13.Feb.10   |  posted by: steve munatones  |   filed under: Rules   |  (3) comments

Among the dozens of major decisions announced by the FINA Bureau in Bangkok this year, FINA approved the establishment of a three-person team time trial event (with at least one person from each gender) starting at the 2011 FINA World Swimming Championships in Shanghai, China.

The European Championships have already proved the excitement of this team time trial format by successfully conducted this unique event that requires winning teams to act as one, effectively drafting off of one another.  The Americans are expected to soon add a team time trial event to their national open water swimming championship weekend, perhaps as early as 2010.

The team event as a time trial consist of 3 swimmers, either 1 man and 2 women, or 2 men 1 woman. Every team starts with all 3 swimmers together 60 seconds after the team ahead of them. The starting positions of the teams are randomly decided by automatic draw. The final time of each team is decided by the individual time of the third swimmer of the team.

Photo shows the winning Italian team of Ferretti, Bruni and Volpini at the 2009 European Open Water Swimming Championships.