Yes, right now there are DL events during the regular season that only are 1 loop. So there is no lap out issue. Only at Regionals and Nationals are there lap out rules (this past year regionals took out the lap out rule due to course issue in the west; thus east regional had to take out lap out rule; but it was a 2 lap course so harder to get lapped out at that distance vs 4 laps etc); currently they can kinda get around it with 2-3 different races and the top talent race A wave and B wave is everyone else

The reality is that the sport isn't deep enough to support the sprint distance format (there's not even enough recruit talent to fill out the D1 rosters let alone the D2/D3 programs). It needs to move to a super sprint prelim/finals (happens in TF/swim) so that's really where the sport needs to go if you want to make full time status.

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Brooks Doughtie, M.S.
Exercise Physiology
-USAT Level II