsuit swimmers be entitled to the exact same type of awards as non-wetsuit swimmers? The problem this poses as an organizer is that suddenly you need to purchase twice the number of awards to accommodate a separate division (wetsuit), even though everyone's swimming the same race.
IMO: same awards. Don't wetsuit wearers pay the same entry fee as the "naked" swimmers?
But I don't feel strongly about it. I agree with the others, whatever you do advertise it on your race entry forms. (But I disagree that then people won't complain. Anyone can complain about anything.)
blame it on the suit manufacturers not the event organizers who are trying to maintain a (sea) level playing field.
Ironic that someone brings up the NYC Swim policy... seems to me, the relevant issue in the context of this thread is not jammers vs. briefs, but the fact that wetsuits aren't distinguished from skins in the results (in water 68F or below).
So I get Dave's point about a level playing field - but only in the narrow sense.
many of the people who work the events are volunteers. it would be unreasonable to have everyone familiar with the different models of tech suits (yes they were also produced as jammers), but easy enough to differentiate between a brief and a jammer. blame it on the suit manufacturers not the event organizers who are trying to maintain a (sea) level playing field.
If they followed the fina guidelines where jammers had to have the fina 2010 logo on it, then it wouldn't be hard to know which suits weren't illegal jammers.
I agree with James, not allowing jammers for men is a silly rule
If they followed the fina guidelines where jammers had to have the fina 2010 logo on it, then it wouldn't be hard to know which suits weren't illegal jammers.
there is a higher standard than FINA
there is a higher standard than FINA
yea,yea, yea, that sounds like an open water snob. There is nothing wrong with letting guys wear jammers in pool or open water races dave.
yea,yea, yea, that sounds like an open water snob. There is nothing wrong with letting guys wear jammers in pool or open water races dave.
for your own events, you are welcome to establish any rules you like. we allow jammers for 8 bridges so your snobbery charge is off target (in this instance)... but with only a few swimmers for each stage, its easy to keep tech suits out.
I don't really care for OW swimming that much, but those NYC OW rules for swim suits are just ridiculous!!
many of the people who work the events are volunteers. it would be unreasonable to have everyone familiar with the different models of tech suits (yes they were also produced as jammers), but easy enough to differentiate between a brief and a jammer. blame it on the suit manufacturers not the event organizers who are trying to maintain a (sea) level playing field.
