JUDGE OF STROKE, INSPECTOR OF TURNS &

HEAD LANE TIMEKEEPER

For your information …

Judge of Stroke Turn Judge

Stroke Judge Judge of Turns
Inspector of Turns
Chief Inspector of Turns

Strokes and Turns Judge

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The Judge of Stroke
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Function of Judge of Stroke
Inspect the technique of the competitor
Observe the turns and the finishes to assist the
inspector of turns
Note all infractions, report infractions to Referee
If directed by the Referee, report any
disqualification to the Technical Advisor (TA) if
a Para swimmer is involved
Within 15 minutes shall inform the competitor
and/ or coach (if so instructed by the Referee)
May be assigned extra duty of assisting judging
relay take-overs
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 Judge of Stroke

Judge of Stroke

Turns Judge
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Function of Inspector of Turns
Observe the swimmer:
⚫ Commencing from the beginning of the last armstroke before
touching and ending with the completion of the first
armstroke after turning
⚫ During the “touch”
Note all infractions
Report all infractions to the Referee (and TA if a
Para swimmer, if so instructed by the Referee)
Within 15 minutes following the race shall
inform the competitor and/ or coach of the
disqualification (if so instructed by the Referee)
Operate lap-counters at turn end for 800/1500s if
requested by swimmer, coach, or Referee
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 Judge of Stroke

Turns Judges

Judge of Stroke

However … 7
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When serving as
both you should
be positioned to
move between
the side and the
end of the pool.

Strokes and Turns Judge 8

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More typical is to
find Strokes and
Turns Judges
observing the turn
end of the pool.

Strokes and Turns Judge 9

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Head Lane Timekeeper

A Head Lane Timekeeper is a Timer

who is also
Strokes and Turns Certified.

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 Judge of Stroke
Assistant Marshalling
Chief Timekeeper Area

Timers {
Timers {

Timers { Strokes
And
Timers { Turns
Timers {
Timers {

Chief Timekeeper Judge of Stroke

Head Lane Timekeeper © Copyright 2013 - 2017

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 Head Lane Timekeeper
Responsibilities:
Checking the swimmer’s name for each heat
Checking that swimmers are competing in relays in the
order stated on the card or lane sheet
Taking splits – ensuring that 3 times (splits) are taken
on the first leg of a relay
Ringing the bell on distance events
Judge relay take-over

These are duties which the

Head Lane Timekeeper
may assign
prior to the start of the meet.
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 Head Lane Timekeeper
Additional Responsibilities:
Ensuring no one touches the timing pads
Ensure 3 manual times are collected for swimmers in senior
events and for swimmers with disabilities
Long Distance Events (800m and 1500m events):
⚫ Verify completed lengths with Chief Timekeeper

⚫ Ensure split time for each lap is recorded

⚫ Bell is rung:
⚫ With 2 lengths + 5 meters remaining
⚫ Over the right hand lane marker
⚫ Continuously from wall approach to the backstroke
flags
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 Disqualifications
At A Carded Meet
Filling out the Card

DQ is written clearly across the front

of the card by the Referee 14
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 Disqualifications
at a Carded Meet
1:25 pm Non-simultaneous touch at the turn
at 50 m

Bob Marley
On the back of the card:
Write the time of the infraction
Write the distance at which the infraction occurred
Use correct wording to describe the infraction 15
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 Disqualification Form
at a Cardless Meet
At cardless meets:
⚫ Typically a form with specific locations to be
completed
⚫ Including:
⚫ The Event, Heat and Lane number

⚫ Swimmer’s name and club name

⚫ The time of the infraction

⚫ The distance at which infraction occurred

⚫ Use correct wording to describe infraction

⚫ Sign the card

⚫ Present to Referee and if so directed by the

Referee to the TA if a Para swimmer
⚫ Ensure swimmer or coach has been told and
record the time

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 Did you know?

Swimmer may …
⚫ Stop and stand on the bottom of the pool
only in freestyle
⚫ Hang on to the lane rope (to catch their
breath) only in freestyle

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 However

Swimmer may not …

⚫ Walk on the bottom of the pool
⚫ Push off from the bottom of the pool
⚫ Pull on the lane markers
⚫ Come back under the lane rope if they have
moved to an incorrect lane

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Overview of all
Strokes
The Start
The Stroke
The Turn
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 Overview of all
Strokes
Note: The rules are extensively modified for
Para Swimming. Please refer to the Para Rule
Book or the IPC website for their rule
modifications.
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 Overview of all
Strokes
For Masters Swimming, the
following general rule applies.

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 Strokes
Masters Swimming Only

CMSW 2.1.6 The Referee should note that some Masters

swimmers through age or infirmity, may be unable to adhere
strictly to the technicalities of the rules, such as symmetry in
breaststroke. In these cases, the theory of illegally gaining an
unfair advantage shall apply before a disqualification is
declared. The swimmer shall be responsible for notifying the
Session Referee of any such infirmity before the start of the
race.

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 Breaststroke SW 7
The Start

Head must break the surface of the water

by the time the arms have reached the widest portion
of the second arm pull. Each stroke cycle must contain one pull and
one kick in that order. During each cycle some part of the
swimmer’s head must break the surface of the water.

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 Breaststroke SW 7
Butterfly during Start/Turn
A butterfly kick is NOT part of the breaststroke cycle and is ONLY permitted
after the start and after each turn:
1. At any time prior to the first breaststroke kick, a single butterfly kick
is permitted.
2. Must be followed by a breaststroke kick

1. 2.

Note: Swimmer does not have to be submerged

during butterfly any more! 24
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Breaststroke

The Stroke

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Breaststroke

The Stroke

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 Breaststroke

The Stroke

The arm pull must not go beyond the hips

(except for the first underwater pull).
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 Breaststroke
The Stroke
The elbows shall remain under the water
except for ….

… the final stroke before the turn, during the

turn and for the final stroke at the finish.
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 Breaststroke
The Stroke

Watch that the head surfaces once per stroke cycle.

There must not be any water flowing over the head.
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 Breaststroke
The Stroke

Watch that the feet are turned outward in the

backward movement.

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Breaststroke
The Stroke

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Breaststroke
The Stroke

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Breaststroke
The Stroke

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 Breaststroke
The Stroke

Watch that all movements of the arms are simultaneous and

in the same horizontal plane.

One more time …

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 Breaststroke
The Turn
Watch for a simultaneous two hand touch
with hands that must be separated.

Head may be
submerged.

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 Breaststroke
The Turn

After the two hand touch and before leaving the

wall on the breast, the swimmer may turn in any
manner they like.
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Breaststroke
The Turn

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Breaststroke
The Turn

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 Breaststroke
The Turn
A butterfly kick is NOT part of the breaststroke cycle and is ONLY permitted
after the start and after each turn:
1. At any time prior to the first breaststroke kick, a single butterfly kick
is permitted.
2. Must be followed by a breaststroke kick

Watch for any

alternating
movement.

One more time …

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 Breaststroke

Questions?

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 Backstroke SW 6
The Start

The head must have broken the surface not more than 15m
after the start or turn.

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 Backstroke
The Stroke
Watch for movement
beyond the 90 degree
vertical.

Legal

Legal

Legal 42
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Backstroke
The Stroke
Watch for movement
beyond the 90 degree
vertical.

Not Legal

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 Backstroke
The Turn

During the turn, the swimmer may

come in on their back, touch the wall
and leave on their back.

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 Backstroke
The Turn

… or the swimmer may roll over into a

freestyle turn using a single or double
arm pull, as long as it is part of a
continuous turning action.
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 Backstroke
The Turn

The swimmer may lift the head

during the continuous turn.

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 Backstroke
The Turn

Once the pull is complete, that is, the hand has reached
full extension past the hipline, the turn must be initiated.

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Backstroke
The Turn

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 Backstroke
The Turn

When executing the turn, there

must be a touch of the wall with
some part of the body.

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 Backstroke
The Turn

… or the swimmer may roll on to the

breast and without a glide grab the wall
if he is too close to make the turn. The
swimmer must leave on their back.
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 Backstroke
The Turn

The swimmer must leave on

their back.

One more time …

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 Backstroke
Masters Swimming

If the swimmer takes an arm stroke after turning onto his/

her front, then grabs the wall and pushes off on his/ her
back, this is an infraction.

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 Backstroke
The Finish
Upon the finish of the race the swimmer
MUST touch the wall while on the back.

The body may no longer be submerged at

the touch, some part of the body must be
above water.
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 Backstroke

Questions?

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 Butterfly SW 8
The Start

Watch that the swimmer takes no more than

one arm pull while totally submerged. This
must bring the swimmer to the surface.

There is no limit on the number

of butterfly kicks executed.

The head must have broken the surface

not more than 15m after the start or turn.
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Butterfly
The Stroke

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Butterfly
The Stroke

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Butterfly
The Stroke

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 Butterfly
The Stroke

Both arms must be brought forward together over the water

and brought backward simultaneously throughout the race
(subject to the start and turns).

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 Butterfly
The Stroke
All up and down movements of the
legs must be simultaneous.

The position of the legs or feet need not be on the same level,
but they shall not alternate in relation to each other.

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Butterfly
The Stroke

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Butterfly
The Stroke

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 Butterfly
The Stroke

One more time …

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Butterfly
The Stroke - Arms

Arm Recovery is over

the general water level.

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 Butterfly
The Stroke - Arms

Arm Recovery is not

over the water and this would result in a DQ.

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Butterfly
The Stroke - Legs

One leg is allowed to be carried

higher than the other.
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 Butterfly
The Stroke - Legs

Alternating kick (flutter)

is not allowed.

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 Butterfly
The Turn
Watch for a simultaneous two hand touch
with hands that must be separated.

Arms must be recovered over This picture shows an

the water on the touch. underwater recovery
which is NOT permitted
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 Butterfly
The Turn

After the two hand touch and before leaving

the wall on the breast, the swimmer may
turn in any manner they like.
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 Butterfly
Masters Swimming Only

The only difference is that Masters

Swimmers are permitted to do the
breaststroke kick and/ or the butterfly kick.
More senior butterfly swimmers may sometimes have
difficulty with arm recovery over the water: hands and
elbows are acceptable in this instance.
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 Butterfly

Questions?

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 Freestyle SW 5
The Start

The head must have broken the surface

not more than 15m after the start or turn.

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 Freestyle
The Turn

Watch that the swimmer touches the end wall with

some part of the body during the turn.

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Freestyle
The Turn

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Freestyle
The Turn

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Freestyle
The Turn

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Freestyle
The Turn

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Freestyle
The Turn

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 Freestyle

Questions?

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Individual Medley SW 9.1

Fly All strokes, turns and finishes

must be
performed within the
rules assigned to
Back that stroke.

Watch that strokes are

Breast swum in proper sequence.

Free (MUST be any stroke

other than Fly, Back or Breast)
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Medley Relay SW 9.2

All strokes, turns and finishes

Back must be
performed within the
rules assigned to
that stroke.
Breast
Watch that swimmer and
Fly strokes are swum in proper
sequence.

Free (MUST be any stroke other

than Fly, Back or Breast)
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Medley Relay Takeovers

Swimmer may start from the blocks or the pool deck

If warranted, the swimmer may start in the water
(water depth or Para swimmer)
The person starting may be in motion as the swimmer
arrives
The person starting may not lose contact with block
until the arriving swimmer touches the wall
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 Medley Races

Watch that the swimmers swim in the proper sequence.

Any other order is an infraction.

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 Relays

Relays are composed of four (4) swimmers on each team

Mixed relays may be swum and must consist of two (2) Men
and two (2) Women
Split times achieved in these events can not be used for
records
Members of a relay team must swim in order as indicated on
the relay card.
Failure to swim in the proper order results in a DQ
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 Relay Takeovers

When you are handling relay takeovers…

First watch the feet of the swimmer on the diving
blocks
Secondly, once the foot leaves the block take your
eyes down to the wall below and confirm that the
swimmer has touched the wall

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Overview of all
Strokes
Questions?
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Always give the swimmer the benefit of doubt.

You may be deceived by a splash.

You must be absolutely sure.

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 Thank you

Approved by the Ontario Swimming Officials’ Association Board

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