Complete SSFA 55+ Games Rule book is available here.
RULES AND COMPETITION INFORMATION (TIMED AND PREDICTED)
The Masters swimming rules shall apply: FINA Masters Rules.
The following defines the strokes permitted:
Freestyle – Any stroke you wish to use.
Breast stroke – Any stroke that resembles a breast stroke (arms must be pushed forward simultaneously above or below the water.)
Backstroke – Any stroke executed on the back.
Butterfly - A stroke in which the arms are thrown together out of the water while the feet kick up and down.
MSW8.1: From the beginning of the first arm stroke after the start and each turn, the body shall be kept on the breast. Underwater kicking on the side is allowed after the start or turn. It is not permitted to roll onto the back at any time, except at the turn after the touch on the wall, where it is permissible to turn in any manner as long as the body is on the breast when leaving the wall.
MSW8.2: Both arms shall be brought forward simultaneously together over the water and brought backward simultaneously under the water throughout the race, subject to MSW8.5.
MSW8.3: All up and down movement of the legs must be simultaneous. The legs or the feet need not be on the same level but they shall not alternate in relation to each other. A breaststroke kick is permitted for butterfly. Only onebreaststroke kick is permitted per arm pull except that a single breaststroke kick is permitted prior to the turn and the finish without an arm pull. After the start and after each turn, a single breaststroke kick is permitted prior to the first arm pull.
MSW8.4: At each turn and at the finish of the race, the touch shall be made with both hands separated and simultaneously, at, above or below the water surface.
MSW8.5: At the start and at turns, a swimmer is permitted one or more kicks, then one arm pull under, which must bring him/her to the surface. It is permissible for a swimmer to be completely submerged for a distance of not more than 15 m after the start and after each turn. By that point, the head must have broken the surface. The swimmer must remain on the surface until the next turn or finish.
100 Individual Medley - consists of a swimmer covering four swimming strokes in the following order: butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle. Each stroke must cover ¼ of the distance.
Persons in a higher age category may enter a lower age category.
No diving entry – in shallow water, use a standing start; in deep water, hold on the edge of the pool with a push start.
Starts are permitted from blocks, edge of pool, or push off in the water supported by a hand on the end of the pool.
False start rule – Any competitor who commits a false start during a third or subsequent attempt at a start shall be disqualified, no matter if the competitor has been blameless in all previous attempts at starting the race.
Pools should be roped off into separate lanes for each swimmer.
Swimmers are required to touch the end of pool during turns. Swimmers using butterfly or breaststroke must have both hands touch at the ends of the pool.
Predicted time competitors will be permitted to know their times after the first swim for the 100 m and the first swim for the 200m.
Predicted Time Swim – Swimmers will be required to submit their predicted time each day, a half hour prior to competing. The combined total difference for the two days will determine the winners. For example, if six (6) seconds over on the first day and three (3) seconds under on the second day, combined total time difference is nine (9) seconds.
Predicted Time Swim - Swimmers are not to use watches or receive pacing information from the sidelines. In the case of a tie, the swimmer with the fastest time will be declared the winner.
Competitors are to be timed to a tenth (1/10) of a second. If a tie still exists, then both competitors are declared winners.