Poolside-Chat-parents-of-competitive-swimmers

[Glittertwins]

Hopefully this will work as we’re at 999 on the other!

Yes pretty much all the kids at DSs club have the Arena Powerfins linked to above. DS always had to wear socks with the full foot type as they were too wide but seems to get on fine with these.

We've got the arena powerfins now but they're generally more expensive than Maru. Does your club have a second hand kit group? This is very useful for kit that's been grown out of.

www.swimmingresults.org/events/summer23/summer.html#1

Treadmill has started up again!!

How is everyone's swimmers getting on with the new backstroke finish rules? DSs coach has stated he will not be teaching it to them or encouraging then to use it. I'm not sure why or if this will put them at a disadvantage.

I don't think there's anything really that needs to be coached, they'll do it (like one of mine who was lucky to avoid DQ last year) or they won't. I think it's something that will just happen

Yes I'm sure your right some kids will just pick it up but from the videos I've seen it is a big change, basically the last 5 metres can be swum underwater using the dolphin kick. My DS will certainly not do that without being told he is allowed to by way of it being used in training but maybe he is an exception.

I know it's any point after the flag to the finish but I'm not sure if it will be any faster at that stage for most to stop their arms and go underwater - we're more likely to see the last ditch stretch to the wall as being underwater.
The breaststroke arms not having to be on the same plane makes it easier for the swimmer and stroke judge to not report.
The freestyle turn in an IM could be more interesting to judge - they can now be on their back after the turn but if they are, no kicking is allowed - glide only

I think this is maybe why DSs coach has said he's not really interested in coaching it, as it will not necessarily be faster. I guess we will just have to see if it does seem to benefit anyone. I havent paid attention to breaststroke rules as DS doesn't swim it, well he does every now and again but badly.

I'm glad I dont have to judge any of this, I'm happy with my position on the spectators desk.

I'm going to watch the British Nationals and see what they do in a race

It has. And it's even got the para swimming out already!

Ds on there for his freestyle events.

He hasn't swam anything else 🤣🤣

Thanks for the recommendations everyone.

Sorry - late to the party

Mine uses DMC fins - they have lasted a lot longer than the previous 2 Arena pro fins.

Thanks for the rankings link

Dd was puzzled by the backstroke, I guess it potentially avoids bad finishes with strokes not quite working?

The breaststroke stuff made me smile dd’s legs have always been wonky (her breaststroke is clunky at best and she isn’t that good at it but she’s never been dq’d on stroke). I think it must be incredibly difficult to see either way.

I’m not a stroke judge thankfully and I think I’ll leave it that way 🤣

i haven’t had the proper update training yet, just a summary by the referee at a meet at the weekend, but I suspect the changes are down to what can be reasonably seen with certainty. It’s really hard to see swimmers legs clearly when they are in the centre lanes, so potentially the old rules were a bit unfair in that a swimmer in a side lane might get DQed for wonky legs, but a swimmer in the centre doesn’t because the official can’t see clearly enough to be certain. The backstroke finish is maybe similar in that it is sometimes hard to be certain as they could literally have a toe out of the water. Does a submerged finish actually give an advantage?

With the breaststroke change it's more fair to those in the side lanes as they are right under the stroke judge's nose and uneven arms can be seen clearly - I reported DQ on that. Impossible to see any further away due water movement, lane line and lighting.
The backstroke may have come in after all the kerfuffle with a world championship race (I think) last year where the winner was initially DQ for being fully submerged at finish as he dived back. He was reinstated.

Yes, I’ve always thought you are surely more likely to get dq’d in the outside lanes.

Good point re the backstroke and the issues last year. Would make sense that was the catalyst. Plus they are on their back! They are guessing the wall is there and if it isn't then your kinda stuffed!

This way I guess you don't get dad for misjudging and it's counteracted by the fact it probably isn't an advantage being submerged and needing to kick to reach the wall? (Totally guessing of course!)

I'm going to ask at the training next week. I bet they've said from the flags because it is a definite marker on the deck for the judges. After that it doesn't matter if they are submerged. Will make it interesting for manual timekeepers trying to get an accurate time when the arm is going even deeper underwater!

Good point glitter

Well ds is up in Sheffield.

Will be a very interesting few days.

The classifications by IPC are done - just the racing to confirm left.

Ds remained the same. Another boy remained the same but is a different classification. One the same as ds moved from ds classification to the other classification. That boy is fastest of all 3.

But the final outcome will have an effect on all 3 of them in some way or another if it remains as the current IPC decision or changes.

Good luck in Sheffield. Does this mean he will have para classification for all levels after he's raced over the next few days? I'm WFH so can stream

Yes. Once you have an IPC classification you can race outside of British competitions.

I'll be at work but I'm hoping I can live stream his event - whilst making some resources in my office!

Is he racing today?

Found him, I shall get the iPad on my desk ready for his event!!

If F - I g cut out at end of heat 12 and started after heat 14. He was heat 13 🫣🙄

So can't even watch it on catch up.

But ..... he did amazingly. 3rd fastest swim ever (100m free). 145 swimmers in the field - multi classification by points. 45th overall.

Fastest S9 swimmer in the field. (Let's just hope they don't revise his classification 🫣🤣)