Mutual of Omaha Duel in the Pool
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The Mutual of Omaha Duel in the Pool is a swimming event begun in 2003, and held every other year.
The event pits the big swimming stars against the United States against the big stars of Australia, started as an idea by USA Swimming to keep the developing rivalry between the two countries going, and to see which of the two teams is better.
There was rumored to be a Duel in 2006, which is said to pit the U.S. against a team from China, after an earlier report stated that the event would pit the U.S. against a team of European swimmers, like golf's Ryder Cup. This did not occur.
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[edit] Rules
The Duel in the Pool is made up of 28 total events — four relays and 24 individual races — all held in an Olympic-size pool.
All rules regarding relays and individual races are applied at this event like they are in the Olympic Games and the FINA World Championships.
[edit] Points system
Each race awards points based on finishing position. In the relays, all winning teams receive 7 points, while the losing teams receive no points. Individual races are set up differently, however, as 11 total points are up for grab in each race. That system is set up like this:
- First place: 5 points
- Second place: 3 points
- Third place: 2 points
- Fourth place: 1 point
- Fifth and sixth place: No points awarded
The total number of points given in the event is 292. The first team to reach 146.5 points, or the team with the most points at the end of the event, is declared the winner. In the event of a tie, the tie will be broken with a 4x50-meter coed medley relay. The winner of this event gains one point, and both teams must select two men and two women to race. In the two editions of the event so far, this event has not needed use.
[edit] Event history
| Event | Location | Winning country | Final score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Indianapolis, USA | United States | 196-74 |
| 2005 | Irvine, California, USA | United States | 190-102 |
[edit] Event trivia
- The event winner receives a traveling trophy, and swimmers who break a world record in the event earn a $25,000 bonus.
- Only one world record has been broken in the event to date — Michael Phelps, 17 at the time, broke his own world record in the 400-meter individual medley at the inaugural event in 2003.
- NBC is the exclusive event broadcaster in the U.S., but they opt to show the event on tape delay by airing it on a weekend with event coverage split into two days.
