Meet Information

Location
Robert F. Busbey Natatorium aka CSU Natatorium, Cleveland State University, 2451 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44115. Euclid Avenue runs east starting from Public Square, the center of Cleveland.

Facilities
The venue is an indoor facility with spectator seatinf for 1700 people (no admission charge for spectators) and was designed by current O*H*I*O Masters member and swimmer Peter van Dijk. It includes a 50-meter championship pool with nine eight-foot-wide lanes and a water depth range of 16 feet to four feet; and a six-lane, 25-yard warm up pool for continuous warm-up during the meet. The water temperature of the competition pool will be maintained at 78-80 degrees Fahrenheit. A Colorado timing system is linked to a state-of-the-art, ten-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.

Temperature and Climate
Daily temperatures in the Cleveland area in August are generally hot and humid. Average temperatures range from a low of 60 to highs in the 80s. However, temperatures can climb into the 90's. The indoor pool maintains temperatures in the upper 70s.

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

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 CSU Natatorium on Wednesday, August 14, from noon to 8 pm and on Thursday, August 15 through Sunday, August 18, from 6:30 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 swimmer at least 19 years of age as of December 31, 2002. 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 entries must include a copy of swimmer's Masters Swimming registration card and fees in U.S. dollars.

Age Groups
Age for the meet is determined as of 12/31/02.
Individual Events: 19-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49 ... 100-104.
Relays: 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 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. The USMS website will post results.

Seeding
All events will be deck seeded unless meet management determines that the meet can be completed in a timely fashion with preseeded events. Men's heats and women's heats will start at alternate ends of the pool. Women's heats will precede men'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 Deadlines for All Events
This is a deck seeded meet. Check-in is required for ALL events, and may be done in person at 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 preceeding 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 the meet can be completed in a timely fashion with pre-seeding, check-in may be waived for some events. Events without check-in will be pre-seeded. The check-in deadlines will be posted by August 4, 2002 on the USMS web site. You will also receive a list of check-in deadlines when you register.

Warm-up Times
The competition pools will be open for warm-up on Wednesday, August 14 from noon until 8 pm. On competition days, the competition pool will be open for warm-up from 6:30 am until 7:50 am and the warm-up pool will be available from 6:30 am until conclusion of the final event. On Sunday, the competition pool wil repoen for warm-up for 30 minutes after the first event of the day, the men's 400 free.

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 in the warm-up pool. One or two lanes shall be designated as ONE-WAY SPRINT lanes during the pre-meet warm-up sessions in the competition pool only. No sprint lanes will be designated in the warm-up pool. 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 (USMS Rule 102.15.3). Pull-buoys, kick boards, fins, and hand paddles are not allowed in the competition pool or warm-up pool.

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

General Meeting
All swimmers, coaches and officials should be represented at the general meeting at the CSU Natatorium on Wednesday, August 14 at 5 pm. Matters pertinent to the operation and conduct of the meet will be discussed.

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.

Time Verification (formerly OVCs)
Swimmers needing verification of time(s) or who wish their time(s) to be entered into the USA Swimming National Times Database (for entry into USA-S national meets) should complete a form at the meet and prior to the swim. Contact the Referee: Pat Baker.

Social
Party Friday evening, August 17, at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum which will be open exclusively to USMSswimmers and their guests. Cost is $30 and includes a buffet dinner (cash bar) and admission to all exhibits, including a special exhibit on John Lennon. Reserve your ticket on the entry form. Additional tickets will also be available at the meet. Transortation will be provided from the shuttle route hotels.

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: Pieter Cath and Laura Kessler
Meet Referee: Pat Baker
Championship Committee Liaison: Mel Goldstein

Entry Procedures
Use official entry form or 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 Masters registration card (foreign swimmers) must accompany the entry form. Failure to include a Masters registration card may result in the swimmer being charged a fee before being allowed to compete. A USMS swimmer changing club affiliation prior to the meet must send either a USMS registration card or a letter from the local registrar with 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.

National Qualifying Times
Competitors may enter a maximum of three (3) individual events without meeting the National Qualifying Times (NQT) 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 NQTs have been met with a "T" in the designated column when mailing in your entry. There are no NQTs for the 90 and over age groups.

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

Number of Events
If the swimmer qualilfies, they may swim up to three 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 on your entry form will be dropped. No changes of the designated 6th event will be allowed after July 12, 2002. No refunds will be given for the dropped event.

Fees
Fees are $4 per individual event plus $30 surcharge per swimmer. Fees must accompany entry form and must be paid in U. S. 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 entrant is allowed to swim. Refund requests must be in writing and received before July 12, 2002. No refunds will be given for events not swum. Relay-only swimmers must submit an entry form with payment by the entry deadline. All fees should be payable to "O*H*I*O Masters Swim Club".

Relay Events
Relays may be entered at any time until 4:00 pm the day before that 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 $12.00 per relay. Forms are available here.

Mail Entry and Fees
Postmarked by July 5, 2002 or received by July 12, 2002.
2002 USMS National Championships
O*H*I*O Masters Swim Club
Pieter Cath
35400 Bainbridge Road
Solon, Ohio 44139

Questions?
Questions? Call Pieter Cath (440)248-8270 email cath.p@att.net or Laura Kessler (440)526-9590 emailswimlaura@ameritech.net. Please do not call after 9 pm EDT.

Entry Deadline
All US entries must be postmarked with official US postmark (no business meters) by July 5, 2002, OR received by July 12, 2002. Entries received after this date will be returned to sender. Online entries are encouraged and will be accepted until midnight EDT on July 12, 2002. 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 entry forms and personal checks for your records and verification.

Travel Information