3Km Event at Nationals

[ringer]

The programme of events for the 2006 Youth and ASA Nationals just published includes a mixed 3km race in 3 heats.
Is this an "Open Water" event brought indoors for a National Event or for some qualifying purpose?
Can anyone explain where this has come from please?

[lane4]

An expanation from the ASA? You'll be lucky! We're just the swimmers and coaches, we don't need to know such things!

Having just had a quick glance at the schedule so far I won't pretend to understand any of it as it all looks rather messy to be honest.

Additionally, from what I can see, perhaps a new name for the event is in order along the lines of "The 2006 ASA Multi-Disability Championships incorporating a few but largely irrelevant events for able bodied youth and senior swimmers".

[Bogbloke]

ringer could you provide a link?

[Taxiandbank]

The programme of events for the 2006 Youth and ASA Nationals just published includes a mixed 3km race in 3 heats.
Is this an "Open Water" event brought indoors for a National Event or for some qualifying purpose?
Can anyone explain where this has come from please?

Presumably part of the open water development which sees them doing 3k time trials through the year roughly coinciding with the 7 x 200 step test.

[Bogbloke]

As I am an open water swimmer, I think this is something to do with English Open Water Development squad

Is it open to all age of swimmers?

[ringer]

ringer could you provide a link?

I'm sorry but the usual copy and paste method doesn't work on this one.
Its on the British Swimming site on
"swimming"
"calendar and comp info"
...and then scroll to "Youth and ASA Championships schedule"

http://www.sportcentric.com/vsite/vfile/page/fileurl/0,11040,4716-172060-189278-100482-0-file,00.pdf

Editted: found a different way of doing it

[Bazza]

Is this anything to do with the news that open water swimming is to become an Olympic event? The first step towards developing and incorporating open water swimming into the calendar?

[ringer]

Is this anything to do with the news that open water swimming is to become an Olympic event? The first step towards developing and incorporating open water swimming into the calendar?

If you are right Bazza and it seems this announcement has taken even the much revered Lane4 by surprise I would say that with all due respect to our open water swimming brothers and sisters the likely weather conditions on 4th August ie height of British Summer make me think that laned indoor conditions are a completely alien and unnecessary environment in which to test open water ability.
Hope that someone in the know can clarify the whys and wherefores on this one.

[Taxiandbank]

5k events at GB long course. No qualifying times but entry based on 1500m times for men and 80m times for women. (Check it out, page 12 of the entry info.)
Note also that all qualifying times MUST have been swum in the UK. So no more johnny foreigners gate crashing our party!:confused:

[Gina]

Note also that all qualifying times MUST have been swum in the UK. So no more johnny foreigners gate crashing our party!:confused:

If this applies to every event at nationals, not just 5km, then it's maybe it's to stop false entries! There maybe some swimmers entering times from random meets that they claimed to do abroad! Easier to check i suppose.

[Bazza]

In reponse to ringer I might suggest that this event is not entirely aimed at swimmers with open water experience, but maybe trying to get good 400/800/1500 swimmers to try longer distances - start with a 3k or 5k in the pool, if they enjoy and do well maybe try open water events after that.

[Pink Paraffin]

5k events at GB long course. No qualifying times but entry based on 1500m times for men and 80m times for women. (Check it out, page 12 of the entry info.)
Note also that all qualifying times MUST have been swum in the UK. So no more johnny foreigners gate crashing our party!:confused:

We've already produced a stack of 80m PB's in preparation for this! By implication, the introduction of 10km events will see our girls qualifying with their best ever 160m times (from License 1 and 2 meet only of course)?

[ringer]

Again Bazza if you are correct where is the announcement from ASA re qualifying criteria?
I question whether it would really be appropriate for such experimentation in the midst of the NATIONAL championships and particularly with the male and female 1500m freestylers preparing for their event the following day.
All seems very strange to me!!!!

[Steve]

If you are right Bazza and it seems this announcement has taken even the much revered Lane4 by surprise I would say that with all due respect to our open water swimming brothers and sisters the likely weather conditions on 4th August ie height of British Summer make me think that laned indoor conditions are a completely alien and unnecessary environment in which to test open water ability.
Hope that someone in the know can clarify the whys and wherefores on this one.
IIRC the qualification for the 5km open water event in Barcelona was done at the 2003 GB Champs - they swam a 5km timed final one day in the afternoon I think - so it's not a new idea. It was when Alan Bircher made his breakthrough into OWS.