Backstroke
noun - Backstroke is one of the four competitive swimming styles regulated by FINA and is used by open water swimmers on occasion. It is the only regulated swimming style swum on the back. This has the advantage of easy breathing, but the disadvantage of swimmers not being able to see where they are going. In the individual medley, backstroke is the second style swum; in the team medley it is the first style swum.
Contents
Open Water Swimming Rules
The rules of swimming backstroke in the open water were first proposed in 2013 by Steven Munatones of the World Open Water Swimming Association (see link below).
Backstroke in the Open Water
Individuals have swum the English Channel, Catalina Channel, Rottnest Channel, Strait of Messina and several other waterways entirely backstroke.
Fastest English Channel Backstrokers in History
- Harrison Haines, USA: 10 hours 41 minutes in July 2025
- Nik Haynes, Great Britain: 12 hours 52 minutes in August 2020
- Haydn Welch, Great Britain: 17 hours 2 minutes in September 1993
- Tina Neill, USA: 13 hours 22 minutes in August 2005
Other swimming strokes commonly used
butterfly, breaststroke, freestyle
Famous Open Water Backstrokers
Tina Neill (USA), Hamish Osborne (Australia), James Christie (USA), Giovanni Arrabito (Italy), Ettore Mercuri (Italy)
100m Backstroke Ice Swimming World Record
Keaton Jones setting a new IISA world record in the 100m backstroke at the IISA 5th World Championship in Samoëns, France in 3.70°C water and 2.0°C air temperatures at 1000m altitude
External links
- Harrison Haines Sets A Record Going Back
- Kirsty Coventry Wins Gold In IOC Vote
- Back To The Future: Keaton Jones Adapts to Different Backstroke Rules at the Olympics and IISA World Championship
- John Naber and His 10,000-yard Backstroke Sets
- A Thought Experiment on the Personality Traits of Open Water Swimmers
- Helen Betley’s Quad IM Across Lake Windermere
- Backstroke Swim Rules In The Open Water
- Swimming Helps Optimize Your Brain Function And Health
- Disability Swimmer Initiative by International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame
- Going Backwards To Swim Forwards: Tips from Tina
- What Is Open Water Swimming?
- Swimming Styles Times Seven
- When The Spence Brothers Dominated
- The Personality Traits And Astrology Of Swimmers
- The Personality Traits And Astrology Of Swimmers
- Stubby Was Studly
- Backstroke Swim Rules In The Open Water
- Carlos Peña, The Ultranadador Backstroker
- Butterfly, Backstroke And Breaststroke In The Open Water
- Looking Back At Time - Triple Crown Doubled By Tina Neill
- Tina Neill Being Creative And Courageous
- Butterfly, Backstroke And Breaststroke In The Open Water
- Backstroke Swimming Rules In The Open Water
- World Open Water Swimming Association
- Working On Four Major Muscle Groups
- The Personality Traits And Astrology Of Swimmers
- A Medley Of Choices For Open Water Swimmers
- When Boredom Reigns
- Katie Rowe, A Swimmer In Hollywood
- Katie Rowe, Turning Swimming Into A Career
- Toughness Wrapped In Humble Sweetness
- Katie Causes Chaos
- How Times Change In The Open Water World
- The Little Pride And Joy Of South Africa
- Open Water Observations From Aaron Peirsol
- Swimming As Samurai
- Looking Forward By Going Backwards
- Things Open Water Swimmers Never Say
- Tina Neill Being Creative And Courageous
