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05 May 2012

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Events   »   Gala Information    
Which Gala Should I Enter
What Gala’s can I enter?
When you join the club, you will see that we have a fixture list, with different meets throughout the year. Deciding when to enter your first gala, and choosing the right one may appear to be a daunting prospect.
Below is a little information to help you identifying which gala’s you can (and should) enter. It is intended to give you an insight into the different levels of competition, and is intended as guidelines, rather than a set of rules.
Grading of Meets
Meets are graded to suit swimmers of different abilities, and the fixture list can appear to be confusing at first glance.
The different types of meets are detailed below, with an indication of the squads. Below are the criteria and constraints, which relate to the licensing of meets. There are four levels of licensed meet.
Qualifying Times and Upper Cut Off Times
Most meets will have qualifying times and some meets will have Upper Cut Off Times. A swimmer has to be able to swim faster that the Qualifying Time to be able to enter a meet. Likewise if a swimmer has achieved a time faster than the Upper Cut Off time he will be unable to enter the meet. You will see these referred to on the entry packs as QT’s (Qualifying Times) and CT’s (Cut off Times –sometimes referred to as upper time limits or UCT’s).
Level 4 Licensed Meet
These meets generally include Club Championships, Swimming Leagues, and Development Meets. These meets are ideal for the younger swimmers in the lower development squads (D8 – D4). They may sometimes require entry times but are an ideal opportunity for your first competition, which should not be missed.
 
The Club Championships are now always licensed, and again it is an ideal opportunity for a young swimmer to obtain times. All swimmers should try to enter the club championships.
Level 3 Licensed Meet
Again, these meets are ideal for younger swimmers and those in the development squads (D6 – D1, P6, P5). These meets will require qualifying times, and will have upper qualifying times.
Times obtained in these meets can be used to achieve a Regional Qualifying time.
Level 2 Licensed Meet
These meets are intended for more experienced swimmers, generally in squads D1 – P3. As with Level 3 meets, they will require qualifying times, and will have upper cut off times. Qualifying times for these meets will generally be faster than those for a Level 3 meet.
Times obtained in these meets can be used for Regional Qualification, and times swum can be used for entry in National Competitions. 
Level 1 Licensed Meet
These meets are the highest level of licensed meet, and are intended for British, ASA and Welsh Qualification. Times are also accepted for Regional Qualification. 
Qualifying times will apply to these meets and there will be no upper cut off times. These meets are mainly intended for the senior squads.
Entry Information
The entry information for gala’s will be posted on the ‘Fixtures’ page of the website, together with information about the squads for which the meet is considered suitable. If you are unsure please speak to your to your squad coach, or the professional coaches (Nikki, Dale, Keith or Dave).
  
Licensed Meet Requirements and Criteria

The Swim Wales 'Competition for All and Meet Licensing Information' document can be downloaded here

The criteria and constraints, which relate to the licensing of meets are summarised below. There are four levels of licensed meet, which are described below.

Level 1 Meet

These meets are intended for British, ASA and Welsh Qualification. Times are also accepted for Regional Qualification. All officials have to be registered for the duty for which they are used (i.e.Referee, Starter, Judge Etc). The pool must be 25m or 50m long, and where possible ‘Swim Down’ facilities should be provided, as these are ‘Premier’ events. Results sheets should show  split times.

The minimum set of qualifying standards must be equivalent to the “A” Grade qualifying times as published on the British Swimming web site. For Boys 11 years, 12 years, 13 years & 14 years; Girls 11 years, 12 years, & 13 years no 50-metre events are permitted to be included.

Level 2 Meet

These meets are intended for Regional Qualification, and times swum can be used for entry in National Competitions. All officials have to be registered, with at least one official acting as referee, for which they must be qualified. Swimmers who achieve a National Qualifying Time at a level 2 meet may use that time for entry into National Championships. The pool must be 25m or 50m.

Upper qualifying times for these meets cannot be faster than the ASA Age Group and Youth qualifying times for the respective age group. For Boys 11 years, 12 years, 13 years and 14 years; Girls 11 years, 12 years & 13 years no 50-metre events are to be included.

Level 3 Meet

Level 3 Meets are intended for those swimmers wishing to achieve a Regional Qualifying time, which is not catered for at levels one and two. All officials should be registered with the minimum qualification of Judge being held by the official acting as referee. The pools must be of a length, which can be interpreted by use of the ASA Equivalent Performance Tables. Level 3 Meets include ‘A’, ‘B’ & ‘C’ Grade Meets, Sprint Meets. (‘A’, ‘B’ & ‘C’ Grade Meets must have an advertised upper and lower qualifying time).

Level 4 Meet

All officials must be registered with the minimum qualification of Judge being held by the person acting as referee. Level 4 meets include Club Championships, Swimming Leagues, Diddy Meets, and Development Meets. Level 4 meets are intended for those swimmers wishing to achieve a Regional Qualifying time, and not catered for at levels one, two, and three. If electronic timing is used, the times can be used for the rankings. No qualifying times apply.

A competition calendar is issued by Swim Wales / ASA at the end of November each year. There is also a four-year competition calendar to assist in the planning of future events. This calendar will provide dates allocated to particular championships and competitions, which have to be avoided by Open Meet organisers (e.g. Speedo League Galas. Regional Championships currently scheduled to take place in February.) Also on that calendar are meets already booked by clubs. There are limitations as to how many clubs can hold meets at any one time so as to avoid conflicts .The competition year runs from 1st September each year.

A table summarising the licensing criteria is shown below: 

Meet
Level
Entry
Swimmers for whom meet is aimed at
Qualifying Times Accepted
Officials Qualifications
Pool Length
Electronic Timing
Computerised Results for Rankings
1
Qualifying Times
National Qualifiers
National & Regional
All Swim Wales registered Officials
25m or 50m
Yes
Yes
2
Qualifying Times & Upper Limit Times
Regional Qualifiers
National & Regional
All Swim Wales registered Officials
25m or 50m
Yes
Yes
3
Qualifying Times & Upper Limit Times
B/C Grades
Sprint Meets
 
Regional
All Swim Wales registered Officials
25m
Yes for Regional Qualification
Yes for Regional Qualification
4
No Qualifying Times
Club Championships
Leagues
Diddy Meets
Development Meets
Regional
All Swim Wales registered Officials
25m
Not required, if used times can be submitted for rankings.
No
 
 

 
  
Gala Entry Process

 CCSC Gala Entry Policy

There have been a number of queries and issues with regard to the Gala Entry Process undertaken by the Club.

 

To give clarification to any queries, this information seeks to remind you/ make you aware of the process that is used to enter CCSC swimmers into galas.

 

Entries times for Licensed Meets

Where Qualifying times are specified for entry to a licensed meet, the times used will be the fastest time recorded on the clubs database. Made up and/or ‘guestimated’ times will not be used in any circumstances.

There are several reasons for this:

  • This ensures that swimmers are entering meets suitable to their ability
  • It ensures that the swimmers are competing within events, at a level commensurate with other competitors in that competition
  • The club endeavours to uphold its reputation for integrity and transparency in all matters. The use of entry times for competitions, which have neither basis nor provenance undermines the reputation and integrity of the club, its swimmers, parents and coaches

Only in meets and competitions where ‘no times’ are allowed as part of the entry process, will swimmers be allowed to enter as ‘NT’.

When conversions of swimmers entry times are made from Short Course to Long Course, or  vice-versa, the Hy-tek Team Manager software will be used exclusively, where applicable.

 

 

 

 

 

Principles

The principles used to submit a consolidated entry from CCSC into a Meet are laid down by the professional coaching staff. The Club's database of swimmers times (Hytek's Team Manager software) is used to enter fastest possible entry tines for swimmers and is the sole source of swimmers times. 

 

 

Wherever possible, liaison is made with the professional coaching staff and hosting organisations to maximise the number of swims for all swimmers. All times are checked against our internal Team Manager database and if required against the British ASA rankings and historical databases.

Process

 

We set an internal closing date for gala approximately 2 weeks prior to that of the hosting organisation (although occasionally the hosting organisation does not leave enough time between the entry pack release date and closing date for us to do this).

 

This allows enough time for those handling the entries to:

  • Receive entries and payment. No entries will be processed without receipt of payment, or specific instruction to use monies held in credit by the club.
  • Check payments against entries. NB unless otherwise stated payment for consolidated entries (ie through Vanessa / Sarah) should be to City of Cardiff Swimming Club.
  • Enter times/entries  into Team Manager.
  • Send a report out to swimmers and parents containing the information that will be submitted to the hosting organisation. Information is also put onto our club website.
  • Deal with any resulting queries.
  • Finalise entry and submit entries and payment electronically and by post as required.

We allow 2 weeks for this process as some squads swim more frequently than others.

THE PURPOSE OF THE ENTRY REPORT IS FOR PARENTS AND SWIMMERS TO CHECK ENTRIES AND RAISE ANY QUERIES PRIOR TO THE ENTRIES BEING SUBMITTED.
  
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