Meet Information

Location
Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatic Center
650 SW Campus Drive
Federal Way, WA 98023.
From North or South Bound I-5 take exit 142 B which directs traffic west on S 348th (a continuation of westbound Highway 18). Continue west on S 348th across Pacific Highway S (Highway 99) and across 1st Ave S (NOTE: 348th becomes SW Campus Drive after crossing 1st Ave S). The pool is about 1/2 mile past 1st Ave S. on the right.

Facilities
The venue is an indoor facility with spectator seating for 2500 people (no admission charge for spectators) and has elevator access to the deck level. It includes a 50-meter championship pool with eight nine-foot-wide lanes and a water depth range of nine feet to ten and one-half feet; a seven-lane, 25-yard diving tank for continuous warm-up during the meet; and a 25-yard recreational pool with three lanes also available for continuous warm-up. The water temperature of the competition pool will be maintained at 78 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
The championship pool is rated as one of the fastest pools in the world. Deck-level, concrete, surge gutters and Anti Wave Eater 6-inch lane lines minimize wave action. An Omega timing system is linked to a state-of-the-art, eight-lane readout scoreboard.
Only coaches, competitors, and officials will be allowed on the pool deck. Men's and women's locker rooms are available on the deck level with a limited number of showers and lockers.

Websites
Meet information, entry forms, and on-line registration are available at this web site. Visit www.swimpna.org for current information on motels, shuttle service, and attractions.

Emergency Telephone
(206)296-4444 - Emergencies only. Pay phones are available in the pool lobby for other calls.
DO NOT USE FOR CHECK-IN!

Registration
All participants must register prior to competing to sign an emergency card, safety information statement, and liability release. Registered swimmers will receive a meet program, social tickets, and other meet information. Registration will be held in the lobby at the Aquatic Center on Wednesday, August 15th, from noon to 8 pm and on Thursday, August 16th through Sunday, August 19, from 6 am until the end of each day's last event. Check-in for all events and relays will be available in the same area.

Eligibility
The Championships are open to any registered Masters swimmer at least 19 years of age as of July 15, 2001. If a swimmer wishes to affiliate with a Masters club, the club and swimmer must both be registered with the same Local Masters Swim Committee (LMSC). If there are questions about affiliation, the swimmer shall be entered as "unattached". Foreign swimmers are welcome. Foreign entries must include a copy of the swimmer's International Travel Permit and fees in U.S. dollars.

Age Groups
Age for the meet is determined as of 12/31/01.
Individual Events: 19-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, ...100-104.
Relay Events (aggregate age of relay members): 76-99, 100-119, 120-159, 160-199, ...(40-year increments as high as is necessary).

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 divisions: Division I (large team), Division II (medium team), and Division III (small team). Each division contains three categories: Men, Women, and Combined. Mixed relays score points only in the Combined category. The USMS Championship Committee will determine the team divisions after the entry deadline based on the number of entrants from each club.

Awards
Distinctive plaques will be presented to all competitors. Colored bars (gold, silver, bronze, and copper) will be awarded for first through tenth place in each age group in each event including relays. Bars will be engraved with place and event. A USMS 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 three teams in each category of each division.

Final Results
Complete final results may be ordered in advance or at the Awards Table during the meet. Cost will be $15.00 per copy. Individual swimmer's final results with splits will be available at the meet for $5.00 each. Results will be posted on the USMS website.

Seeding
All events will be deck seeded unless meet management determines that the meet can be completed in a timely fashion with pre-seeded events. Men's heats will precede women's heats for each event. All events except the 400 IM, 800 Free, and 1500 Free will be seeded by age group with the oldest age groups first, slowest heats seeded first in each age group. The 400 IM, 800 free and 1500 free will be seeded slowest to fastest by entry time for each sex regardless of age. Two-per-lane swimmers will swim before single lane swimmers.

Check-In Deadline for All Events
This is a deck seeded meet. Check-in is required for all events and may be done in person in the registration area.Coaches or teammates may check in for those swimmers whose travel plans do not permit check-in by the deadlines. There will be no telephone or Internet check-in on any day either preceding or during the meet. Failure to check-in will result in the swimmer being scratched from the event.

Check-in Times
You must check-in each day, prior to the check-in deadline, for the events you plan to swim that day. Generally the check-in deadline will be approximately one hour prior to the estimated time the event will start. If the Championship Committee and meet management concur that meet can be completed in a timely fashion, check-in may be waived for some events. Events without check-in will be pre-seeded. There will be no check-in for any events on Wednesday, August 15th. The check-in deadlines will be posted by August 4, 2001, on the USMS website (www.usms.org). You will also receive a list of check-in deadlines when you register. No separate mailing regarding check-in times will be made to distance event entrants.

Warm-up Times
The competition pool will be open for warm-up on Wednesday, August 15 from noon until 7 pm. On Thursday, the competition pool will be open for warm-up from 6 am until 6:50 am. On Friday, the competition pool will be open for warm-up from 6 am until 7:20 am. On Saturday and Sunday, the competition pool will be open for warm-up from 6 am until 6:50 am and for 30 minutes following the last heat of the first event of the day, the 400 free. The competition pool will re-open for 30 minutes after the last event on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. On competition days, the warm-up pools will be available from 6 am until conclusion of the final event.

Warm-up Procedures
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. No diving or backstroke starts will be allowed into warm-up pools. Special caution must be observed in the recreational pool lanes as that pool is only 3 feet deep. One or two lanes shall be designated as ONE-WAY SPRINT lanes during the pre-meet warm-up sessions in the competition pools only. No sprint lanes will be designated in the warm-up pools.
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 102.15.3).
Pull-buoys, kick boards, fins, and hand paddles are not allowed in the competition pool or warm-up pools.

Scratches
Any swimmer failing to report to the proper lane in the correct heat of his/her event shall be scratched from that event and shall not be permitted to swim that event at another time.

Concessions, Vendors & Souvenir Items
A full service snack bar will be available in the lobby of the Aquatic Center. Vendors will offer souvenirs, swimming apparel, and other merchandise.
Meet t-shirts and other commemorative items will be available.

Attractions
The islands and shoreline of Puget Sound offer unlimited opportunity for sightseeing. There are three National Parks within a two-hour drive of Federal Way (Mt. Rainier, Olympic, and North Cascades). Mt. St. Helens is one and one-half hours away. There are many other local attractions. The 2001 Junior World Synchronized Swimming Championships will be hosted at the Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatic Center on August 20-25. Visit http://www.synchroworlds2001.com for more information.

Temperature and Climate
Daily temperatures in the Puget Sound area in August are generally comfortable. Average temperatures range from a low of near 60 to highs in the upper 70s. However, temperatures can climb into the 90's. The pool is indoors with temperatures maintained in the upper 70s.

General Meeting
All swimmers , coaches, and officials should be represented at the general meeting at the Aquatic Center on Wednesday, August 15, at 7 pm. Matters pertinent to the operation and conduct of the meet will be discussed.

Coaches Meeting
A meeting of MACA (Masters Aquatic Coaches Association) will be held Wednesday, August 15, from noon to 1 pm at the Aquatic Center.

Coaches Hospitality
Hospitality is available to coaches who are MACA and/or ASCA members. MACA membership is available through Emmett Hines at emmett@usms.org, or on the MACA website: www.macacoach.org.

Coaches School
A MACA Coaches Certification School and Seminar will be held Wednesday, August 15, from 1 to 5 pm at the Aquatic Center. All Masters coaches and swimmers are welcome. Cost is $40 ($35 for MACA members). For information and a registration form contact Dan Frost (831)899-7213; email: frosty@usms.org, or visit the MACA website (www.macacoach.org).

Official Verification Card
For USA Swimmers to record their times in the National Times Data Base (previously known as OVC), contact the following official prior to the meet: 
Ron VanPool
29001 8th Ave S.
Federal Way, WA 98003
(253)941-3828
email RonVp@aol.com
fax 206-374-2199.

Social
A traditional Northwest feast featuring salmon and pasta will be held on Saturday, August 18th, beginning at 7 pm in the multipurpose building adjacent to the Aquatic Center. Cost is $28. The event will be limited to the first 300 tickets purchased.

Gold Medal Sponsorship
Gold Medal Sponsors will be recognized in the official program as supporters of Masters swimming, entitled to V.I.P. hospitality on deck, and receive a commemorative gift. Cost of one sponsorship will be $50. Order sponsorships on the meet entry form.

Meet Management
Meet Directors: Hugh and Jane Moore (253) 925-0803 or email weswim@mindspring.com. Please do not call after 9:00 pm PDT
Meet Referees: Ron VanPool and Dave Coddington
Championship Committee Liaison: Sandi Rousseau
USA Swimming Officials Provided by Pacific Northwest Swimming

Entry Procedures
Use the official entry form or a photocopy of the entire form. 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. A legible copy of the swimmer's International Travel Permit (foreign swimmers) must accompany the entry form. Failure to include an International Travel Permit may result in the swimmer being charged a fee before being allowed to compete. A USMS swimmer changing club affiliations prior to the meet must send either a USMS registration card or a letter from the local registrar with the new club affiliation and effective date.

On-line Entries
On-line entries are encouraged. This method provides immediate confirmation that the entry has been received. The on-line entry system will be ready for use soon.

National Qualifying Times
Competitors may enter a maximum of three (3) individual events without meeting the National Qualifying Times (NQTs) established for those events. Competitors may enter up to three additional events in which they have swum a time equal to or better than the NQTs in the past two years. The NQTs for all events are listed here.
Designate the events in which the NQTs have been met with a "T" in the designated column. There are no NQTs for the 90 and over age groups.

Entry Times
All events must include an entry time. "NT" entries will be rejected.

Number of Events
If the swimmer qualifies, they may enter up to three individual events per day with a maximum of six events during the meet. A swimmer may enter either the 800 or 1500 freestyle, but not both.

Sixth Event Rule
If, in the opinion of the USMS Championship Committee, the meet is deemed too large to be run efficiently, every swimmer's sixth event will be dropped. If six events are entered, indicate with the number "6" your least desired event in the designated column. If no indication is given, the last event entered on the entry form will be dropped. No changes of the designated 6th event will be allowed after July 15, 2001. No refunds will be given for the dropped event.

Fees
Fees are $4 per individual event plus $30 surcharge per swimmer. Fees must accompany the entry form and must be paid in US dollars by check or money order. DO NOT SEND 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 US dollars will be required before the entrant is allowed to swim. Refund requests must be in writing and received by July 15, 2001. No refunds will be given for events not swum. The $30 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 "PNA Masters Swimmers".

Relay Events
Relays may be entered at any time until 4:00 pm the day before the relay is scheduled to be swum. After that time, only the swimmers on the relay may be changed. Such changes must not affect the age group of the relay. The relay entry fee is $12 per relay. Forms are available here.

Mail Entry and Fees
Postmarked by 7/8/01 or received by 7/15/01
2001 USMS National Championships
PNA Masters Swimmers
P.O. Box 25615
Federal Way, WA 98093-2615

Questions? call Hugh & Jane Moore (253)925-0803 before 9:00 pm PDT or email weswim@mindspring.com

Entry Deadline
All U.S. entries must be postmarked with an official US postmark (no business meters) by July 8, 2001 OR received by July 15, 2001. Entries received after this date will be returned to sender. Online entries are encouraged and will be accepted until midnight PDT on July 15. No telephone or email entries will be accepted. Mail entries early. Include a SASE (Self Addressed Stamped Envelope) with entry for proof of receipt. Do not send certified or overnight mail requiring signature. Allow sufficient time for mail delivery. Photocopy completed entry form and personal checks for your records and verification.

Sanction # (013601)

Travel Information