Specification
Backstroke flags under Swimming Canada's facility rules
In short
Swimming Canada requires flagged ropes suspended across the pool from fixed standards placed 5.0 metres from each end wall, and where possible 1.8 metres above the water surface. These rules govern every sanctioned swimming competition in Canada, and apply alongside World Aquatics dimensions for the flags themselves.
- 5.0 m
- From each end wall
- 1.8 m
- Above the water surface
- 2
- Flagged ropes per pool
SourcesSwimming Canada, Facility Rules & GuidelinesWorld Aquatics, Pool Certification — Swimming
Where Swimming Canada places the flags
Swimming Canada's Facility Rules & Guidelines specify that flagged ropes are suspended across the pool from fixed standards placed 5.0 metres from each end wall. Where the facility allows it, the ropes should hang 1.8 metres above the water surface.
The distance is measured from the end wall, not from the starting blocks or the deck edge, and it applies at both ends of the pool. A competition pool therefore carries two flagged ropes, so that a swimmer on their back gets the same warning approaching either wall.
How this fits with the rest of the pool rules
The flag line is one requirement among several that Swimming Canada sets for a sanctioned competition pool. The neighbouring rules are worth knowing, because a facility being brought up to standard usually addresses them together.
| Requirement | Specification |
|---|---|
| Flagged ropes, distance from each end wall | 5.0 m |
| Flagged ropes, height above water where possible | 1.8 m |
| Lane ropes | One per lane; colour is of no consequence |
| Starting blocks | Each block distinctly numbered |
| Depth where starting blocks are used | At least 1.35 m, from 1.0 m to at least 6.0 m from the end wall |
Swimming Canada's rules govern the conduct of all sanctioned swimming competitions in Canada. A facility that hosts sanctioned meets is measured against them, which is why the flag line is not a decorative detail — it is a condition of running the meet.
Canadian rules, in metric
Most backstroke flag suppliers publish American figures: five yards from the wall, seven feet above the water, citing NCAA, USA Swimming or NFHS. Those are the right numbers for an American pool and the wrong ones for a Canadian meet.
Five yards is 4.57 metres. The Canadian requirement is 5.0 metres — a difference of 43 centimetres, or roughly a stroke, at the exact point where a swimmer has committed to their turn. If you are specifying flags for a pool in Canada, work from the metric figures.
Common questions
- How far from the wall do backstroke flags go in a Canadian pool?
- 5.0 metres from each end wall, measured from the wall itself. Swimming Canada's Facility Rules & Guidelines set this for sanctioned competition, and World Aquatics specifies the same distance.
- How high above the water should backstroke flags hang?
- 1.8 metres above the water surface where the facility allows it. Swimming Canada phrases this as a target rather than an absolute, recognising that not every existing building can achieve it.
- Are American backstroke flag dimensions acceptable in Canada?
- The American standard of five yards from the wall is 4.57 metres, where Swimming Canada requires 5.0 metres. For a sanctioned Canadian competition, use the metric figures.
Ordering flags for a Canadian pool? Where to buy backstroke flags in Canada, and what to specify