Strokes & DQ’s
GASL Stroke & Turn Briefing
USA Swimming Officials Committee April 2009
Breaststroke
Start: Forward start.
Stroke: Body kept on breast.
Finish: Head may be submerged at turn or finish provided it broke surface during last stroke cycle prior to touch.
Butterfly
Start: Forward start.
Stroke: Body kept on breast.
Turns: Shoulders at or past vertical toward breast when feet leave wall.
Finish: Simultaneous two hand touch at, above, or below the water surface.
Backstroke
Start: In water facing start end with both hands on gutter or starting grips.
Kick: Must break surface throughout the race after 15M.
Turns: During turn swimmer may go past vertical to the breast and may utilize a continuous single or continuous simultaneous double arm pull to initiate the turn.
Freestyle
Start: Forward start. Stroke/ Any style may be used.
Kick: Must break surface throughout the race after 15M
Turns: Some part of swimmer must touch the wall at completion of each length or required
Individual MedleyStart: Forward start. Stroke: Rules for each stroke apply. May not swim legal other strokes during the freestyle leg.
Kick: Rules for each stroke apply.
Turns: Intermediate turns conform to turn rules for the stroke.
Finish: Transition turns conform to finish rules for the stroke.
Relays
Takeoffs: Swimmers feet/foot must remain in contact with the starting platform until the incoming swimmer has touched the finish wall or pad.
USA Swimming Officials Committee April 2009
Breaststroke
Start: Forward start.
Stroke: Body kept on breast.
- Stroke cycle is one arm pull and one leg kick in that order.
- Simultaneous arm movement in same horizontal plane.
- Head must break surface at widest part of second pull.
- Recovery by the hands from the breast-on, under, or over the water.
- Elbows under water except last stroke before turn or finish.
- Feet turned out during propulsive part of kick.
- No alternating, scissors or downward butterfly kicks (except a single butterfly kick during or at the completion the first arm pull after the start and each turn, which must be followed by a breaststroke kick).
Finish: Head may be submerged at turn or finish provided it broke surface during last stroke cycle prior to touch.
Butterfly
Start: Forward start.
Stroke: Body kept on breast.
- Multiple kicks permitted but first arm pull must bring swimmer to the surface.
- May be submerged after start and each turn for not more than 15 meters where head must break surface.
- Arms brought forward over water and pulled back simultaneously.
Turns: Shoulders at or past vertical toward breast when feet leave wall.
Finish: Simultaneous two hand touch at, above, or below the water surface.
Backstroke
Start: In water facing start end with both hands on gutter or starting grips.
- Guttered pool—feet/toes may be above the water, but not bent over the gutter at any time before or after start.
Kick: Must break surface throughout the race after 15M.
Turns: During turn swimmer may go past vertical to the breast and may utilize a continuous single or continuous simultaneous double arm pull to initiate the turn.
- Some part of swimmer must touch wall at completion of each length.
- Swimmer must have returned to back when feet leave the wall.
Freestyle
Start: Forward start. Stroke/ Any style may be used.
Kick: Must break surface throughout the race after 15M
Turns: Some part of swimmer must touch the wall at completion of each length or required
Individual MedleyStart: Forward start. Stroke: Rules for each stroke apply. May not swim legal other strokes during the freestyle leg.
Kick: Rules for each stroke apply.
Turns: Intermediate turns conform to turn rules for the stroke.
Finish: Transition turns conform to finish rules for the stroke.
Relays
Takeoffs: Swimmers feet/foot must remain in contact with the starting platform until the incoming swimmer has touched the finish wall or pad.