Basque Country: underwater cameras analyze and decipher the performances of Luzian swimmers, a first

This is a big step in supporting local swimmers. The Saint-Jean-de-Luz sports & leisure swimming pool was equipped with cameras, not to monitor its installations, but to analyze the performance of its swimmers. A first in the Basque Country, and even a rarity throughout France, only seven other swimming pools have this device in France.

A new product unveiled and tested, in the presence of double Olympic swimming champion, Alain Bernard. “It’s a technology that I would have liked to have had in my time (laughs). Fifteen years ago, you had to install a camcorder, a computer and in the best case, you would have the images in the evening or the next day. Now, the added value with this innovation is being able to do an exercise, a dive, a start, or a turn and then being able to correct our mistakes instantly. Everything is filmed, analyzed and transferred directly to a tablet. It allows everyone to realize that we always make technical errors when swimming, no matter our level of performance.” explains Alain Bernard, who is not there by chance. The former swimmer of the French swimming team is the ambassador and shareholder of this technology called Vogoscope.

A technological advance that is already attracting those who have been able to try it, like Gabriel. “It allows us to visualize what is happening underwater. We see and know what is happening above the water, but no one really knows what’s going on underneatheven the coach can’t know. There for example, with this system, we have just seen and analyzed that my left arm goes too far to the side and that when I breathe, my right arm shifts too much, whereas it should remain in the axis. Now I’m going back to the water to directly correct all that.” says the young man. Gabriel also had the right to a more in-depth analysis of his swimming from Alain Bernard, “it’s very impressive as a swimmer, and it’s very nice”, he adds before returning to the water.

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A time saver for coaches

This innovation, with a total cost of €18,000, is also added value “immense” for coaches. “It will boost their performance thanks to this technical improvement. To gain a few hundredths over 100 meters, we will work on millimeters underwateron engine paths, propulsions and company. Things you can’t normally see, but now you can.” depicts Jérémy Lefebvre, the coach of Urkirolak Natation.

A speech shared by its president Lionel Duval. “When we watch ourselves on video, we improve more quickly. So, for swimming, it’s going to be excellent. Swimmers will be able to watch underwater images and see how their actions break down. We can analyze them in detail and improve much more quickly. The video makes everything much clearer. In addition, it saves time, we can analyze in real time the angles of dives, turns, backtracking. In short, everything almost live, so it’s perfect”, concludes the president of Urkirolak.

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