safe swimming triathlon

[Sidney Porter]

Not to high jack the other safe swimming thread. I was reading the section about triathlon

 

Some competitive swimming events, such as triathlons, also cover long distances. Long-distance swimming races are not approved for Cub Scouts or Boy Scouts, but Varsity Scouts and Venturers may participate in triathlon training and competitive events. All swimming activities conducted by Varsity Scout teams or Venturing crews must conform to Safe Swim Defense guidelines. Individual Varsity Scouts and Venturers may participate in outside triathlon events sanctioned by USA Triathlon.

 

Few comments. At cub ages triathlons are normally in a pool and not open water. Most of them are also not what I would call long distance. My son (age 10) participated in 3 this year. All were in a pool. 200 meters, 100 meters and 800 yards. Only the 800 yard one would I consider a long distance. All fo them have been really controlled I would actually think they are a safer environment than kids plying in a pool. To be more honest I am more concerned on the bike portion where you have kids that cannot ride in a straight line. I would like to see the BSA re-evaluate this, I think that these sports are good activities for kids that do not do well at "ball" sports.

 

I don't understand the last line where it is talking about "individual" varsity scouts. If they are competing as individuals I don't see why the BSA would need a policy. Reading the inverse of this are they trying to say that individual cubs cannot participate? I also question that they are specifically ony endorsing triathlon that are sactioned by USA triathlons.

[Sidney Porter]

More confusion

http://www.usatriathlon.org/news/articles/2014/2/021314-bsa-alliance.aspx

USA Triathlon and the BSA actually have a partnership and puts on youth triathlons for ages 7-15. But looking at the safe swim only the older scouts could participate. But Wayne Brock's quote seems to indicate otherwise.

 

“In Scouting, youth aspire to keep themselves physically strong, and we provide many ways for young people to do that. Our work with the Splash & Dash Youth Aquathlon Series events offers a great opportunity for Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, and Venturers to live out that aspiration,†said Wayne Brock, BSA Chief Scout Executive. “We look forward to seeing our young people participate in these fun, challenging and inspiring events.â€Â

[Troop185]

My daughter and my grandson, participate in a indoor triathlon, at a local college, two or three times a year. They swim in a pool, ride a stationary bike, and then a treadmill for 20 minutes each. One of the activities I do, to keep myself in shape, is to swim a half mile, 3 times a week. So, I was very surprise two years ago, when my grandson, then 8 years old, and a Wolf Scout did his first triathlon. He swam more laps in 20 minutes in the pool, than I can do in the same time!

[st0ut717]

my 0.02 cents and background

 

1 Recently I became a BSA guard / aquatics instructor

2 Certified SCUBA

3 former competive swimmer in high school

4 currently sprint and olympic length triathlete

 

The cited bullet is the last paragraph of 4.

 

Distance and Competitive Swimming in Open Water

 

The following policies apply when distance swimming is conducted outside the confines of a normal Safe Swim Defense area.

• The environment for an open-water swim must conform to Safe Swim Defense guidelines regarding hazards such as submerged trees, currents, and boat traffic, as well as water quality, depth, and clarity.
  
• Each individual swimmer, or at most a buddy pair, may be accompanied by a rowboat with two people onboardâ€â€one skilled in controlling the boat and the other trained in basic water rescueâ€â€equipped with a reaching device and flotation aid, continuously watching the swimmers.
  
• Alternatively, a closed circuit may be established where all swimmers are constantly in reach of safety personnel strategically positioned at fixed points on anchored boats, the shore, or piers. Each participant swims with a buddy, and the number and spacing of the swimmers in the water should not exceed the capacity of the watchers to easily count the swimmers as they move from one zone to another.
  
• Some competitive swimming events, such as triathlons, also cover long distances. Long-distance swimming races are not approved for Cub Scouts or Boy Scouts, but Varsity Scouts and Venturers may participate in triathlon training and competitive events. All swimming activities conducted by Varsity Scout teams or Venturing crews must conform to Safe Swim Defense guidelines. Individual Varsity Scouts and Venturers may participate in outside triathlon events sanctioned by USA Triathlon.
  

Sprint and most Olympic length swim course are 'closed circuit' i.e. the swimmer swim a loop and enter and exit at the same area.

 

Since Boy scouts can do a MILE swim I am assuming that this means anything over a mile is Long-distance. this would include ITU (international triathlon union) 1/2 iron-man and iron man

 

Sprint - ~=.5 miles / 750 yards / 686 M

Olympic (5150) - .93 miles / 1630 yards / 1500M

ITU Long 1.86 miles / 3KM

1/2 Ironman (70.3) - 1.2 miles 1.9KM

Full Ironman - 2.4 miles 3.8KM

 

Sanctioning Bodies

In the USA USA triathlon is the sanction body for Olympic and many sprint lengths.

USAtriathlon will co-sanction many local sprint triathlons such as YMCA tri and the like.

Additionally they will co-sanction ITU events held within the USA.

Ironman is a corporation that sanctions IronMan Ironkid and Irongirl

 

If you are going to be in a troop / pack triathlon these must be sanctioned by USAtriathlon. this ensures that the event has proper safety for the event. Lifeguards, Ambulances, traffic controls.

 

i.e. the local church has decided to do a tri in the local swimmin hole and backroads to raise funds witout going through USAtri. thats a no.

 

varsity and ventures want to do a 70.3 or full ironmand go ahead. thats outside of USA tri and Ironman or ITU.

 

Cub and boy scout under 14 will most likely not be in open water during the tri and these rules do not apply

[st0ut717]

if you have scouts that want to do a tri ENCOURGE them. BUT....

If I had a scout that wanted to do a tri without the swimming merit badge i would encourage them to get the swimming merit badge done first.

 

[SSF]

Stout, what were your times? Were you All State? Did you go to the Meet of Champions? Did you swim high school only, or were you on a USS club team? Just curious...

[st0ut717]

I was varsity high school 57 secs for 100 M freestyle 58 for 100 M fly

200 IM was my specialty.

 

But alas my family moved when i was a sophomore in high school to a school that didnt have a swim team. so i didnt swim competitively as a junior or senior.