Wednesday, September 23, 2009

To Wear Or Not To Wear - That Is The Answer

The insightful and informative aquatic blogger Tony Austin and avid swimmer and commentator Rob Dumouchel reported from the annual US Aquatic Sports convention that US Masters Swimming voted to ban technical swimsuits at US Masters Swimming competitions.

The USMS position is consistent with USA Swimming's recent ban on technical swimsuits that was overwhelmingly supported by the American coaching and pool swimming community.


Based on the positions by the national governing bodies, open water swimmers in the US will have opportunities to participate in either swims of their choice: traditionalist events that allow no technical swimsuits or wetsuits and new-wave events that allow wetsuits and anything short of fins, paddles and snorkels (although there is a fin swim held annually in Ala Moana Beach Park on Oahu and in St. Croix in the Caribbean...).

1 comment:

Bill Ireland said...

Actually, there are other races that allow fin-wearers. The St. Croix 5 mile in October has a fin division with awards. And the La Jolla Cove Swim Club has tolerated fins in their races, although I don't know if that is an official or unofficial policy. I do know that the fin wearers have not been eligible for awards.