FINA is pleased to announce that it has extended its agreement with OMEGA through 2021, covering some of the world’s most important swimming and diving events. This partnership dates back to 1973, when OMEGA served as official timekeeper at the first edition of the FINA World Championships in Belgrade.
OMEGA is widely regarded as one of the world’s leading sports timekeepers and its long-term association with FINA means that it will serve talented aquatic athletes at all of FINA’s key events including the FINA World Championships, which feature long-course swimming, synchronised swimming, water polo, open water swimming, diving and high diving.
The brand is also responsible for delivering the timekeeping at the FINA World Swimming Championships (25m), the FINA Swimming World Cup and the FINA Diving World Series as well as the FINA High Diving World Cup, which was held for the first time in 2014. OMEGA also delivers timekeeping and scoring services at the FINA World Junior Swimming Championships every two years.
FINA President, Dr Julio C. Maglione said: “We are very pleased to continue this fruitful partnership with Omega. Over so many years and so many competitions together, FINA and Omega have always worked hand in hand to provide the best possible conditions to our athletes, coaches and officials. We are sure that this co-operation will remain in the future for the benefit of Aquatics worldwide”.
OMEGA President Stephen Urquhart shared his enthusiasm saying: “We have enjoyed a long and productive relationship with FINA and are delighted that we will continue to work with the Federation well into the future. World-class competitive swimming and diving are among the most thrilling sports and we look forward to timing and measuring the performances delivered at every FINA event”.
Swimming News courtesy of FINA.
Well, if by elegant you mean inscrutable I guess that I’ll give you that. I know that there is familiarity bias at play here, but I have a much easier time figuring out what I’m looking at with a Hy-Tek report. I audibly groan when meet results are displayed online using the Omega interface and reports.
Too bad Omega doesn’t have a bigger presence in the US, and too bad their products are so expensive. They’d have to build a distributorship in the US, along with support. There’s got to be some hassle with calling support in Switzerland! Though the touchpads and the entire timing system is very expensive, the touchpads at least are incredibly durable, and I’ve heard nothing but positive reviews of everything else. Their meet reports are pretty elegant, at least compared to Hy-Tek. Maybe they’ll make a push into the market, but then again, they’ve pretty much got Europe and Oceania all sewn up.