When it comes to swim timing systems, you have three main options: manual, swim-automatic and fully automatic.
Since swim meets often come down to fractions of a second, it’s important to review and understand how these systems work to determine the one that is best for your pool and competitive needs.
Swim Timing Systems Explained
If you aspire to host competitions at your pool, you’ll need a plan for how to handle swim timing. Review the features and pros and cons of each system type as you work toward finding the right one for you.
1. Manual Swim Timing
The easiest way to implement a swim timing system at your pool is to use manual timing. This involves digital stopwatches and a larger event staff to monitor the wall with synced watches.
Once the timer sees the swimmer touch the wall, he or she writes down the time on a timing sheet and delivers it to the timing table, where they will input the results into a computer to post or place in a printable spreadsheet that they’ll hang prominently so spectators can see the results.
Pros
- Budget-friendly
- Versatile since the digital stopwatches can be used at the facility for other use cases
- Fast to implement
Cons
- Manually stopping the timer can have user errors and delays, leading to imperfect timing
- More moving pieces with transferring times from paper to digital could mean times get confused for other swimmers or misplaced in the process
- This timing method might not comply with league standards, meaning you can only host a fraction of the swim meets in your area
Semi-automatic Swim Timing
The next step up in swim timing is semi-automatic. These systems can greatly reduce the opportunity for user error that a fully manual system can create.
An electronic timing console ensures an accurate start time for all swimmers. But the finish time is still manually input with a staff or volunteer member at the end of each lane. The timer will stop the electronic timer when they see the athlete in their lane touch the wall during the final lap.
Because the system is electronic-based, it does not require the staff or volunteer to write the time down or take it to the timing table. This eliminates some opportunities for errors.
Pros
- Greater accuracy compared with manual timing
- Fewer opportunities for user error to impact final results
- The inclusion of a human element still provides some backup in case of an electronic failure
Cons
- Requires large staffing or volunteers for swim meets to ensure you have one for each lane
- Is still not as precise as a full system since it requires attentiveness for timers to record finish times accurately
- Could still result in some swim leagues not hosting competition at your pool
Automatic Swim Meet Timing Systems
When you’re ready to invest in hosting swim meets at your pool, look into a fully automatic swim meet timing system. This will provide the highest level of accuracy and be the most reliable way of capturing accurate, precise swim times.
An automatic swim meet system uses touchpads at the end of the pool to capture precise swim times. That way, you do not need to have a manual team capturing those times and can attract even the most competitive swim leagues in your area.
The system works by recording an accurate start time thanks to a master timer hitting start. As swimmers touch the wall for their final laps, they’ll get instant times that will post. Systems are accurate to the hundredth or thousandth of a second.
Pros
- Precision in tracking swim times down to milliseconds
- No room for user error
- Indisputable results
- Simplified swim meet management
- Reduced need to recruit staff and volunteers to man every lane
- Faster results posting and immediate winner announcement of the PA system for more dynamic swim environments
Cons
- Expensive
- More complex to install at your pool
Building a Competitive Swim Environment
A swim timing system is just one element in building a competitive swim environment – though arguably, it is one of the most important elements in doing so.
Other things you’ll need for a competitive swim environment include the following.
Swim Lane Lines
Swimming lane lines can help reduce water turbulence and make a fair environment for swimmers, no matter which lane they are in. There truly is science behind how the best lane lines are designed and made to build the best environment in the pool for all swimmers by absorbing energy from other swimmers to quell waves.
Swimming Flags
Not only will swimming flags make your pool look like a competitive environment, it also makes it safe to host backstroke competitions. These flags help backstrokers know where they are at in the lane to know when to flip or when to expect the wall.
Swimming flags hang above the pool approximately six to nine feet from the water’s surface. These flags are uniformly placed at all pools so that regardless of where the athlete trains, they are used to what it means and how far they need to swim once they encounter the flags.
Competitor Swim is your headquarters for swim equipment. Find a dealer in your area now to outfit your pool for swim competitions.
