BAGCAT Championships 2003

[swimleeds]

I have just downloaded the info pack for the 2003 championships and lo and behold the goalposts have been moved.

At meetings I have attended, I was informed that the qualifying period for 2002 and 2003 would be 1 year, for all qualifying iomes to be achieved and all the work at the club, both by swimmers and officials had been based on that criteria.

So what have the ASA done?

"All qualifying times for the above championships must hace been achieved between Oct 1 2002 and the district BAGCAT championships". Not only that, but the entries must be in by July 2.

In the NE, the championships finish on Sunday and the deadline for entries is on Wednesday, meaning that the entries have to be posted by Tuesday at the latest.

Alright, so I am Champ Sec at a big club, but to get updated/corrected details from say 40 parents in a week is a big job, but in 48 hours is a mountain to climb.

Hopefully NECASA will be posting times on their website as the champs take place.

Am I ranting for the sake of it, no?
Am I tearing whats left of my hair out, yes?
Or should I have known that the ASA had made this change?

[Pete]

A few years ago the club I was with ran an open meet on the last weekend of the qualifying deadline. We used to hire a courier bike to get the last minute entry forms to Loughborough. It was certainly popular. Maybe you district could do the same?

[Timekeeper Taff]

The ASA confirmed this change to me when I contacted them to confirm whether the Welsh Age Group Champs would be within the qualifying period (they usually are). Unfortunately, not this year as they only start on July 3rd.

[Phil Tanner]

Welsh age groups the last couple of years have always been just about on the deadline (e.g. finish Sunday and the deadline Monday, so outside the scope for posting them) but WASA has been able to fax through newly attained QTs (but not updates) from the meet. Pity if this isn't possible again.

[swimleeds]

Last year, we had 9 days to complete the necesaary documentation and to chase up people. At a recent meeting I was told that the same rules and regs would apply for period ending 2003 but would be subject to change for periods ending 2004/2005.

That included taking into account times achieved at last years Nationals.

[lane4]

Although its true that the ASA are forever changing the goalposts with their meets, they have at least done one good thing this year - Scottish and Welsh teams can, at last now qualify for the relays (through their National Championships) - well perhaps the Welsh cant ;) :p !!!!

A good move though. I remember last year at the meet speaking to some of the ASA staff telling them that we were campaigning for the Scots to be allowed to do relays and were confident of being there to do them in 2003. They laughed me off at the time saying that it "would never happen".



:D :D

[swimmer]

so am i right in thinking, swims at nationals cannot count as QT's for next years meet anymore?

[chris_lamb]

swimmer: it would appear that way

[swimmer]

ok, i think i kinda aggree with that, a year is a long time

[swimmer]

jus testing out my new avatar soz

[Linny]

I think she's lovely!

[swimmer]

thanx :)

[nsswimmer]

haha i like it too :D

[Kate]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by swimleeds
[B]
"All qualifying times for the above championships must hace been achieved between Oct 1 2002 and the district BAGCAT championships". Not only that, but the entries must be in by July 2.
In the NE, the championships finish on Sunday and the deadline for entries is on Wednesday, meaning that the entries have to be posted by Tuesday at the latest.
QUOTE]



The W Counties BAGCATs finish on June 15th - surely the cut-off date should be the same across the country? What is the date for Wales & Scotland? Can a Welsh swimmer qualify at the Swansea meet on 21st June, but a swimmer from the Westcountry can't?

[Phil Tanner]

I don't think the Swansea meet in June is limited to Welsh swimmers - that one's the AG/youth champs from 3-6 July. Can't see why a swimmer from the West shouldn't do the earlier of those two as well as their own districts. And the pool is fantastic.

[Kate]

Sorry, I didn't word that very well - the Swansea meet is the weekend after W.Counties. So in theory a swimmer from another district whose BAGCATs finish later could swim at Swansea and get a national time, but a swimmer from W.Counties is presumably past the date for qualifying - or have I lost the plot??!!

[Phil Tanner]

I think it can only mean that the cut-off date is the last date of any district championship, which I think from another thread is 29 june. So anyone from anywhere can qualify at any designated meet up to and including 29 june, regardless of which district they are in.

[Kate]

It seems that age-group swimmers can qualify up to 22nd June. See Western Counties web-site.

[swimleeds]

Age group and youth swimmers can achieve a qualifying time up and including the date of your districts relevant championships.

So if your district championships is on 22nd June, them that is you qualifying date.
If you are in NECASA district, then your qualifying date is 29th June.
It depends on when your districts are able to get water time.

Level playing fields?

[chris_lamb]

swimleeds: Is that an official interpration of the rules or your interpretation?

[swimleeds]

The rules say that the qualifying times must be achieved between 1st October 2002 and the last day of the district BABCAT age group championships relevant to that district.

Can't see any other interpretation

[Kate]

Western Counties BAGCATs finishes on June 15th, but the Western Counties ASA have put an item on their web-site clarifying that swimmers can qualify up to June 22nd.

[Phil Tanner]

Just ordered tickets for national AGs in advance, as advertised at www.britishswimming.org. (Not reserved seats, by the way.) Can't help thinking they are selling it a bit short at four quid a day/14 for all four.

I know it's not principally a spectator sport, but compare it with a minimum 20-00 to watch my local Div 1 team, and eight to watch my home town team in the Dr Martens League next season.

[GettingFaster]

It's important to get bums on seats, and if it can be promoted to a wider audience rather than just to swimmers (well who else but swimmers go to the ASA site?) it would be a big success.

I hope the ASA markets this event properly. I think someone new to the sport would not be willing to pay £20 to watch a sport they're not familiar with but might cough up a fiver to try something new, if they knew about it. The Nationals put the best youngsters in our sport in the spotlight, the ideal forum to get the sport some broader recognition and acceptance as a worthwhile sport for participants and spectators alike.

[Phil Tanner]

I wasn't thinking of going the whole hog, but maybe a starting price of five or six quid a day rather than four. We recently paid a tenner each for four sessions over an evening and one full day at the Guildford Open - and I'm not complaining, it was good value - but the facilities at Aldershot, say, don't begin to compare with Sheffield.

[GettingFaster]

Turning my last post completely on its head, perhaps the ASA recognises that the vast majority of spectators are families of swimmers who have already paid a small fortune in entry fees (not to mention travel and accomodation) so could the entry fees be priced low so they don't add too much to the cost of attendance, perhaps? It would be nice to find out the official view on pricing 'from the horse's mouth'. Maybe Steve Buckley can ask about it in his next scoop interview for pullbuoy...

(And I agree, Aldershot facilities are not the same as Sheffield but at least the announcing is good at Guildford City meets ;))

[Phil Tanner]

Tickets came today and very nice they are too - laminated passes like wot competitors have.