Has anyone swam 2.4 backstroke in an IM race?

We have a gentleman who swam the 5k Big Shoulders race doing butterfly. I am sure someone has done it backstroke - I know my backstroke is faster than most people's freestyle (my breaststroke would still have me passing people - but then I am a swimmer).

I don't know if I'd want to try to do butterfly, but I'd definetly do it backstroke if I was 1) efficient at it, and 2) if it was fast and 3) my best stroke for conserving energy.

yeah I freestyle the whole way and took 2 hours + wetsuit at big shoulders.

I am sure people have swam some back stroke during the IM.

Is there a reason why you would want to backstroke the whole way? Siting would be a real pain. It would be alot hard to draft off someone.

Backstroke seems to be the only movement that doesn't strain my shoulders after having surgery on both shoulders this year. If I ever do an ironman, I'd have to do the entire thing backstroke.

sorry about your sercurgy. hopely it will get better soon and let you do it any which way you want.

Max from BT has done mostly backstroke in a HIM (Mooseman) and I'm not sure about his last IM if he did any or not.

i have swim panic, i did a HIM on my back just kicking,(bad shoulders) inefficient you bet...but what the heck i wasnt dead last outa the water....and i passed ppl on the bike!

Sweet. Ive come to the realization that my previous shoulder dislocations and surgeries have limited me to the backstroke. This is how it will get done.

I did IMKY with a modified backstroke. I can't swim very well and I made it thru the swim part with that stroke. I was lucky and the current helped me make 1:40 swim time.

My friend did the entire Ironman CDA swim doing elementary backstroke in 2006. He finished in 2:19 minutes, but kicked butt on the bike and run. All you have to do is get in under 2:20, and if backstroke works for you, go for it!!!