legal swim strokes

EricMPeterson - 2009-09-14 5:17 AM I was wondering what different kind of swim strokes are allowed in a race.

Thanks in advance

Eric Peterson

tkd.teacher - 2009-09-14 11:47 AM

Any stroke variant that you like is legal to use in a race. You can't use flotation devices or propulsion devices (such as hand paddles/gloves, flippers, floaties, etc.) Oddly enough, you CAN use a snorkel.

You MAY hang on a buoy, kayak, rescue boat, etc. as long as you do not get any movement assistance.

John

famelec - 2009-09-14 12:20 PM

Interestingly, in competitive swimming "freestyle" events, you can swim anything you want (corkscrew, sidestroke, butteryfly, etc.).  

DanielG - 2009-09-14 11:28 AM I was at a swim meet where one guy did exactly that. I believe it was a 200 yd freestyle. He did backstroke, side stroke, crawl, breast stroke and everyone was looking around like, WTF? Yup, freestyle is anything that gets you through the water

KeriKadi - 2009-09-14 3:53 PM In two of the 5 races I did this year people were WALKING!  And one was an OWS yesterday.  As long as you get from point A to point B you're ok.

famelec - 2009-09-14 1:51 PM

You can swim anything in a freestyle event, but oddly you're somewhat limited on the free portion of in IM (individual medley or medley relay.  When I swam as a kid way back when, the starter would announce the 100 yd IM as one length each of fly, back, breast, and "one other stroke".  I never understood what that was about until many years later... While obviously crawl is the stroke of choice, the last stroke of the medley actually cannot be fly, back, or breast.    

I'll have to check the rulebook, but I was thinking that in a freestyle event you have to swim the same stroke for the entire race.  I might be mistaken.  It's fun to find some of the obscure rules.

Brian

tkd.teacher - 2009-09-14 4:46 PM

Nope. No rule about the same stroke that I can find.

Head must break the surface, you have to break the surface no more than 15m from each wall, some part of the body must touch the wall on turns.

Oddly enough, you can sink to the bottom and touch in a freestyle race and not be DQ'd, but ONLY in a freestyle race. All other races you WILL be dq'd.

John

famelec - 2009-09-15 8:02 AM

Yeah, this was also bothering me last night.  I was sure I was right, but didn't recall ever having read the rule, just being told it.  I checked the rules this morning, and you're right, basically any thing goes for freestyle regardless of whether it's part of an IM or med relay.

Brian