Competition
2023 COMSA Short Course Championships
When: March 31 - April 2, 2023
Where: Veterans Memorial Aquatic Center (VMAC), 5310 E. 136th Ave, Thornton, CO 80241
Facility details: The pool is 25 yards by 50 meters and will be set-up with bulkheads creating 10 short course yard, competition lanes. Separate warm-up/cool down areas will be available throughout the meet. A Colorado Electronic Timing System with backup timing and scoreboard readout will be used. Bleacher seating is available, with additional on-deck seating available. We recommend bringing your own chairs if you plan to sit on deck.
The length of the competition course is in compliance and on file with USMS in accordance with articles 105.1.7 and 107.2.1, but as a bulkhead course, is subject to length confirmation. Eligibility of times for USMS Top 10 and Records will be contingent on verification of bulkhead placement. Times from this competition will be eligible for USMS records and Top Ten consideration, but not for world records.
Eligibility: Any 2023 United States Masters Swimming member
Fees:
- $25 surcharge per swimmer
- $5 per individual event (max of 2 events Friday, 6 events on Saturday and 6 events on Sunday)
- All fees must be paid at the time of registration.
Refund/Cancellation Policy: Meet registrations are non-refundable and non-transferable
Entry deadline:
Sunday, March 26, 2023, at 11:59pm.
All entries will receive an email confirmation from Club Assistant.
Register online:
Online registration only on Club Assistant.
Questions: Contact the State Meet Coordinator, Andrew Le Vasseur, swimmin4fun@msn.com with corrections to errors found on the psych sheet.
Rules: All current USMS Rules apply, including the no false start rule. Any swimmer who acts in an unsporting or unsafe manner within the swimming venue may be considered for appropriate action or penalty by the referee (rule 102.13.3).
Warm-up: Swimmers must enter the pool feet first in a cautious and controlled manner. Swim equipment such as pull buoys, kickboards, fins, hand paddles, and snorkels are not allowed in the competition or warm-up pools. Diving and backstroke starts are only allowed in designated one-way sprint lanes during the pre-meet warm-up sessions in the competition pool. Continuous warm up lanes will be available in the deep end and shallow ends of the pool throughout the meet.
COMSA will utilize the successful Timer Reward System implemented in 2022, to ensure that the 2023 COMSA State Meet is run in compliance with USMS sanction requirements (two (2) back-up (hand-held) timers are required per lane for all lanes for all events). Swimmers (when not swimming), family members, friends, fans, and spectators will be enlisted to ensure timing equality for all swimmers.
A financial reward will be distributed to each team/workout group for use at their discretion at the conclusion of the Meet. Team or workout group timing suggestions/assignments in one-hour increments will be published with the Psych Sheets according to team/workout group size with the opportunity for on-deck adjustments as the meet progresses. This year teams/workout groups are encouraged to adopt blocks of one-hour time increments (2, 3, maybe 4 continuous hours) and blocks of lanes (2 or 3 lanes side-by-side) in advance to streamline the process. On-deck timer training will be provided as needed.
Please contact 2023 State Meet Timer Facilitator Hugh Duffy at duffyfamily7@comcast.net or 303-981-5120 to volunteer as a Leader (swimmers, family, friends, fans and spectators welcome!) for your Team or Workout Group, or for more information.
Individual and Relay Age Groups: As indicated by USMS rules, swimmers will be placed into the age group for the age they will be on the last day of the meet.
- Individual Events: 18-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, etc. to 100+
- Relay Events: 18+, 25+, 35+, 45+, etc. 10-year increments as high as necessary determined by age of youngest relay member.
Seeding: All events will be seeded slow to fast. Entries without a time submission will not be accepted. All events are timed finals. Men’s and Women’s will be combined into mixed events for the 1000 and 1650 freestyle and may be combined in other events of 200 yards or longer at the discretion of meet officials. Deck seeding is at the discretion of meet officials. Swimmers who fail to appear at the starting platform ready to swim for the start of their assigned heat will be recorded as no swim (NS).
Distance events: A positive check-in for is required for the 1650, 1000, 500 Freestyle events, and the 400 Individual Medley event. You may check in using the SWIMPHONE app or in person at the entrance to the venue. Check in schedule is as follows:
- 1650 and 1000 Freestyle: check in opens Thursday, March 30, 6:00 am, and closes at 12:00 pm, on Friday, March 31.
- 400 Individual Medley: check-in opens Friday, March 31, 6:00 am and closes at 8:00 am on Saturday, April 1.
- 500 Freestyle: check-in opens Saturday, April 1, at 6:00 am and closes at 8:00 am on Sunday, April 2.
Psych sheets: Will be posted at www.comsa.org two to three days before the first day of the meet.
Heat sheets and lane assignments: Will be posted at multiple locations around the pool. Lane assignments may be changed at any time, at the discretion of meet officials.
Relays: Relay entry cards will be available at the timing table on the pool deck. Relay entry form deadlines will be announced each day. All members of a relay team must be individually registered for the meet.
Because this is a multi-day meet, with any number variables out of the control of meet officials, any attempts at a calculated timeline will most likely be inaccurate. Please arrive early to ensure you do not miss your events. Accommodations will not be made for people who miss their assigned heat. The meet schedule is as follows:
Friday, March 31
- 11:30 am – 12:30 pm: Competition pool warm-up
- 12:30 pm: Events 1 and 2
- Check in opens: Thursday, March 30, 6:00am, and closes at 12:00pm, on Friday, March 31.
Saturday, April 1
- 7:30 – 8:30 am: Competition pool warm-up
- 8:30 am: Event 3 begins
- Check-in opens: Friday, March 31, 6:00am and closes at 8:00am on Saturday, April 1.
- TBD: A 30-minute, competition pool warm-up will be available upon the conclusion of the 400 Individual Medley.
- TBD: Colorado Masters Swimming Association annual meeting and awards presentation (not longer than 10 minutes). Agenda will be posted on the COMSA website one month prior to the meet.
- TBD: Events 4-24
Sunday, April 2
- 7:30 – 8:30 am: Competition pool warm-up
- 8:30 am: Event 25 begins
- Check-in opens: Saturday, April 1, 6:00am and closes at 8:00am on Sunday, April 2.
- TBD: A 30-minute, competition pool warm-up will be available upon the conclusion of the 500 Free.
- TBD: Events 26-46
Meet T-Shirts: To guarantee a meet T-Shirt (available for purchase); you must pre-order with your meet entry. A limited number of extra T-shirts may be available for sale at the meet. A table will be set up near the pool doors for participants to pick up their meet t-shirts. The table will be available during each competition pool warm-up session.
Results: will be available at the results table, posted around the venue, on SwimPhone, and posted to the COMSA website after the meet.
Scoring: Swimmers may enter up to 2 individual events on Friday and up to 6 individual events on Saturday and Sunday; 14 maximum individual events for the meet. Points are awarded for the top 10 places in each age group as follows:
- Points awarded for individual events: 11-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1
- Points for 4 X 50 relays is 22-19-16-14-12-10-8-6-4-2
- Points will not be awarded for the 4 x 100 or 4 x 200 relays
Individual Awards: The top 10 swimmers in each individual event may pick up a ribbon from the self-service awards table near the diving board area. An individual high-point award is presented to the highest scoring male and female swimmer in each age group.
Team Awards: Team scores are determined by total point counts for each Men, Women, and Combined. Swimmers will not be allowed to change club or workout group after registration has closed. The top six workout groups will receive an award. All swimmers on a relay must be registered for the meet under the same club/workout group for relay points to count towards team awards.
 |
Brute Squad Award: Swimmers who complete the 200 Butterfly, 400 Individual Medley, and 1650 Freestyle events and will be presented with a free T-shirt upon the conclusion of the events. |
 |
Sprint Squad Award: Swimmers who complete the 50 Freestyle, 50 Butterfly, 50 Backstroke, 50 Breaststroke, and 100 Individual Medley events and will be presented with a free T-shirt upon the conclusion of the events. |
The Jack Buchannan Service Award: Presented during the opening ceremony on Saturday to the male and female swimmers who have made major contributions to Masters Swimming. Nomination forms available at www.comsa.org.
The Lou Parker Coaches Award: Presented during the opening ceremony on Saturday to the outstanding COMSA Coach of the Year. Nomination forms available at www.comsa.org.