Meet Information

Registration
All participants must register prior to competing to receive a meet program, tickets for the social and other meet information. Registration will be on going throughout the meet at the pool starting on Wednesday, May 12 from 12 noon to 6:00 PM. Check-in for distance events and relays will be available in the same area.

Check-in (General)
Check-in is required for 400 IM, 500 Free, 1000 Free and 1650 Free - no exceptions! Coaches and teammates may check in for swimmers whose travel plans do not permit check-in by deadlines.

Check-in (1000 and 1650 free)
Swimmers in the 1000 or 1650 freestyle must check in by 6 PM PDT on Wed, May 12, 1999 at the International Swim Center. Telephone check-in for the 1000 and 1650 freestyles will be available on Tuesday, May 11, from 1 PM to 6 PM PDT and on Wednesday, May 12, from 9 AM to 6 PM PDT. Swimmers entered in the 1000 or 1650 freestyles will be notified by mail of the number and procedure for phone check-in. At the time of the call, a confirmation number will be issued, which swimmers will be responsible for producing upon request to confirm phone check-in.

Check-in (500 free and 400 IM)
All participants must check in prior to 6 PM on the day before the event will be swum. Failure to check in will result in a scratch.

Eligibility
The National Championships are open to swimmers at least 19 yrs of age as of April 8, 1999. If a swimmer wishes to affiliate with a Masters' club, the club and the swimmer must both be registered with the Local Masters Swim Committee (LMSC). If there are questions about affiliation, the swimmer shall be entered "unattached." Foreign swimmers are welcome. Entries must include a copy of the swimmer's USMS registration card or International Travel Permit and fees paid in U.S. dollars.

Age Groups
Individual events: 19-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49 ... 100-104. Relay events: 19+,25+,35+,45+ ...(ten year increments as high as necessary). Age for the meet is determined as of the last day of the meet.

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

Team Scoring
Team scoring will be divided into three divisions: (large, medium, small) each containing three categories - men, women, and combined. Mixed relays are scored only in the combined category. The USMS Championship Committee will determine divisions after the entry deadline based on the number of entrants from each club.

Awards
Customized medals will be awarded for 1st - 10th places in each age group. A USMS 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 for each additional event won. Without prior arrangements, unclaimed awards will not be mailed. Awards will go to the top three teams in each category of each division.

Final Results
Will be mailed after the meet, for $15. Individual swimmer's final results, including splits, will be available at the meet for $5. Results will be posted on the USMS website at www.usms.org and www.pacificmasters.org and www.santaclaraswim.org.

Seeding
Individual events 200 yds or less will be pre-seeded and swum slowest to fastest within each age group, oldest to youngest. Partial heats may be combined. Men's heats will precede women's heats for each event. The 1000, 1650 and 400 IM will be deck-seeded slowest to fastest. The 500 will be deck-seeded first by age group then by time.

Warm-up Times
Warm-ups start on Wed, May 12, 12:00 - 8:00 PM. There will be a daily warm-up in the competition pool from 6:45 to 7:50 AM and immediately following the 400 IM for day 2, 500 Free on day 3, and 4. This additional warm up will be 20 minutes in duration. In addition throughout the meet, there will be a total of 10 warm-up lanes available in the warm-up and diving pool.

Warm-up Procedures
Swimmers must enter the pool feet first in a cautious manner. No diving is allowed except in designated sprint lanes, and no diving is allowed in the warm-up pools. Racing and backstroke starts, are allowed only in designated "One-Way Sprint Lanes." No sprint lanes in the warm-up pools. ANY SWIMMER WHO ACTS IN AN UNSPORTSMANLIKE OR UNSAFE MANNER WITHIN THE SWIMMING VENUE MAY BE CONSIDERED FOR APPROPRIATE ACTION OR PENALTY AT THE DISCRETION OF THE REFEREE (Rule 102.15.2) There will be at least one warm-up lane at all times for swimmers over age 65.

Sixth Event Rule
If the meet is deemed too large, a swimmer's sixth event will be dropped. Swimmer must indicate the sixth event as directed on the entry form. The sixth event cannot be changed after the entry is submitted.

Scratch
Any swimmer who fails to report to the proper lane in the correct heat of his/her event will be considered scratched from that event and will not be permitted to swim that event another time.

Official Verification Card
For an OVC, contact the following official prior to the meet: Anneliese Eggert, (707) 795-4247, fax (707) 664-1347, e-mailaeggert@worldnet.att.net.

Exhibition 
On Saturday, May 15, immediately after the 500 Free and before the additional warm-up, members of the Santa Clara Aquamaids and members of the US National Synchronized Swim Team will do an opening ceremony exhibition.

Gold Medal Grille
The social will be held at the Pavillion (adjacent to the pool) on Friday May 14. Cost is $14 per person and is limited to the first 700 people.

Entry Form Instructions