Meet Information

Location
The Mona Plummer Aquatic Center, located at the intersection of Stadium Avenue and College Street is on the campus of Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona.

Facilities
The venue is an outdoor 50 meter pool divided by a bulkhead into two 8 lane, 25 yard courses. The pool is a uniform 7.5 feet deep. Adjacent, there are two 25 yard, 8 lane warm-up pools. Covered seating for 2000 is available in the bleachers and on the pool deck. Colorado Timing will be used with two 8 line scoreboards.

Temperature and Climate
The average high and low temperatures for the meet days are 94 and 62.

Concessions, Vendors & Souvenir Items
A food court offering sandwiches, beverages and frozen deserts will be available each day of the meet. Meet t-shirts and other swimming merchandise will also be available in the same area.

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 and other meet information. Registration will be held in the lobby of the National Guard Armory across from the Natatorium on Wednesday, May 14, from noon to 8 pm and on Thursday, May 15 through Sunday, May 18 from 6:30 am until the end of each day's last event.

Eligibility
The Championships are open to any registered Masters swimmer at least 19 years of age as of May 18, 2003. 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 "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 5/18/03.
Individual events: 19-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49 ... 100-104. 
Relay events: 19+, 25+. 35+, 45+, etc. (in ten year increments as high as necessary determined by the age of the youngest relay member).

Scoring
Individual Events: 11-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1.
Relay Events: 22-18-16-14-12-10-8-6-4-2.

Team Scoring
Team scoring will be tabulated in three divisions: Large, Medium, and Small. 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
Medals will be awarded for first through tenth places in each age group. 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. Men's heats will precede women's heats for each event except for the 1000 and 1650 Free. Men and women's heats will be alternated for the 1000 and 1650 Free (Course A will have heat 1 of men then heat 1 of women, men heat 3, women heat 3 and Course B will have men heat 2, women heat 2, etc.) unless the Championship Committee deems it necessary to seed men and women together. In all other events, all men's heats will be completed before the women's heats start. The 1000 and 1650 Free will be seeded slowest to fastest by entry time regardless of age. The 400 IM will be seeded slowest to fastest by entry time for each sex regardless of age. All other events will be seeded by age group with the oldest age groups first, slowest to fastest within each age group.

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 in the lobby of the Aquatic Center or via the Internet at www.usms.org. Coaches or teammates may check in for those swimmers whose travel plans do not permit check-in by the deadlines. Failure to check-in will result in the swimmer being scratched from the event.

Check-in Times -- All Times are PDT
For Friday, Saturday, and Sunday's events, you must check-in the day before between 7am and 6pm for the events you plan to swim the next day. For Thursday's events, you must check in by 7:00 am that day for the men's and women's 1000 Free and approximately one hour prior to the estimated time the other events will start that day. You may also check-in for Thursday's events on Wednesday between 12:00 and 8:00 pm. The check-in deadlines for Thursday's events will be posted by May 8, 2003 on the USMS website (www.usms.org).

Internet Check-in
This year, Internet check-in will take place through the USMS website at www.usms.org. Internet Check-in will be available for events during the same times that in person check-in is available. Swimmers choosing this option will be given a confirmation number at the conclusion of the check-in. Each competitor is responsible for bringing his/her confirmation number to the meet, in case there is a question regarding check-in.

Warm-up Times
The competition pool will be open for warm-up on Wednesday, May 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 pools will be available from 6:30 until conclusion of the final event. The competition pool will reopen for warm-up on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday for 30 minutes following the completion of the 400 IM and 500 Free. The competition pool will be open for 30 minutes following the last event each day.

Warm-up Procedures
Swimmers must enter the pool feet first in a cautious, 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 pools. 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 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 their event will be scratched from that event and will not be permitted to swim that event at another time.

General Meeting
All swimmers, coaches and officials should be represented at the general meeting on Wednesday, May 14 at 6 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, 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 Database (for entry into USA-S national meets) should complete a form at the meet and prior to the swim. Contact the Administration Referee: Bob Brown, telephone (503) 806-0783, or e-mail rlhlbrown@mobile.att.net

Social
Come enjoy a traditional Mexican fiesta on Saturday, May 17 at 7:00 pm. A full buffet will be provided. Tickets cost $20 and will be limited, so make your reservation early.

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 invited to a party for Gold Medal Sponsors. Cost of one sponsorship will be $50. Order sponsorships on the meet entry form.

Meet Management
Meet Director: Mark Gill
Meet Referee: Ed Ruth

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. Foreign entries must include a legible copy of the swimmer's Masters Swimming registration card and fees in U.S. dollars. Failure to include a Masters registration card may result in 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 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. On-line entries will be available after February 1.

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 NQT 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. 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 qualifies, they may swim up to three events per day with a maximum of six events during the meet. A swimmer may enter either the 1000 or 1650 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, all swimmers' 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 events will be allowed after April 10, 2003. No refunds will be given for the dropped event.

Entry 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 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 received in writing by April 10, 2003. No refunds 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 "Sun Devil Swimming".

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 for downloading here.

Mail Entry and Fees
Postmarked by April 3, 2003 or received by April 10, 2003. Mail to:
Mark Gill
202 East Baseline Road #146
Tempe, AZ 85283

Questions?
Call Mark Gill at (480) 775-1485 or send an email to markgill@usms.org. Please do not call before 9 am PDT.

Entry Deadline
All U.S. entries must be postmarked with official US postmark (no business meters) by April 3, 2003, OR received by April 10, 2003. Online entries are encouraged and will be accepted until midnight PDT on April 10, 2003. 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 forms and personal checks for your records and verification.

Travel Information