2014 Marriott U.S. Masters Swimming Summer National Championship

Sanctioned by the Potomac Valley LMSC for USMS Inc. Sanction Number 104-S001.

Location

Eppley Recreation Center
1115 Eppley Recreation Center
College Park, MD 20742
301-226-5382/301-226-5383

Facilities

Eppley Recreation Center Natatorium is a state-of-the-art facility that has hosted numerous aquatic events since its opening in 1998. The facility has an indoor 50-meter championship pool with 9-foot-wide lanes. The depth of the pool begins at 8 feet and gradually drops to 13.6 feet. The natatorium also offers a 25-yard by 25-yard instructional pool with 7-footwide warm-up and cool-down lanes. There will also be warmup hours available in the 25- yard outdoor aquatic center recreational pool.

Eligibility

Participants must be registered Masters Swimmers and at least 18 years of age as of Aug. 12, 2014. Swimmers turning 18 after the meet entry deadline and by Aug. 12, 2014, must enter the meet by the meet entry deadline and register for USMS at the venue on Aug. 12. If a swimmer wishes to affiliate with a Masters club, the club and swimmer must both be registered with the same Local Masters Swimming Committee (LMSC). If there are questions about affiliation, the swimmer will be entered with the affiliation “UC.” (See Paper Entries.) International entries must include a copy of the swimmer’s Masters Swimming registration card and fees in U.S. dollars.

Age Groups

Age for the meet is determined as of Dec. 31, 2014, except for 18-year-olds, who must be 18 by Aug. 12, 2014. Age groups for individual events: 18–24, 25–29, 30–34, 35–39 … (fiveyear increments as high as necessary). Relay events: 72–99, 100–119, 120–159, 160– 199, 200–239, 240–279, 280–319, 320–359, 360–399 … (40-year increments as high as necessary). The aggregate age of the four relay team members determines the age group.

Registration

Prior to warm-ups or competition, all participants must register at the meet by signing an emergency card, safety information statement, and liability release. Registration will be held at the Eppley Recreation Center’s West Gym on Aug. 12, 2014, from 2:30 to 7:30 p.m., and on all other days from 6 a.m. through the end of competition.

Seeding

Women’s heats will precede men’s heats for each event, except that men’s and women’s heats may be seeded together for the 400, 800, and 1500 freestyles. A decision regarding this will be announced at usms.org by July 30, 2014. The 1500 and 800 freestyles and 400 IM will be seeded slowest to fastest by entry time, regardless of age. The 400 free may be seeded slowest to fastest by entry time, regardless of age. The 200-meter events may be seeded by entry time, regardless of age, for each gender, if the timeline is too long. 50- and 100-meter events will be seeded by age group, with the oldest age groups first, slowest to fastest within each age group. All 50-meter events will be preseeded. All 100- and 200-meter events will be preseeded unless meet management determinesthat the meet cannot be completed  in a timely manner. A decision regarding preseeding and deckseeding for all 100- and 200-meter events will be announced at usms.org by July 30, 2014.

Event Check-in

Coaches or teammates may check in online or in person for those swimmers whose travel plans do not permit check-in by the deadlines. Failure to check in will result in the swimmer being scratched from the event and the swimmer will not be permitted to swim that event at another time.

Check-in Deadlines

Positive check-in is required for the 400 IM and 400, 800 and 1500 freestyles, and will be required for the 100s and 200s if it is determined that deck seeding is necessary. Check-in may be done in person at the registration area or via the Internet at usms.org according to the following schedule:

Date	Event	In-Person Check-in*	Online Check-in*
Wednesday, Aug. 13	1500 freestyle	Tues. 2:30-7 p.m.-Wed. by 7 a.m.	Mon. 7 a.m.–Wed. by 7 a.m.
Thursday, Aug. 14	200 butterfly 800 freestyle	Tues. 2:30-7 p.m.-Thurs. by 7 a.m. Tues. 2:30-7 p.m.-Thurs. by 10 a.m.	Mon. 7 a.m.–Thurs. by 7 a.m. Mon. 7 a.m.–Thurs. by 10 a.m.
Friday, Aug. 15	400 IM 200 freestyle	Tues. 2:30-7 p.m.-Fri. by 7 a.m.	Mon. 7 a.m.–Fri. by 7 a.m.
Saturday, Aug 16	200 backstroke 400 freestyle	Tues. 2:30-7 p.m.-Sat. by 7 a.m. Tues. 2:30-7 p.m.-Sat. by 10 a.m.	Mon. 7 a.m.–Sat. by 7 a.m. Mon. 7 a.m.–Sat. by 10 a.m.
Sunday, Aug. 17	200 IM 200 breaststroke	Tues. 2:30-7 p.m.-Sun. by 7 a.m.	Mon. 7 a.m.–Sun. by 7 a.m.

*All times are Eastern Daylight Time. If the 100 and 200 events are deck-seeded, their check-in deadlines will be 7 a.m. on the days they are swum.

Heat and Psych Sheets

Psych sheets for all individual events will be available on the usms.org website on or about July 21, 2014. Heat sheets for preseeded events will be available online around Aug. 1, 2014. Heat sheets for deckseeded events will be posted at various places around the pool deck for swimmers after the check-in deadlines.

Meet Start Times

The competition will start at 8 a.m. every day unless it is determined that the timeline will go too late into the day; then competition may start as early as 7:30 a.m. on any day. Meet start times will be announced at usms.org by Aug. 1, 2014. Warm-ups in the competition pool will be shortened if necessary to accommodate an earlier start time.

Warm-up Times

The competition pool will be open for warm-up on Tuesday, Aug. 12, from 3 to 7 p.m. On competition days, the competition pool will be open from 6 a.m. until 7:50 a.m. and the warm-up pools will be available from 6 a.m. until the conclusion of the final event. The competition pool will also be open for warm-up for 30 minutes following the last heat of the 400 IM on Friday, Aug. 15. The competition pool will be open for at least 30 minutes following the last event each day. On Wednesday, Aug. 13, the competition pool will remain open for 1 hour following the last heat of the 1500 free, or 30 minutes if the last heat ends after 6 p.m.

Warm-up Procedures

Swimmers must enter the pool feet first in a cautious and controlled manner. No diving or backstroke starts will be allowed, except in designated sprint lanes. One or two lanes shall be designated as one-way sprint lanes during the pre-meet warm-up sessions in the competition pools only. Any swimmer who acts in an unsportsmanlike or unsafe manner within the swimming venue may be considered for appropriate action or penalty by the referee (rule 102.13.3). Pull buoys, kickboards, fins, hand paddles, and snorkels are not allowed in the competition or warm-up pools.

Scratches

Any swimmer failing to report to the proper lane in the correct heat of an event will be scratched from that event and not be permitted to swim that event at another time.

General Meeting

All swimmers, coaches, and officials are encouraged to attend or be represented at a general meeting in the natatorium seating area on Tuesday, Aug. 12, at 5 p.m. Matters pertaining to the operation and conduct of the meet will be discussed.

Gold Medal Sponsorship

Gold Medal Sponsors will be recognized in the official program as supporters of Masters Swimming. They will receive a commemorative gift and will be entitled to V.I.P. hospitality, which will include breakfast, lunch, snacks, and drinks. Cost is $85 and the sponsorship can be ordered on the meet entry form.

Online Entries

Online entry is encouraged and provides immediate entry confirmation. Online registration will open around May 15, 2014, and will close at midnight Eastern Daylight Time on July 9, 2014. The meet surcharge increases from $50 to $60 on June 19, 2014 (see Entry Deadline / Variable Surcharge / Mail Entry for dates applying to both online and paper registration).

Paper Entries

Paper entry forms can be downloaded here or will be mailed upon request by calling 1-800-550- SWIM (7946). Read all instructions and fill out the form completely. Incomplete forms or forms with “pending” in place of a USMS registration number will be rejected (except for 18-year-olds who turn 18 after the meet entry deadline, but before the first day of the meet, who must enter the meet by the meet entry deadline, but may register at the venue on Aug. 12, 2014). A legible copy of a foreign swimmer’s Masters registration card must accompany the entry form. A swimmer whose club affiliation differs from what is listed on his or her USMS registration card must send either a new USMS registration card or a letter from the local registrar with the new club affiliation and effective date.

Fees

Fees are $4 per individual event plus a surcharge per swimmer. The surcharge varies according to date of entry. (See Entry Deadline/ Variable Surcharge.) Fees must accompany the entry form and must be paid in U.S. dollars by check or money order. Do not mail cash. The entry is not complete until the check has cleared the bank. If there are questions about an entrant’s check, full cash payment in U.S. dollars will be required before the entrant is allowed to swim. Refund requests must be received in writing (USPS or email) by July 16, 2014. No refunds will be given for events not swum. The surcharge also applies to relay swimmers not entered in an individual event. Relay-only swimmers must submit an entry form with payment by the entry deadline. All fees should be payable to “U.S. Masters Swimming.”

Entry Deadline/Variable Surcharge/Mail Entry

Online entries are encouraged and will be accepted until midnight Eastern Daylight Time on July 9, 2014. If entry is received by June 18, the surcharge is $50. If entry is received after June 18 and by July 9, the surcharge is $60. Entries received after July 9, 2014, will be returned to sender. No telephone or email entries will be accepted. Mail paper entries early (include a self-addressed stamped envelope with entry for proof of receipt). Do not send certified or overnight mail requiring a signature. Photocopy completed entry forms and personal checks for your records and verification. Mail paper entries to: USMS Summer Nationals, P.O. Box 185, Londonderry, NH 03053-0185.

National Qualifying Times / Number of Events / Sixth Event

Competitors may enter up to three individual events without meeting the national qualifying time (NQT), or a maximum of six events if they meet the NQTs, i.e. have swum a time equal to or better than the NQT during the past two years. Exception: Competitors entering the 1500 free must meet the NQT. All swimmers are limited to three individual events per day. All events must include an entry time. If the meet is deemed too large, an athlete’s sixth event will be dropped. On the entry form, indicate this event with a “6” in the designated column. No refunds will be given if the sixth event is dropped. If a swimmer enters an event with a time significantly slower or faster than that swimmer’s recorded time in the previous two years, the meet director may, after a discussion with the swimmer, change the seeded time to a realistic time.

Distance Events (800/1500)

Swimmers may enter either the 800 or the 1500 free but not both. Swimmers entering the 1500 free must meet the NQT.

Relay Information

Swimmers can enter relays until 3 p.m. on the day before the relay is scheduled. Relay-only swimmers (i.e., not entered in an individual event) must have entered the meet and paid the surcharge by the meet entry deadline. Each competitor is allowed to swim only one freestyle relay, one medley relay, one mixed freestyle relay and one mixed medley relay. The entry fee for each relay is $12. Relay entries may be submitted at the relay desk in the registration area. Each of the four members of any relay team must be registered with the same Masters club. Relay entry fee is in addition to individual entry fees. Relay entry forms are available for download at usms.org.

Scoring

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

Team Scoring

Team scoring will be tabulated in three categories: Men, Women, and Combined. Mixed relays score points only in the Combined category.

Awards

Medals will be awarded for first through 10th places in each age group. A "U.S. Masters Swimming 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. Unclaimed awards will not be mailed unless arrangements are made at the meet. There will be a charge for mailing awards. Awards will be presented to the top ten combined clubs in the Regional and Local Club divisions.

Final Results

Complete final results may be ordered with your online entry. Cost will be $15.00 per copy. The usms.org website will post complete results, including splits.

Time Verification (formerly OVCs)

Swimmers wishing to have times entered into SWIMS (USA Swimming times database) must complete a form at the meet prior to the swim. Contact the administrative referee at the meet.

Service Animals

Please contact the meet director by July 9, 2014, if you require the use of a service animal. Animals other than service animals will not be permitted on deck at the venue.

Meet Directors

Carrie Tupper
301-226-5383

Natalie Ferdinand
301-226-5382