Competition

2016 COMSA Short Course Swimming Championship
April 1-3, 2016
COMSA and the Veterans Memorial Aquatic Center (VMAC) invite you to the 2016 COMSA Masters Short Course Swimming Championships. The pool is 25 yards by 50 meters, and will be set up with 10 short course yards competition lanes. A Colorado Electronic Timing System with backup timing and scoreboard readout will be used. Bleacher seating is available for up to 850 people, with additional on-deck seating available. We recommend bringing your own chairs if you plan to make use of on-deck seating.

Eligibility:  This is a USMS sanctioned meet. Swimmers must be at least 18 years of age on the day they swim. A valid 2016 United States Masters Swimming (USMS) membership is required to compete, and must be furnished with the entry. Online USMS registration is available at www.comsa.org/joining/join-online.html. Contact the COMSA Vice Chair at sbroncucia@gmail.com with questions.

Mail paper entries to:
Stacy Broncucia
13838 Lilac St.
Thornton, CO  80602


Rules:  All 2016 USMS Rules apply, including a NO FALSE START RULE, and whistle alerts announcing the start of each race. No paddles, kick boards or pull buoys are allowed during warm-ups.

Entries and Fees:
$15 surcharge per swimmer
$4 per individual event (max of 5 events per day)
$25 late fee for paper entries submitted after March 21, 2016 (does not apply to online registrations)
No charge for relays
Fees must accompany Registration, and must be paid in U.S. Dollars by credit card, check or money order.

Preferred method for receiving entries is online here on Club Assistant software. Online meet entry is paid by credit card to ClubAssistant.com Events.
For paper entries see paper registration form and waiver.

Deadlines: 
Online entries are preferable and must be completed by March 25 at midnight. 
Paper Entry Cards & Fees are DUE IN HAND Monday, March 21 at 5pm.
Late paper entries will be accepted after the entry deadline until Monday, March 28 at Noon, and must include a $25 late fee. Late entries that do not include the late fee will be rejected.  Late paper entries being charged to a credit card will have the late fee automatically applied. Late entrants will be eligible for individual placing and points earned, but are not guaranteed a participation award.

Online entries receive email confirmation.  No entry verification will be made via telephone.

Event Seeding:  All events on Saturday and Sunday will be seeded slow to fast. Friday's events will be seeded fast to slow. “No Time” entries will not be accepted. All events are timed finals, one swimmer per lane. Men and Women may be combined in events of 200 yards or longer at the discretion of the meet director. Deck seeding is strictly at the discretion of the meet director.

Meet Check-in and Positive Check-in:  All athletes must check-in upon arrival on their first day of competition. At check-in, athletes receive their T-Shirt and participation award. Each athlete need only check-in to the meet once, on their first day of competition.

ADDITIONALLY, participants in the 1650 Free, 1000 Free, 500 Free, and 400 IM MUST positively check-in for those events, separately from the meet check-in process. THIS YEAR WE WILL BE USING SWIMPHONE ONLINE CHECK IN SO THAT YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE THERE IN PERSON TO CHECK IN FOR THE LONGER EVENTS!   
Go to http://www.swimphone.com/mobile/meets/checkin.cfm?smid=7164 to check in.  If you cannot check in online you still will be able to check in in person.  See check in times below, they are valid for both online AND for in person check in!   There will be clearly marked, separate areas for meet check-in and positive check-in. Deadlines for positive check-in are as follows:
Friday’s Events:
1000 Free Positive Check-In opens at 6:00AM closes at 11:30am
1650 Free Positive Check-In opens at 6:00AM and closes at 1:30pm
Saturday & Sunday:
Positive Check-In for the 500 Free and 400 IM opens at 12:01AM and closes at 8:00am

Lane assignments may be changed at any time, at the meet director’s discretion.

Age Groups and Relays:
Age for the meet is determined as of April 1, 2016.
Individual Events: 18-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39,…100+
Relay Events: 18+, 25+, 35+, 45+, etc. 10-year increments as high as necessary determined by age of youngest relay member. Relay cards will be available on deck, and will be accepted each day according to deadlines announced at the meet. All relay members must be USMS members and be individually registered for the meet ($15 fee for relay-only swimmers).

Scoring: Swimmers may enter up to 5 individual events per day; 12 maximum for the meet, plus relays. If more than 5 events are entered on any day, the meet host reserves the right to eliminate any of the additional events over 5.
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 Awards: Scored by total point counts, Men and Women combined. Swimmers points go to the team specified during their State registration. Swimmers will not be allowed to change teams after registration has closed. Top six point-scores will be awarded. In order for relay points to count towards team awards, all swimmers on a relay must be registered for the meet under the same team.

Participation Awards/T-Shirts:  Each swimmer receives a participation award. To guarantee that you receive a meet T-Shirt (available for purchase); you must pre-order and indicate your size on the entry form. A limited number of extra T-shirts may be available at the meet. Late entrants are not guaranteed a participation award and may not receive a T-Shirt.

Heat Sheets and Results:  Heat sheets will be posted online and in several locations around the pool deck. Results will be available on the COMSA website at www.comsa.org.

Brute Squad Award:  The elite group of aquatic wonders who complete the 200 Fly, 400 IM, and 1650 Free will be presented a T-shirt during a break before the 800 Free Relay on Sunday.

Sprint Squad Award:  The elite group of speedsters who manage to complete the 50 Free, 50 Fly, 50 Back, 50 Breast, and 100 IM will be presented a T-shirt during a break before the final Relay on Sunday.

The Jack Buchannan Service Award:  This award is presented during the opening ceremony on Saturday to the male and female swimmer who has made major contributions to Masters Swimming. Nomination forms are available at www.comsa.org.

The Lou Parker Coaches Award:  This award is presented during the opening ceremony on Saturday to the outstanding COMSA Coach of the Year. Recipients must be current USMS members. Nomination forms are available at www.comsa.org.

Individual Awards:  The top 10 swimmers in each individual event will receive a ribbon. No awards for relays. An individual high-point award will be given to the highest scoring swimmer, male and female, in each age group.

Entry Confirmations:  Psych sheets will be posted at www.comsa.org 2-3 days before the first day of the meet. Contact the meet host with corrections to errors found on the psych sheet. Entry confirmation can be provided by mail if a self-addressed, stamped envelope is included with the entry. We cannot verify entries by phone or e-mail, nor can we guarantee notification if your entry is rejected. COMSA is not responsible for entries we do not receive. Entries may be rejected for failure to complete the entry form, failure to provide proof of current USMS membership, failure to include fees and late receipt.


PLEASE JOIN COMSA FOR A SOCIAL SATURDAY AFTERNOON!  Come mingle with fellow swimmers Saturday after the meet, as COMSA will be hosting a fun social at 3:00.  Tickets are just $10 and include heavy appetizers, beer and soft drinks.  There is a limited supply of tickets so sign up early with registration to ensure your spot.

EVENT SCHEDULE & NOTES

Event 1 Mixed 1000 Y Free  - Seeded fast to slow
Event 2 Mixed 1650 Y Free - Seeded fast to slow
30 Minute Break between events 4 and 5
30 Minute Break between events 26 and 27

*Longer Relays: These relays are swum Women, Men and Mixed together. A swimmer may swim only one relay in each event. These relays do not count toward team points.
**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.