Start Commands In Osaka

[gh]

Just got around to checking the rules, since I noticed that the Starter(s) in Osaka used English only.

New rule that went into effect in '06 at upper-level meets mandated that. (Does that mean they didn't speak Strine at the Commonwealth? :-) )

So Commonwealth, Euros, Pan-Ams, WC, OG now fall under that stricture.

Guess it makes sense to use the lingua franca in such polyglot situations.

[guru]

Was it me, or did the starter in Osaka have a REALLY quick gun on the sprints? Sometimes those things are lost in translation on TV, but it seemed they barely came up(and maybe some weren't lol) and BOOM.

[Double R Bar4]

Yes, I thought the same thing. It was a quick gun. It all depends on the starter. This guy was fast. I sure wish we had a no false start rule. I think the current rule is stupid. Let's go with no false starts.

[tafnut]

Was it me, or did the starter in Osaka have a REALLY quick gun on the sprints?

Doesn't the rule say to fire the gun as soon as everyone is 'set?' To me, that means as soon as the last pair of hips hits the up/back position. He may be the only one that IS following the rule. In big HS meets the starters love to hold the gun, just to prove THEY are in control!!

[gh]

You've got to put in a notable pause or you're inviting people to roll right through.

[tafnut]

You've got to put in a notable pause or you're inviting people to roll right through.

But if you catch the last guy up in the back position, nobody is rolling = fair start. You can't do that EVERY time or they'll second guess you, so 1 out of 3 or 4 times you pause, just to keep them honest.

[guru]

A good starter pauses for one beat after the last athlete sets, then fires. This starter seemed to fire immediately upon the field coming up. I wouldn't bet my house that he didn't catch more than a couple napping on the way up.

[gh]

only a horrid starter fires "one beat" after they're up; if you don't put variety into it, you'll get anticipated to death, particularly in a meet without FS blocks.