Nevill Sutton and I have been discussing competition possibilities in the Wellington Region.The purpose of the idea produced here is to provide a simple, easy to run format for inter-club, dual meet competitions. This solution allows direct comparison between different ages and standards of swimmers and even different strokes and distances if that is required.
The competitions can easily be run in 90-120 minutes including warm-up time and can utilize as few as two lanes although three, four, six or eight may also be utilized. Electronic timing is unnecessary and no computers are required to run the meets! The format of each competition can be agreed between participating clubs or they can adopt one of the standard templates available in this document.
Officiating
The number of officials required is set at a minimum as follows:
1 Starter who also acts as referee and meet director.
1 timekeeper for each lane who also act as turn and stroke judge.
2 recorders, one from each of two participating clubs.
1 scorer.
Events
Each standard template offers seven individual events and two relays for each round of competition. The individual events follow the XLR8 format and offer:
1 x distance freestyle event (400m, 800m or 1,500m)
1 x individual medley (100m, 200m or 400m)
2 x 200m events, at least one of which is on a ‘form’ stroke (back, breast or butterfly)
2 x 100m events
Plus a sprint event which is constant as 50m freestyle.
The standard template freestyle and medley relays each have four swimmers but any number of swimmers can be agreed between participating clubs. The only constraint is the distance swum by each swimmer must be 50m, 100m or 200m so that the tables can be used.
SNZ has calculated points scores for the events which are non-standard on the current XLR8 system – reverse distance events and 100m I.M.
Ages
Clubs can enter any age of swimmer in each event, e.g. Club A can enter a 13 year old in the 200m backstroke and Club B can enter a 16 year old. Because the scoring is done using the XLR8 system both swimmers are scored against their respective ‘norms’ for all New Zealand swimmers. Although the 16 year old may finish first the 13 year old may score more points. Clubs are, therefore, not disadvantaged because they have fewer or younger competitive members than their opposition.
The number of swimmers required and allowed varies depending on how many lanes are used and there are restrictions on the minimum and maximum number of events in which each swimmer can participate. Prior to the start of each competition clubs draw for lanes and keep the same lanes throughout all events.
Point scoring
SNZ will produce XLR8 point tables for each event and each age. The two recorders log the name, age and time of each swimmer and look up the related point value. These are then recorded on the master recording sheet and summed to produce each clubs’ event total. A running total is kept throughout the meet and publicly updated event by event by the scorer. This service is essential if swimmers, coaches, officials and spectators are to understand and follow the competition.
Relays are scored by taking each individual swimmer’s split time and allocating points according to the age of the swimmer with no allowance for takeovers. Relays can be comprised of mixed ages and even mixed gender if the participating clubs agree.
The total score for 9 events may be 12,000+ for one lane or 17,500+ for two lanes. The difference between an average swim and a sensational one may be 300 or so points, so one DQ of an outstanding individual could change the whole face of the competition. Relays are scored by individual splits so a DQ in a relay will create a disturbance in the force which alters all future history.
Team numbers
Each team must have seven swimmers. Each ‘team’ can use either one or two lanes to be agreed between participating clubs. If they use one lane then each swimmer must swim one individual event and at least one relay. If they use two lanes then each swimmer must swim two individual events and at least one relay (relays use one lane only for each team). Clubs can enter more than one team but they will be scored separately.
For example: scenario 1 - Club A enters one team, Club B enters 2 teams (B1 and B2). They use one lane each (total three lanes). Each swimmer swims one of the seven individual events, six of them swim one relay each and one swimmer swims both relays. One lane is used by each of the three teams throughout the competition.
Scenario 2 - Club A enters one team, Club B enters 2 teams (B1 and B2). They use two lanes each (total six lanes). Each swimmer swims two of the seven individual events, six of them swim one relay each and one swimmer swims both relays. Two lanes are used by each of the three teams for the individual events and one lane is used by each of the three teams for relay events.
Clubs can chose and agree to use male only teams, female only teams, mixed gender teams, both male and female teams etc. E.g. Club A can have a mixed gender team of seven swimmers, Club B can have team B1 as male and B2 as female or all three teams can be male and a second competition run with a separate group of three teams all female.
Test event
The format and system will be tested during June. If clubs wish to test on their own they will have to use the XLR8 calculator available on takeyourmarks as, due to the competition schedule, SNZ will not be able to produce point tables for distribution until a later date. All feedback, comments, opinions, ideas, changes, modifications, omissions, deletions, additions etc. will be welcome.
Proposed event schedule for a four-round series: (as usual click for ..blah, blah)
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