Patent ID: 6920652

Claim:
A starting platform for one end of a swimming pool, a top having a front edge, a back edge, and two lateral edges, each of which is adapted to be grasped by one hand of a swimmer in a starting position, the top having an upper surface, which is adapted to support both feet of a swimmer in a starting position for a race, the top having a lower surface, at which the top is mountable to a base, stand, or pedestal, the upper surface defining an array of continuous ribs and defining continuous channels between the ribs, the ribs being configured so that, if the top is mounted so that the upper surface slants downwardly from the back edge toward the front edge, each rib slants downwardly and laterally and each channel slants similarly to drain water from the upper surface downwardly and laterally, wherein the top is unitary and wherein, along at least part of each lateral edge, the lower surface defines a trough, which facilitates grasping of said lateral edge.