Some very interesting results. From the article, in 50m races (where you only swim in 1 direction) normally, due to seeding, lanes 1-3 win an average of 7.25 medals and lanes 6-8 win 5.25 medals. In 2013, 1-3 won 1 medal, 6-8 won 11. In the 1,500 free, lanes 5-8 swam faster in one direction than the other while lanes 1-4 swam faster in the opposite direction, suggesting a circular current. They interviewed an American who PR’ed in lane 8 and won a surprising silver medal who played it all off as a mental placebo effect and having only a very minimal real effect.
Some very interesting results. From the article, in 50m races (where you only swim in 1 direction) normally, due to seeding, lanes 1-3 win an average of 7.25 medals and lanes 6-8 win 5.25 medals. In 2013, 1-3 won 1 medal, 6-8 won 11. In the 1,500 free, lanes 5-8 swam faster in one direction than the other while lanes 1-4 swam faster in the opposite direction, suggesting a circular current. They interviewed an American who PR’ed in lane 8 and won a surprising silver medal who played it all off as a mental placebo effect and having only a very minimal real effect.
I think this was discussed last year in the BCN thread.
Could be, but now a study has been released with statistical analysis of the results, not just rumors from the swimmers.
Was the pool a myrtha? We are swimming in one for Montreal.
Yes, it was a Myrtha. They are devising an instrument to test it next month at the European Champs in Berlin.
I think my 800 is in Lane 0. Will have to read the study.
Sandbag your semi just enough to get seeded into one of the fast outside lanes for the final!
“The researchers found that swimmers who swam in the “slower” half of the pool (lanes 1-4) for the semifinal then switched to the “faster” half (5-8) for the final improved their finishing times by 1%–significantly greater improvement than other groups.”
Sandbag your semi just enough to get seeded into one of the fast outside lanes for the final!
“The researchers found that swimmers who swam in the “slower” half of the pool (lanes 1-4) for the semifinal then switched to the “faster” half (5-8) for the final improved their finishing times by 1%–significantly greater improvement than other groups.”
unfortunately for rA, it is all timed finals. It would only matter for the 50, which I don’t think he’s swimming, and even if there were heats and finals, then to try to be that precise to get seeded in lane 7 rather than lane 1 or 2 would be near impossible. Especially in the 50.
The analysis of the medals strikes me as pretty circumstantial or qualitative. I would to see the actual data on the directional speed difference from the 1500M races. With that data, it wouldn’t be too difficult to devise a control experiment to determine how much of a current would be needed to duplicate the same results.
Sounds like Myrtha’s earlier testing was basically to throw a rubber ducky in the pool and see which way it floated.
I wonder if they shut down the recirculating pumps during races and let the water settle, or run them continuously during races?
I also wonder how much of the “current” might have been generated by reflective turbulence from the competitors themselves.
Will be interesting to see what they figure out.
Mark
Right now I have lane 0 in the 800, Lane 4 in the 400 IM and 200 Fly, lane 6 for 100 Fly and lane 5 in the 400 Fr. The only one not subject to reseeding are those in Lane 4 since I am seeded first.
Are heat sheets out now, or did you figure those out?
Figured out based on seeding. Pretty easy for a 1/2 seed 
If they are doing straight seeds all the way through… Any chance that it’ll be circle seeded for the last few heats? Not that it matters to me…
If the seeds stay the way they are, looks like the closest I’ll get to the middle of the pool is lane 2. everything else will be 0, 8 or 9.
Since its TF zero chance for circle seed. Its posted as senior seeding somewhere.