Perpendicular to the lanes in the pool, place four lane ropes to act as hurdles. Freestylers must go over them or be disqualified.

I swim. This would liven the sport up.
-- Cuit_au_Four, Jul 24 2007

Could you use trained sharks, or maybe seals?
-- normzone, Jul 24 2007


Add theremin hoops, that would be fun.
-- skinflaps, Jul 24 2007


How about electrified hoops/hurdles.. no that's going too far.

But i like the idea nonetheless. +
-- twitch, Jul 24 2007


//Add theremin hoops, that would be fun.//

<announcer voice>: And that terrible unending screeching means that Thomas, the swimmer from Denmark, has gotten himself hung up. Well, as long as the other swimmers keep their earplugs in, it shouldn't cause too much vomiting.

Wait, there goes Xian's breakfast! That'll be a 10-second penalty...</announcer> [+]
-- shapu, Jul 24 2007


ride dolphins.
-- po, Jul 24 2007


100 million hurdles. Now *that's* an event!
-- Jinbish, Jul 24 2007


I'd watch that, JB. They should be really close together so that (a) the hurdling is more akin to repeated CB Fry Mantlepiece Leaps and (b) if even one of said hurdles is knocked over, the a city-wide, filmed-from-helicopters athletics equivalent of Domino Rally occurs. Brilliant.
-- calum, Jul 24 2007


I was about to post hurdle swimming when I found this.

In my variant, the hurdles would be boards which would have to be swum under.
-- Loris, Jul 31 2012


Why not have some that must be gone over, some that must be gone under? They can alternate, or be randomized before each race.
-- Alterother, Jul 31 2012


//Why not have some that must be gone over, some that must be gone under?//

Because then it would be swimming steeplechase instead.
-- Loris, Jul 31 2012



random, halfbakery