How Does a Relay Really Work?

With the Bainbridge Invitational and Chagrin Relays on the horizon, one question still remains on everyone’s mind.

What is a relay?

Wait. You weren’t wondering what a relay is?

Well, in this article, we will be breaking down what a relay is and what makes a relay successful. Relays are tricky by nature; four random kids (okay, teammates) are thrown together and asked to swim a race as one well-oiled machine.

What is a relay?

Simply put, a relay is just a normal race but swam by four people. Instead of swimming a 200, four people swim a 50. Instead of swimming a 100, 4 people swim a 25, etc. The distance swum per swimmer is always equal, although the stroke being swum may change depending on the type of relay.

What’s so tricky about a relay?

The tricky thing about relays is that its success depends on all of the people swimming. Unlike an individual event, one person cannot swim on behalf of four; it’s a true team effort, and every person needs to carry their weight. That doesn’t necessarily mean swimming best times, but everyone has to give whatever they’ve got. And then there’s the ever-challenging relay start which can single-handedly make or break a race.

About relay starts -- and the dreaded DQ.

Relay starts, as the name suggests, are a type of transition unique to relays. They are just like any normal start, except they occur during the race. One member of the relay will be swimming into the wall. Once they touch, the next swimmer may begin their leg of the race. It’s important to leave as soon as possible without running the risk of disqualifying. Leaving before the previous swimmer touches the wall will DQ the relay, but waiting too long will lose valuable time, potentially losing the race, so timing is everything.

Rec meets sometimes have the added twist of in-water starts, which everyone in BBLS should be very familiar with. The same things that apply to relay start also apply to in-water starts. Just make to leave room on the wall for the previous swimmer to finish.

Watch this video to see two beautiful dives from Giuliana & Madison!

Finally, a few announcements:

^^ Make sure you mark your calendars. The BI is on Saturday and the Chagrin Relays a week later (July 20).