1. GENERAL
1.1 Swimming Championships shall be conducted annually upon dates designated for County Championships by Swim England. Dates shall be agreed by the County Swimming Committee.
1.2 All Championships shall be conducted in accordance with Swim England Laws and Technical Rules of Swimming.
1.3 Entry Fees shall be approved by the HCASA Management Committee and published on the competition web site:
https://www.swimmeets.org/calendar/showevent.php?id=936
1.4 A supplementary starting strobe light will be available for all events.
1.5 Backstroke starting ledges will be available for all events held at the Mountbatten Centre, Portsmouth but NOT for events held at Waterlooville.
2. ELIGIBILITY
2.1 General
2.1.1 The competing members of any club allocated to the Association, and any member of an organisation registered directly to Swim England who is normally resident in Hampshire, shall be allowed to compete providing they are eligible as defined in Swim England Law, except that no one who has competed in the Championships of another County since 1st January 2020 shall be eligible to compete.
2.1.2 A swimmer must be a registered member of the club in the name of which he/she is entered for at least 1 calendar month before the first day of competition of the Championships.
2.1.3 For all events, a swimmer’s age shall be determined as at midnight on the 31st December 2020.
2.1.4 A Junior swimmer shall be under 17 years of age as at midnight on the 31st December 2020.
2.2 Team Championships
2.2.1 Team Championships shall be open to all clubs allocated to the Association.
2.2.2 A swimmer entered in the name of one club in individual events may not compete in the name of another club in the team events.
2.2.3 Clubs may enter a maximum of two teams in each team event; members shall swim for one team only.
3. PROGRAMME OF EVENTS
3.1 Individual Events
| Ages | Events |
| 10/11 Years | Freestyle: 50m, 100m, 200m, 400m Backstroke: 50m, 100m, 200m Breaststroke: 50m, 100m, 200m Butterfly: 50m, 100m, 200m Ind Medley: 200m |
| 12 Years 13 Years 14 Years 15 Years 16 Years 17 Years & Over | Freestyle: 50m, 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m Backstroke: 50m, 100m, 200m Breaststroke: 50m, 100m, 200m Butterfly: 50m, 100m, 200m Ind Medley: 200m, 400m |
3.2 Team Events
| Open | Men & Women | 4x100m Freestyle & Medley Teams 4x200m Freestyle Team |
| Junior | Boys and Girls | 4x50m Freestyle & Medley Teams |
| 14 Years & Under | Boys and Girls | 4x50m Freestyle & Medley Teams |
| 10-12 Years | Boys and Girls | 4x50m Freestyle & Medley Teams |
4. ENTRIES
4.1 Entries shall be submitted via the online entry system on the competition web site.
Entries submitted online are not finally accepted until the club entry declaration sheet has been submitted to the competition web site.
4.2 All entries to this competition are deemed to be club entries, and are subject to the submission of the club entry declaration sheet, authorised by an appropriate officer of the club to confirm that:
1. Entries have been checked against British Rankings and conform to the conditions of the competition.
2. The club accepts liability to pay the appropriate entry fee.
4.3 All entries must be submitted on or before 20:00 on 26th December 2019.
All club entry declaration sheets must be uploaded to the competition web site, using the “Submit Files” function by 20:00 on 29th December 2019.
If the entry declaration sheet is not submitted by that date, the club will be advised and warned by e-mail. A further 72 hours will be allowed to make the submission. Failure to make the submission by this final submission date will result in the club’s complete entry being rejected.
4.4 Once all entries have been processed and decisions taken relating to acceptance (according to condition 4.7) each club will be notified of the entry fee payable. Fees must be paid within 7 days of this notification.
4.5 Late Entries may be accepted in exceptional circumstances at the sole discretion of the Swimming Secretary (or the appointed Entries Co-ordinator). Late entries will be considered for individual events only, providing
– There is space available
– The entry time must be equal to or faster than the automatic qualifying time for the event
– A supplement of 100% of the normal entry fee, per event, is paid.
4.6 Entrants who are members of more than one club must declare at the time of entry, the club he/she represents.
4.7 For all individual events, the Association shall set automatic qualifying times and base level qualifying times (consideration times). Both short course and long course qualifying times shall be published. Swimmers must submit a time for each entry which has been achieved since 1st March 2019. Submitted times may be either short and/or long course and shall be the actual time recorded. All long course (50m) times will be automatically converted using the published Swim England Equivalent Performance Tables for the purpose of accepting entries and seeding. All times must be eligible for inclusion in the British Rankings and set in competitions licenced at level 1, 2, 3 or 4. Entries may be amended up to the closing date. Subsequent improved times will not be accepted. First leg relay split times are NOT acceptable. Times set in Masters competitions and appearing only in Masters Rankings are not acceptable.
4.8 All submitted times will be checked against British Rankings. Any time that cannot be validated against British Rankings will be rejected as an invalid entry.
A list of times that cannot be validated against British Rankings will be published on22nd December 2019. Entries may be amended up to the closing date. Subsequent improved times will not be accepted.
4.9 All swimmers who have achieved the automatic qualifying time shall be accepted for that event. If there is space available, swimmers who have not achieved the automatic qualifying time but have achieved the base time may be accepted. Those swimmers who are closest to the automatic time shall be accepted first. The number of additional swimmers that can be accepted will be determined on an event by event basis. The target number of swimmers for each event shall be published on the competition web site prior to the closing date for entries. No swimmer will be accepted with an entry time slower than a swimmer in a younger age group who has been rejected.
4.10 Notwithstanding condition 4.9, in the interest of safety and to ensure the smooth running of the competition the Association reserves the right to limit the number of entries to any event. If this becomes necessary, the Swimming Secretary (or appointed Entries Co-ordinator) will inform each swimmer whose entry has not been accepted. Entries will be rejected on the basis of submitted times, slowest swimmers rejected
4.11 Any swimmer submitting an ineligible entry will have the entry rejected and forfeit the entry fee. Any swimmer whose entry is not accepted as a result of limiting the number of entries will have their fee refunded.
4.12 For all Team events, club members who may be selected for a team but who are not participating in an individual event must be listed. The list must show the full name, sex, date of birth and Swim England registration number. No swimmer may participate in a team Event unless their name is on a submitted list.
4.13 A Provisional Team Declaration Form declaring the names of swimmers expected to swim in each team shall be submitted electronically together with the entry declaration form (see 4.3 above). Failure to submit a declaration form on time will result in the team being withdrawn. On the day of competition, a corrected Declaration Form may be submitted prior to the start of warm-up for the session which includes the team event. If submitted changes to team declarations cannot be recorded in the Meet Management system prior to the start of the event, no swimmers’ names shall appear on the scoreboard. For each team entry, the submitted time shall be the sum of the individual times for the declared swimmers as recorded on British Rankings. If a swimmer does not have a time recorded on British Rankings, an estimated time may be used.
4.14 The Management Committee may refuse an entry from a Club or a member of that Club, which, in their opinion, has not in the past fulfilled its obligations to the County Association, including all payment of fees relating to previous competitions.
4.15 By submitting an entry, entrants are accepting that entries will be processed using a computer system. Entrants may request that details are not displayed on the web site, but need to be aware that entry confirmation and results are not made available in any other form.
4.16 By submitting an entry, entrants are accepting that their photographs may be taken and used to promote the sport in the Region or County, and/or made available for download and/or purchase. All photography will conform to the “ASA Photography Guidance”as published in Wavepower by Swim England. Individual parents of swimmers under 18 years of age on the day of competition have the right to withhold consent, by completing a form to be made available before the closing date of the competition.
4.17 Refund of fees. Once entries have been confirmed, entry fees will only be refunded if the swimmer is unable to swim on medical grounds. A request for refund of fees, together with supporting evidence from a qualified medical practitioner, must be uploaded to the competition website using the “Submit Files” function no later than 28 days after the last day of the competition.
5. CONFIRMATION OF ENTRY
5.1 All entries will be confirmed by e-mail and a list of accepted and rejected entries will be available via the competition web site at least 10 days before the first day of the Championships.
5.2 Entries may be corrected at any time up to the closing date. Subsequent to this date, only errors introduced by the Association will be corrected; any other change will be considered to be a late entry and subject to the provisions of 4.5 above.
6. MEET PROCEDURE
6.1 A withdrawal system will be in operation. Club representatives are expected to submit withdrawal forms for swimmers who are not intending to swim, no later than 45 minutes before the advertised starting time of the first event in the session. Provision will be made for clubs with no representative present to submit notification of withdrawals via the competition web site. Informal notification by phone or e-mail will not be accepted. Competitors who fail to withdraw and do not present themselves at the start may incur a penalty of £10.
6.2 Withdrawals are final. Any request to reinstate a swimmer who has been withdrawn will be considered to be a late entry and subject to the provisions of 4.5 above.
6.3 Heats shall be swum for all events, and shall be seeded slowest to fastest, except that in events where there are finals, the final three heats shall be cyclically seeded. All heats shall be spearheaded.
6.4 Finals shall be swum for all 50m and 100m individual events in age groups 10/11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17/over. All other events, including all team events, shall be decided on heat times and places (Heat Declared Winner). If the number of entries that have achieved the automatic entry time cannot be accommodated in the time available, the promoter reserves the right to designate additional events as Heat Declared Winner.
6.5 In finals, the maximum number of places practicable shall be allocated. A maximum of 4 reserves shall be declared for each final. The names of finalists and reserves shall be announced as soon as practicable after completion of the heats. Announced finalists and reserves not intending to swim shall withdraw by completing a withdrawal form.
6.6 If an additional swimmer is allowed to swim in a final (e.g as a result of a successful protest or a foul by another swimmer) after finalists have been announced, and no other finalist withdraws, that final will be swum as two timed heats.
6.7 Where finals are arranged in the same session as the heats:
1. All withdrawals from finals must be submitted no later than 5 minutes after the announcement of finalists from the last session of heats.
2. Swim-offs will not be held. If there are equal times and places for a place in a final, if sufficient swimmers with equal times do not choose to withdraw, neither (none) of the swimmers with equal times will be allocated a place in the final, that lane or lanes remaining empty. If there is a withdrawal or withdrawals from the final, both (all) of the swimmers with equal times will be allocated a place in the final.
6.8 Where finals are organised in a separate session:
1. All withdrawals from finals must be submitted no later than the start of warm-up for the finals session.
2. Swim-offs will be held if there are two or more swimmers with equal times and positions for the last place in the final or first reserve.
6.9 Lanes for finals shall be spearheaded based on times recorded in the heats.
6.10 All finalists who have not withdrawn, including reserves, must present themselves to the competitors stewards for the final.
6.11 A fine of £10 may be levied in respect of any competitor or team withdrawing from a final after the time allowed (except in the case of injury, illness or proven emergency).
6.12 Where a reserve is brought in as a result of a withdrawal in accordance with 6.6 or 6.7 (above), the final shall be reseeded. Where a reserve is brought in after this period, the reserve shall occupy the vacant lane and there shall be no changes made to the allocation of other lanes.
6.13 A final may not start earlier than 15 minutes after all of the swimmers involved have completed their heat swim for that event.
6.14 Competitors are responsible for presenting themselves to the Clerks of the Course in time for their race. There will be no calls for competitors who fail to appear at the start of their race. If a swimmer does not present themselves for a final, the highest ranking reserve who presents for the final shall swim in the vacant lane.
6.15 Time Trials will not be permitted during the Championships.
6.16 All penalties for failing to withdraw from an event in accordance with the procedures above are payable by the competitor’s club.
7. ACCESS TO POOLSIDE
7.1 Access to poolside is restricted to swimmers competing in the session, coaches and team managers in possession of poolside passes, accredited officials and volunteers.
7.2 To manage space on poolside, swimmers are not allowed to carry a bag larger than a small draw-string bag onto poolside. This rule will be strictly enforced.
8. AWARDS
8.1 Age Groups (10/11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 & over age groups)
The first, second and third placed swimmers in each individual events will receive an award.
8.2 Team Events
Awards will be presented to all members of teams placed first, second and third in all team events.
9. DISPUTES/CHANGES TO CONDITIONS
9.1 Any dispute related to a matter not covered in these conditions shall initially be determined by the Promoter. Any individual who is not satisfied with such determination has the right to invoke Swim England Judicial processes.
9.2 Whenever possible, a Jury of Appeal shall be appointed.
9.3 For sessions scheduled to be swum long course: If it is not possible to configure the pool for a long course competition, the competition shall be run as a short-course competition.
9.4 If the structure of the championships has to be changed for any reason, every effort will be made to take such a decision at least 5 days before the competition. Any change to the structure of the competition shall be published on the competition web site and communicated by e-mail to everyone who has submitted an entry.
9.4 Once the licence has been granted for this competition, no changes to conditions are permitted without the explicit approval of the Swim England South East Licensing Panel.
10. SUPPLEMENTARY DISABILITY SWIMMING CONDITIONS
10.1 The general conditions for the Hampshire ASA County Championships shall apply to the Disability Swimming events except where varied by any of the following conditions.
10.2 Events (Men and Women)
The programme of multi-classification events will conform to guidelines provided by World Para Swimming:
– 50m Freestyle S1-S13
– 100m Freestyle S1-S14
– 200m Freestyle S1-S5, S14
– 400m Freestyle, S6-S14
– 50m Backstroke S1-S5
– 100m Backstroke S1, S2(Male only) S6-S14
– 50m Butterfly S1- S7
– 100m Butterfly S8-S14
– 50m Breaststroke SB1-SB3
– 100m Breaststroke SB4-SB9, SB11-14
– 150m Individual Medley SM1-SM4 (without butterfly)
– 200m Individual Medley SM5-SM14
10.3 Eligibility
10.3.1 All competitors must have an authorised Para Swimming, British Swimming, INAS-FID or British Blind Sport classification, which is held on the British Swimming or Para Swimming classification database at the time of entry.
10.3.2 Qualifying standards shall apply and all swimmers may qualify with either a Long Course (50m) or Short Course (25m) entry time.
10.4 Competition Format
10.4.1 The competition format will be based on disability inclusion within the able-bodied programme. Swimmers will be integrated on a time-banded basis in all events with the exception of the 150m Individual Medley.
10.4.2 Disabled swimmers will also be placed in the open/junior competitions as appropriate and may swim in finals if they qualify. Disabled swimmers may enter events which are not included in the multi-classification programme, proving that they achieve the qualifying time.
10.4.3 Placing shall be determined by the three swimmers who either achieve a time better than or is closest to the equivalent British Long Course record relevant to their own classification (using the version of the Disability Points Calculator available from British Swimming on the day preceding the date of the competition).
10.4.4 The organizers may combine the male and female SM1-SM4 150m Individual Medley event dependent upon the number of entries.
10.4.5 All events will be heat declared winners.
10.4.6 Competition to be run to Swim England rules with exceptions as per the Para Swimming (IPC) Swimming Rules and Regulations (2014-2017).
10.5 Awards
10.5.1 Awards shall be made on a multi classification basis to 1st, 2nd and 3rd place in each event.
Updated: 9th November 2019