OFFICIALS

An official is someone who partakes in the running of a fin swimming competition. There are several positions for officials the most common of these being a time keeper.

To conduct an international standard competition the following officials are required.

The positions of Chief Judge, Starter, Chief Timekeeper and Recorder are level 2 Official Positions and require some experience.

Technical Information in Fin Swimming

Equipment:

1. Monofins are made in several countries around the world, including

Australia

and

New Zealand

. They consist of a tail shaped fibreglass “blade” and rubber “foot pieces”.

There is no size or thickness limit to the monofin blade.

As the blade increases in size, the amount of water manipulated by the fin increases, making it harder to move.

Blades are comprised of layers of fibreglass. An increase in the thickness of the blade (or number of layers) also makes the blade harder to push and variations in thickness usually relate to the length of the

event the fin is used for. A thicker, stiffer fin will be used for shorter distances as it requires more energy.

Monofin blades are thickest near the footpieces and taper towards the end. Layers are often shaped to create movement within the blade much as a fish tail works. These shaped layers vary greatly depending on personal preference and rarely change the overall shape of the monofin.

Footpieces are now mostly made in special

moulds although some footpieces are still made from flippers which are carved and formed into shape. Separate footpieces, whether from moulds or flippers,

can contribute to cracking and splitting of the blade between the footpieces as they are able to move

slightly independently, creating stress to the fibreglass between the footpieces.

Moulded

Formed

2. Snorkels are made around the world from various materials. The breathing tube itself is most often created from plastic tubing with aluminium used in some countries. Some fin swimmers choose to attach a rubber mouth piece to the end of the snorkel whilst others use a plain band of rubber so as not to add to the overall length whilst increasing stability. Size restrictions exist in relation to the length and diameter of the tube and competitors will be disqualified if using equipment sized outside these restrictions. Snorkels with a diameter close to the maximum diameter are preferred for shorter distance events so that more air can be taken in during a fast inhale.

During longer events when a competitor is likely to be breathing more deeply and more slowly, a smaller diameter snorkel may be preferred as it is easier to fully clear (of water and ‘old air’) and therefore less likely to develop a build up of carbon dioxide. The competitor on the right is using a smaller than maximum diameter snorkel.

Although having the nose covered can be more comfortable most competitors continue to simply use goggles . A competitor using a mask may also be able to see more than one wearing goggles , however this is not deemed an important factor by most competitors.

4. SCUBA Equipment is used for SCUBA events only and consists of a SCUBA cylinder and regulator. The size of the scuba cylinder varies depending on the length of the race swum and therefore the amount of air required. Limitations on cylinder size are explained in the rules and regulations. All cylinders need to be “in test” and, in

Australia

, this requires annual testing be performed.

Regulators can differ slightly depending of their country of manufacture but all have the purpose of converting high pressure air from the SCUBA cylinder into breathable air. Competitors wishing to enter SCUBA events are required to have a SCUBA diving certificate

5. Other Equipment: Nose clips are another piece of equipment used by few in high level competition. These clips are generally used for comfort reasons and are often scorned as being an unnecessary item.