[PacMasterUpdate] Pacific Masters Update February 7, 2005

Tue Feb 8 02:10:04 EST 2005

UPCOMING EVENTS
TAMALPIAS  1650
For those swimming the one hour swim they can also enter the Tam one 
hour postal.
	http://www.pacificmasters.org/comp/05tamscypostal.pdf

USF VALENTINES DAY AFFAIR
The USF Valentines Day Affair Swim meet will be Saturday, February 
12th, 2004 (Lincoln's Birthday). It is a mixture of the 50's and 
200's. Plus it has the world championship 200 yard mixed Centipede 
Relay.

The USF meet is a very popular meet, with many competitors.
	http://www.pacificmasters.org/comp/schd.html

INDIVIDUAL REGISTRATION
Thanks to the 4,495 Swimmers who have registered through Saturday. 
There are 90 registered clubs. Clubs:
DAM	447
WCM	288
TCAM	211
USF	192
MAM	181
SCAM	172
MVM	138
STAN	133
TSUN	131
CRUZ	128
RINC	127
MELO	125
BMW	123

2005 is  here. You can now re-register for the 2005 year.
	http://pacificmasters.org/admin/application.shtml
Part of your registration fee pays for Pacific Masters Swimming so we 
can provide services to you. Services that include, competitive 
swimming program, secondary insurance for your club, the Pacific 
Masters web site and the newsletter.

Your registration also pays for the magazine from USMS on swimming.

NEED A BANK RECOMMENDATION
The FINA World championships needs a bank recommendation for handling 
funds for the committee. Should be able to hand international 
transfers, VISA/Mastercard, checks and standard back  stuff. Contact 
Barbara at
mailto:bankrec at pacificmasters.org

thank you

SWIMMING SITUATIONS -from USA Swimming
J.    In a 200-meter backstroke event, the referee blows the first long
whistle.  The swimmer in lane 3 leaps as far as he can into the pool and
slowly sinks to the bottom of the pool.  He slowly rises to the surface
moving farther away from the start end after which the referee blows the
second long whistle.  While the other seven swimmers assume a position at
the wall, the lane 3 swimmer very slowly swims to the wall and very slowly
assumes a starting position.  The starter asks that the swimmer in lane 3 be
disqualified for delay of the meet.  The referee concurs and the swimmer is
disqualified.  Is this a correct call?

Recommended Resolution:    This is a call that requires good judgment from
the referee.  Did the swimmer delay so much that he was creating a problem
for the other swimmers?  Swimmers have different ways to prepare to race and
you don't want to interfere with that unless it negatively affects other
competitors.  An alternative to a DQ might be to discuss the situation after
the race with the swimmer and/or coach.  This is especially useful for the
first occurrence of this type of activity.  Is the call correct? It might be
but this is a situation that can only be decided on site.

Applicable Rules:   102.14.7A, 102.14.4A

K.    At an LSC championship meet with over-the-top starts and a very tight
timeline, the swimmer in lane 4 of the next to last heat of the 200-meter
butterfly is called for an alternating kick prior to the head breaking the
surface of the water. At the end of the heat, the swimmer is advised of the
DQ but she says that a swimmer from the previous heat was making faces at
her and caused her to start giggling and then swallowed water after the
start.  Should the coach's request for a re-swim due to interference be
granted?

Recommended Resolution:    Unless the actions of the swimmer in the water
were very flagrant and deliberate, the actions of the swimmer in the water
at the start should probably not be considered unsportsmanlike conduct.
However, the referee might seek out the swimmer or her coach and explain
that there are safety and fairness concerns with swimmers affecting the
starts of other swimmers.

Applicable Rules:   102.10.3,  102.10.9

L.    In a 200-yard freestyle event, a swimmer asks the referee if he can
swim the backstroke.  The referee replies that he can but that the time can
only be used as a freestyle time.  At the referee's long whistle the swimmer
enters the water to do a backstroke start.  The referee signals to the
starter that the field is his and the starter starts the race.  Was this
correct?

Recommended Resolution:    No. In the freestyle events the forward start
must be used.  However, as the starter and referee allowed the swimmer to
start in the water, the swimmer cannot be disqualified for starting in the
water.

Applicable Rules:   101.4.1

M.    In the final preliminary heat of the 400 meter individual medley, the
swimmers assume a stationary position at the start. The starter starts the
race.  The swimmer in lane 2 slips on the block pushing off and "flops" into
the pool a body length behind the field. Should the starter have recalled
the race?

Recommended Resolution:    This is a judgment call that needs to be made on
site. There could have been a problem with the block or with something next
to it that contributed to the situation.  As the benefit of the doubt goes
to the swimmer, the starter should recall the heat and then the referee
should check on what happened in order to preclude further problems.  All
swimmers will be allowed to swim the heat.

Applicable Rules:   102.14.5C

-- 
Michael Moore
XI FINA Masters World Championships
Stanford, California, USA
August 2006

For information about Pacific Masters Swimming, go to 
http://www.pacificmasters.org
-- 
michael w. moore
michael at mwmoore.org