pullbuoy time conversions

pullbuoy time conversions

Use the form below to select the appropriate conversion, event and your gender, enter your time and click the appropriate button to carry out the conversion. The 'Factors' button uses conversion factors to convert the time, whereas the 'ASA Tables' button uses ASA equivalent performance tables and the 'Points Button' uses ASA comparative points tables. These methods are as described in the FAQ

You can now get BAGCAT points scores in conjunction with your time conversion if you use the tables method. Simply carry out the conversion as normal, then when you have your result, select an age group! You can also get points scores directly on our bagcat calculator

Select Course Long course to short course Short course to long course Event Select 50 Freestyle 100 Freestyle 200 Freestyle 400 Freestyle 800 Freestyle 1500 Freestyle 50 Backstroke 100 Backstroke 200 Backstroke 50 Breastroke 100 Breaststroke 200 Breaststroke 50 Butterfly 100 Butterfly 200 Butterfly 200 Ind. Medley 400 Ind. Medley Gender Select Male Female Time : . (Min:Sec.Hund)

Your time converts to:

Got a question about these conversions? check out our faq

PLEASE NOTE: this conversion utility is intended as a guide only. Whilst every effort is made to provide accurate conversions, pullbuoy cannot be held responsible for any consequences of usage of the results. If you intend to use the results from this conversion utility to enter an event please check your time with your club secretary or coach.

pullbuoy time conversions

Use the form below to select the appropriate pool lengths and event, enter your time and click to carry out the conversion. You can get BAGCAT points scores in conjunction with your time conversion if you use the tables method. Simply carry out the conversion as normal, then when you have your result, select an age group! You can also get points scores directly on our bagcat calculator

Convert from: Select Course 50 metres 33 1/3 metres 25 metres 20 metres 36 2/3 yards 27 ½ yards 33 1/3 yards 25 yards 20 yards to: Select Course 50 metres 33 1/3 metres 25 metres 20 metres 36 2/3 yards 27 ½ yards 33 1/3 yards 25 yards 20 yards Event Select 50 Freestyle 100 Freestyle 200 Freestyle 400 Freestyle 800 Freestyle 1500 Freestyle 50 Backstroke 100 Backstroke 200 Backstroke 50 Breastroke 100 Breaststroke 200 Breaststroke 50 Butterfly 100 Butterfly 200 Butterfly 200 Ind. Medley 400 Ind. Medley Time : . (Min:Sec.Hund)

PLEASE NOTE: this conversion utility is intended as a guide only. Whilst every effort is made to provide accurate conversions, pullbuoy cannot be held responsible for any consequences of usage of the results. If you intend to use the results from this conversion utility to enter an event please check your time with your club secretary or coach.

BAGCAT Points

You can now get BAGCAT points from pullbuoy, using the calculator below

Gender: Select Boys Girls

Age: Select Age 9 years 10 years 11 years 12 years 13 years 14 years

Pool length: Select Course Long course Short course

Event: Select 50 Freestyle 100 Freestyle 200 Freestyle 400 Freestyle 800 Freestyle 1500 Freestyle 50 Backstroke 100 Backstroke 200 Backstroke 50 Breastroke 100 Breaststroke 200 Breaststroke 50 Butterfly 100 Butterfly 200 Butterfly 200 Ind. Medley 400 Ind. Medley 100 Ind. Medley

Time: : . (Min:Sec.Hund)

PLEASE NOTE: The points scores quoted here are unofficial. Although every effort is made to provide correct and accurate points scores and correction factors, pullbuoy cannot be held responsible for any consequences of usage of the results. Scores are based on 2006-2008 GB points tables and 2006 BAGCAT correction factors.

frequently asked questions

How do I convert a time?

You can use the pullbuoy convertor which is located here

Why do we need time conversions?

Generally speaking times for a given distance are faster in shorter pools; for example Pieter van den Hoogenband's 100m Freestyle world record of 47.84 set at the Olympics, is more than a second slower than the equivalent short course record, held by Alex Popov, of 46.74. This is due to the long course race having fewer turns, and the fact that the push off from the wall allows a swimmer to move faster, and often with less drag, than normal swimming. Interestingly enough, however, converting van den Hoogenband's world record to short course gives a time of 46.45, a few tenths under the current record. Perhaps it will go soon!

How do the conversions work?

There are three methods used in the pullbuoy convertors:

1. factors

This method uses the NCAA conversion factors form America, which is why conversion factors are unavailable for may events; they are only published for NCAA championship events. The process is quite simple and is as follows:

• determine the conversion you are doing (e.g. long course to short course) and the event.
• convert the time into seconds e.g. 1:13.45 is equivalent to 73.45 seconds.
• look up the appropriate conversion factor in the tables.
• if you are doing the conversion in the same direction as given in the table (i.e. LC to SC in this case) multiply your time by the factor. If you are converting the other way, divide by the factor. This gives the new time in seconds
• round to the nearest 100th of a second and convert back into minutes and seconds.

  Example: 1:02.45 Men's 100 free LC to SC:
  
  

  1.02.45 = 62.45 seconds

  conversion factor = 0.971

  new time = 62.45 x 0.971 = 60.63895

  round to the nearest 100th gives 60.64 seconds

  convert back to minutes and seconds gives 1.00.64 for 100m free SC.

2. points

This method used the ASA comparative performance tables. A points score is determined for a particular swim, either long course or short course. The time corresponding to that score is then looked up in the corresponding table for the other course. This is the converted time. Although this is not a foolproof method, it gives a good guide for conversion.

3. ASA tables

The pullbuoy convertor also uses the ASA's Equivalent Performance Tables originally commissioned by the ASA and developed by Rex Smith. Based on empirical data these allow direct comparison of times in a range of pool lengths in both metres and yards. The range of times covered by the tables is in line with current World Records, National Standard Times and the lowest grade of the Graded Swimming system.

Tables can be downloaded from the ASA website. A time is converted by looking up the time swum in the column corresponding to the correct pool length in the table corresponding to the correct event. The gap in times noted in the tables varies as times get slower but is always 0.1, 0.2, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0 or 5.0 seconds. Since swimmers don't usually swim the exact times contained in the tables, interpolation is required to achieve the desired conversion. This process is automated by the pullbuoy convertor.

PLEASE NOTE: the conversions outlined here should be used as a guide only. Whilst every effort is made to provide accurate conversions, pullbuoy cannot be held responsible for any consequences of usage of the results. If you intend to use the results from this conversion utility to enter an event please check your time with your club secretary or coach.

Why do conversions depend on gender?

Men generally have an advantage in their turns compared to women since they are on the whole taller and have more explosive power in their legs. Hence they benefit relatively more than a women in a short course race when there are more turns. Also there is an argument that men "swim" a shorter race since their height allows them to turn sooner and they get more speed in the push off from the wall, increasing the distance they travel underwater. As a result the conversion factor is different when converting to and from long course since having fewer turns has more of an effect on a man's time. However, this only affects the factors and points methods as the ASA tables are independent of gender

Interestingly the conversion factors from short course metres to short course yards are the same for both women and men, since there are the same number of turns in both events and the only factor is the shorter distance swum overall.

Have you any 33.3 metre pool conversion tables? - Andy Smith

The pullbuoy convertor deals with 33 and a third pools using the ASA equivalent performance tables

Just looking at your conversion tables. Are these supposed to be equally valid for children as well as adults? -- DaveC

As far as we know yes - if anyone knows differently please let us know!

Do you have conversions for long course to short course for butterfly, backstroke and breaststroke -- scott williams

100m and 200m conversion factors for those strokes are given below, or you can use our conversion utility to do them

Do you have any conversion tables for 25 yard pool to 25 metre pool? This would be useful as we train in a 25 yard pool!-- Penny Porter

These conversion factors are shown below for the NCAA method or you can use the pullbuoy general convertor.

In your conversion times, you have no 50m events except the freestyle. Is there a possibility that you could include other 50m races too? -- Ashley

Do you have a conversion for 'x' event? - Various

This is by far the most common question asked. The factors shown below are the only ones published by NCAA. The tables method outlined above and implemented in our latest convertor provides conversions for events without factors.

Can you calculate a 200m time from a 50m time?

This is a very tricky thing to do - there is far more to the conversion than simply multiplying by four. Other factors such as turn technique, aerobic conditioning and mental strength will all play a par to some degree or other. Consequently there is no magic formula for accurately carrying out such a conversion.

NCAA conversion factors

Long Course (50 metres) to Short Course (25 metres)
	MEN	WOMEN
Event	Factor	Factor
50 metre freestyle 100 metre freestyle 200 metre freestyle 400 metre freestyle 100 metre backstroke 200 metre backstroke 100 metre breaststroke 200 metre breaststroke 100 metre butterfly 200 metre butterfly 200 metre indiv. medley 400 metre indiv. medley	0.971 0.971 0.977 0.982 0.971 0.971 0.965 0.965 0.988 0.982 0.965 0.971	0.982 0.982 0.988 0.993 0.988 0.988 0.971 0.982 0.993 0.993 0.982 0.988

Long Course (50 metres) to Short Course (25 yds.)
	MEN	WOMEN
Event	Factor	Factor
50 metre freestyle 100 metre freestyle 200 metre freestyle 400 metre freestyle 1500 metre freestyle 100 metre backstroke 200 metre backstroke 100 metre breaststroke 200 metre breaststroke 100 metre butterfly 200 metre butterfly 200 metre indiv. medley 400 metre indiv. medley	0.870 0.870 0.875 1.105 0.960 0.870 0.870 0.865 0.865 0.885 0.880 0.865 0.880	0.880 0.880 0.885 1.120 0.980 0.885 0.885 0.870 0.870 0.890 0.890 0.880 0.885

Short Course (25 metres) to Short Course (25 yds.)
	MEN	WOMEN
Event	Factor	Factor
50 metre freestyle 100 metre freestyle 200 metre freestyle 400 metre freestyle 1500 metre freestyle 100 metre backstroke 200 metre backstroke 100 metre breaststroke 200 metre breaststroke 100 metre butterfly 200 metre butterfly 200 metre indiv. medley 400 metre indiv. medley	0.896 0.896 0.896 1.143 1.003 0.896 0.896 0.896 0.896 0.896 0.896 0.896 0.896	0.896 0.896 0.896 1.143 1.003 0.896 0.896 0.896 0.896 0.896 0.896 0.896 0.896

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