2015 Nationwide U.S. Masters Swimming Spring National Championship

Sanctioned by the South Texas LMSC for USMS Inc. Sanction Number 435-S001

Dates

Competition days April 23 - 26, 2015
Pool open for warm-up April 22 from 3-8 p.m.

Location

Northside ISD Swim Center
8400 N. Loop 1604 West
San Antonio, TX 78249
210-397-7525
(GPS— use 13200 Skyhawk Drive, San Antonio TX 78249)

Facility

The Northside ISD Swim Center opened in 2013 with three outdoor pools joining the indoor pool that opened in 2006. The outdoor swim complex is highlighted by the 50-meter x 25-yard Myrtha competition pool with shaded, stadium bleacher seating for 2,500 and additional seating and space on deck for 1,500. The championship pool will be divided into two 25-yard courses. Each course will have 10 lanes measuring 7 feet wide, and a water depth ranging from 6 feet, 7 inches to 9 feet. Ten lanes of warm-up space will be available in the 25-yard x 25-meter diving well. Three additional lanes are available in the 25-yard training pool, and 22 lanes in the 50-meter x 25-yard indoor pool, for a total of 35 warmup lanes. There will be lanes designated for swimmers age 65 and over and for sprints throughout the meet.

Eligibility

Participants must be registered Masters swimmers and at least 18 years of age as of April 22. Swimmers turning 18 after the meet entry deadline and by April 22 must enter the meet by the meet entry deadline and register for USMS at the venue on April 22.

If a swimmer wishes to affiliate with a Masters club, the club and swimmer must both be registered with the same Local Masters Swimming Committee. If there are questions about affiliation, the swimmer will be entered with the affiliation “UC.” (See Paper Entries). International entries must include a copy of the swimmer’s Masters Swimming registration card and fees in U.S. dollars.

Age Groups

Age for the meet is determined as of April 26, except for 18-year-olds, who must be 18 by April 22. Age groups for individual events: 18–24, 25–29, 30–34, 35–39 ... (five-year increments as high as necessary). Relay events: 18+, 25+, 35+, 45+, etc. (10-year increments as high as necessary, determined by the age of the youngest relay member).

Registration

Prior to warm-ups or competition, all participants must register at the meet by signing an emergency card, safety information statement, and liability release. Registration will be held at the Northside ISD Swim Center on April 22, 2015, from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m., and on all other days from 6:30 a.m. through the end of competition.

Seeding

Two courses will be used for all events 200 yards and shorter. Three courses may be used for all other events if meet management determines the meet cannot be completed in a timely manner in two courses. Men’s heats will precede women’s heats for each event, except that men’s and women’s heats may be seeded together for the 1000 and 1650 freestyles. A decision regarding this will be announced at usms.org by April 3. The 1650 and 1000 freestyles will be seeded slowest to fastest by entry time, regardless of age. The 500 free and 400 IM may be seeded slowest to fastest by entry time, regardless of age. The 200-yard events will be deck seeded and may be seeded by entry time, regardless of age, for each gender, if the timeline is too long. All 50 and 100 events will be preseeded by age group, with the oldest age groups first, slowest to fastest within each age group.

Event Check-in

Coaches or teammates may check in online or in person for those swimmers whose travel plans do not permit check-in by the deadlines. Failure to check in will result in the swimmer being scratched from the event and the swimmer will not be permitted to swim that event at another time.

Check-In Deadlines

Positive check-in is required for all events 200 yards and longer. Check-in may be done in person at the registration area or via the Internet at usms.org according to the following schedule:

Date	Event	In-Person Check-in*	Online Check-in*
Thursday, April 23	1650 freestyle 1000 freestyle	Weds. 3-8 p.m.–Thurs. by 7 a.m. Weds. 3-8 p.m.–Thurs. by 9 a.m.	Tues. 7 a.m.–Thurs. by 7 a.m. Tues. 7 a.m.–Thurs. by 9 a.m.
Friday, April 24	400 IM 200 freestyle	Weds. 3-8 p.m.–Fri. by 7 a.m. Weds. 3-8 p.m.–Fri. by 9 a.m.	Tues. 7 a.m.–Fri. by 7 a.m. Tues. 7 a.m.–Fri. by 9 a.m.
Saturday, April 25	500 freestyle (men) 200 backstroke 200 butterfly	Weds. 3-8 p.m.–Sat. by 7 a.m. Weds. 3-8 p.m.–Sat. by 9 a.m. Weds. 3-8 p.m.–Sat. by 11 a.m.	Tues. 7 a.m.–Sat. by 7 a.m. Tues. 7 a.m.–Sat. by 9 a.m. Tues. 7 a.m.–Sat. by 11 a.m.
Sunday, April 26	500 freestyle (women) 200 breaststroke 200 IM	Weds. 3-8 p.m.–Sun. by 7 a.m. Weds. 3-8 p.m.–Sun. by 9 a.m. Weds. 3-8 p.m.–Sun. by 11 a.m.	Tues. 7 a.m.–Sun. by 7 a.m. Tues. 7 a.m.–Sun. by 9 a.m. Tues. 7 a.m.–Sun. by 11 a.m.

* All times are Central Daylight Time

Meet Roster

A real-time meet roster including name, age, gender, and club will be available on the meet home page. Please verify your information and email meetentry -AT- usms -DOT- org with any concerns by March 23.

Heat and Psych Sheets

Psych sheets for all individual events will be available at usms.org on or about March 30. Heat sheets for preseeded events will be available online by April 10. Heat sheets for deck-seeded events will be posted at various places around the pool deck for swimmers after the check-in deadlines.

Warm-up Times

The competition pool will be open for warm-up on Wednesday, April 22, from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. On competition days, the competition pool will be open from 6:30 a.m. until 7:50 a.m. The outdoor warm-up pools will be open from 6:30 a.m. until the conclusion of the final event each day, and the indoor warm-up pool will be available from 8 a.m. until the conclusion of the final event each day. The competition pool will also be open for warmup for 30 minutes following the last heat of the 400 IM and 500 freestyle events on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, respectively. The competition pool will be open for at least 30 minutes following the last event each day. On Thursday, April 23, the competition pool will remain open until 5 p.m. or 30 minutes following the last heat of the 1000, whichever is later.

Warm-up Procedure

Swimmers must enter the pool feet first in a cautious and controlled manner. No diving or backstroke starts will be allowed, except in designated sprint lanes. One or two lanes will be designated as one-way sprint lanes during the pre-meet warm-up sessions in the competition pools only. One-way sprint lanes will also be designated in the warm-up pools during competition. Any swimmer who acts in an unsportsmanlike or unsafe manner within the swimming venue may be considered for appropriate action or penalty by the referee (rule 102.13.3). Pull buoys, kickboards, fins, hand paddles, and snorkels are not allowed in the competition or warm-up pools.

Scratches

Any swimmer failing to report to the proper lane in the correct heat of an event will be scratched from that event and will not be permitted to swim that event at another time.

General Meeting

All swimmers, coaches, and officials are encouraged to attend or be represented at a general meeting at the Northside ISD Swim Center on Wednesday, April 22, at 5 p.m. Matters pertinent to the operation and conduct of the meet will be discussed.

Gold Medal Sponsorship

Gold Medal Sponsors will be recognized in the official program as supporters of Masters Swimming. They’ll receive a commemorative gift and will be entitled to VIP hospitality, which will include breakfast, lunch, snacks, and drinks. Cost is $90, and the pass can be ordered on the meet entry form.

Online Entries

Online entry is encouraged and provides immediate entry confirmation. Online registration will open no later than February 15, 2015, and will close at midnight Central Daylight Time on March 23. The meet surcharge increases from $50 to $60 on March 3, 2015 (see Entry Deadline/Variable Surcharge/Mail Entry for dates applying to both online and paper registration).

Paper Entries

Paper entry forms can be downloaded here or will be mailed upon request by calling 1-800-550-SWIM (7946). Read all instructions and fill out the form completely. Incomplete forms or forms with “pending” in place of a USMS registration number will be rejected (except for those from 18-year-olds who turn 18 after the meet entry deadline, but before the first day of the meet, who must enter the meet by the meet entry deadline, but may register at the venue on April 22, 2015). A legible copy of a foreign swimmer’s Masters registration card must accompany the entry form. A swimmer whose club affiliation differs from what is listed on his or her USMS registration card must send either a new USMS registration card or a letter from the local registrar with the new club affiliation and effective date.

Fees

Fees are $4 per individual event plus a surcharge per swimmer. The surcharge varies according to date of entry. (See Entry Deadline/Variable Surcharge.) Fees must accompany the entry form and must be paid in U.S. dollars by check or money order. Do not mail cash. The entry is not complete until the check has cleared the bank. If there are questions about an entrant’s check, full cash payment in U.S. dollars will be required before the entrant is allowed to swim. Refund requests must be received in writing (USPS or email) by March 30, 2015. No refunds will be given for events not swum. The surcharge also applies to relay swimmers not entered in an individual event. Relay-only swimmers must submit an entry form with payment by the entry deadline. All fees should be payable to “U.S. Masters Swimming.”

Entry Deadline / Variable Surcharge / Mail Entry

Online entries are encouraged and will be accepted until midnight Central Daylight Time on March 23, 2015. If entry is received by March 2, 2015, the surcharge is $50. If entry is received after March 2, 2015, and by March 23, 2015, the surcharge is $60. Entries received after March 23, 2015, will be returned to sender. No telephone or email entries will be accepted. Mail paper entries early (include a self-addressed stamped envelope with entry for proof of receipt). Do not send certified or overnight mail requiring a signature. Photocopy completed entry forms and personal checks for your records and verification.
Mail paper entries to:
USMS Spring Nationals
P.O. Box 185
Londonderry, NH 03053-0185

National Qualifying Times / Number of Events / Sixth Event

Competitors may enter up to three individual events without meeting the national qualifying time, or a maximum of six events if they meet the NQTs, i.e., have swum a time equal to or better than the NQTs during the past two years. Exception: Competitors entering the 1650 free must meet the NQT. All swimmers are limited to three individual events per day. All events must include an entry time. If the meet is deemed too large, an athlete’s sixth event will be dropped. On the entry form, indicate this event with a “6” in the designated column. No refunds will be given if the 6th event is dropped. If a swimmer enters an event with a time significantly slower or faster than that swimmer’s recorded time in the previous two years, the meet director may, after a discussion with the swimmer, change the seed time to a realistic time.

Distance Events (1000/1650)

Swimmers entering the 1650 freestyle must meet the NQT. Swimmers may enter both the 1000 and the 1650 freestyle (but must meet the NQT in the 1650 freestyle to enter both).

Relay Information

Swimmers can enter relays until 3 p.m. on the day before the relay is scheduled. Relay-only swimmers, i.e., not entered in an individual event, must have entered the meet and paid the surcharge by the meet entry deadline. Each competitor is allowed to swim only one freestyle relay, one medley relay, one mixed freestyle relay,and one mixed medley relay. The entry fee for each relay is $12. Relay entries may be submitted at the relay desk in the registration area. Each of the four members of any relay team must be registered with the same Masters club. Relay entry fee is in addition to individual entry fees. Relay entry forms are available for download here.

Scoring

Individual Events: 11-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1. Relays: 22-18-16-14-12-10-8-6-4-2.

Club Scoring

Club scoring will be tabulated in three categories: men, women, and combined. Mixed relays score points only in the combined category.

Awards

Medals will be awarded for first through 10th places in each age group. A "U.S. Masters Swimming Championship Patch" will be given to each individual and relay team member for the first event won. Swimmers winning more than one event may purchase additional patches. Unclaimed awards will not be mailed unless arrangements are made at the meet. There will be a charge for mailing awards. Awards will be presented to the top ten combined clubs in the Local Club division and top five combined clubs in the Regional division.

Final Results

Complete final results may be ordered with your online entry. Cost will be $15.00 per copy. The usms.org website will post complete results, including splits.

Time Verification (formerly OVCs)

Swimmers wishing to have times entered into SWIMS (USA Swimming times database) must complete a form at the meet prior to the swim. Contact the administrative referee at the meet.

Service Animals

Please contact the meet director by March 23, 2015, if you require the use of a service animal. Animals other than service animals will not be permitted on deck at the venue.

Meet Directors

Scott Zolinski scott.zolinski@nisd.net 210.397.8988
Kristin Libardoni kristin.libardoni@nisd.net 210.397.7523