Dates

Wednesday-Sunday, July 21-25, 2021

Location

Greensboro Aquatic Center

1921 W. Gate City Blvd.

Greensboro, NC 27403

Hosted By

North Carolina Host Committee

Hill Carrow, Chair

Mark Rubacky, Meet Director

COVID-19 Protocols and Safety Information 

U.S. Masters Swimming is committed to providing a safe and fun championship environment for this event. USMS reserves the right to alter COVID-19 protocols based on local, state, and national guidelines at the time of the event. Here’s what’s currently planned for the 2021 USMS Short Course National Championship. 

Have Questions?

Please contact the National Office at events@usmastersswimming.org or 941-256-USMS (8767). 

Facility

In 2019, the Greensboro Aquatic Center became the largest indoor aquatic facility in the U.S. with the addition of a second 50-meter pool, providing the center with four pools and a total of 54 25-yard lanes. The four pools consist of a six-lane instructional pool, 22-lane competition pool, seven-lane diving well, and the new 50-meter warm-up pool with 19 short course lanes. For Short Course Nationals, the competition pool will be divided into two eight-lane courses with 9-foot-wide lanes. The water depth in the competition pool is 9 to 10 feet throughout. During the meet warm-up, swimmers can use all 18 lanes in the competition pool (includes two lanes between the two bulkheads), seven lanes in the adjacent diving well, and 19 lanes in the new 50-meter pool. During actual competition, warm-up and cool-down can be done in the seven-lane diving well and 19 lanes in the second 50-meter pool.

The turn end of the competition courses is a bulkhead. The length of the competition courses are in compliance and on file with USMS in accordance with articles 105.1.7 and 106.2.1, but as bulkhead courses, are subject to length confirmation. Eligibility of times for USMS Top 10 and records will be contingent on verification of bulkhead placement. Total seating is 2,500, with off-deck seating for 1,800 available. Here are directions to the GAC.   

GAC was host site for the 2012 and 2016 USMS Spring Nationals. This year, the GAC has hosted the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Swimming Championships and the Atlantic Coast Conference Men’s and Women’s Swimming & Diving Championships.   

The GAC is located on the campus of the Greensboro Coliseum Complex, the premier sports and entertainment facility in the Southeast. In addition, the GAC is located in close proximity to the Atlantic Coast Conference Hall of Champions, Greensboro Visitors Center, and area hotels and restaurants.

Entering the Meet

Entries closed on June 21 and we are unable to accept late entries. The meet will be split into sessions by event Wednesday-Thursday and by age groups (oldest to youngest) Friday-Sunday to limit attendance to approximately 300-500 per session. Spectators will not be allowed (with certain exceptions: see Coaches, Spectators, and Volunteers). Swimmers will only be able to access the facility during sessions in which they are entered.

Fees

The fee to enter is $90 plus $6 per individual event. Because of COVID-19, the surcharge increased by $25 to help cover additional operating costs to ensure safety and provide a championship atmosphere despite limited attendance. 

Refund requests must be made to the National Office at events@usmastersswimming.org by July 7 at 11:59 PM Pacific. No refunds will be given for events not swum. 

National Qualifying Times/Number of Events/Sixth Event

With limited meets held since March 2020 because of COVID-19, times from the past three (3) years will be accepted for NQTs rather than the typical two (2) years. Swimmers are encouraged to enter realistic times accounting for any extended breaks from the pool. We hope you find a chance to shake off the racing rust at a local meet, but times from a time trial or a workout are also accepted. See the National Qualifying Times FAQs.

Update (June 23): The sixth event will not be dropped. Swimmers will have the opportunity to swim all individual events that were entered.

Eligibility

Participants must be U.S. Masters Swimming members. Swimmers turning 18 after the meet entry deadline and by July 20 must enter the meet by the meet entry deadline and register for USMS either before or on July 20.

If a swimmer wishes to affiliate with a Masters club, the club and swimmer must both be registered with the same Local Masters Swimming Committee (LMSC). If there are questions about affiliation, the swimmer will be entered with the affiliation “UC” (Unattached). 

International entries will not be accepted due to space limitations and travel restrictions.

Age Groups

Age for the meet is determined as of July 25, except for 18-year-olds, who must be 18 by July 20. Age groups for individual events: 18–24, 25–29, 30–34, 35–39, etc., (five-year increments as high as necessary). 

Registration and Credentials

All participants must pick up credentials that will be required to enter the Greensboro Aquatic Center for each session. Rather than the paper waiver and emergency contact form swimmers completed on-site in previous years, swimmers must complete this form online prior to arriving at the facility. Credentials and goody bags can be picked up in the plaza just outside the main GAC entrance on Tuesday, July 20, from 3-7 p.m. and on all other days from 30 minutes prior to warm-up of the first session through the end of the final session each day.

Seeding

Two courses will be used for all events. Men’s heats will precede women’s heats for each event, except that men’s and women’s heats may be seeded together for the 500, 1000, and 1650 freestyle events. The 1650 and 1000 freestyle events will be seeded slowest to fastest by entry time, regardless of age. The 500 freestyle and 400 IM may be seeded slowest to fastest by entry time, regardless of age. The 200-yard events may be deck-seeded and may be seeded by entry time, regardless of age, for each sex. All 50 and 100 events will be pre-seeded by age group, with the oldest age groups first, slowest to fastest within each age group. All seeding decisions will be announced at usms.org by July 12.

Updates (July 5): 

• The 50s, 100s, and 200s will be preseeded with the oldest age groups first, slowest to fastest within each age group, men and women separate.
• The 1650 and 1000 freestyle will be deck seeded by time, men and women separate.
• The 500 freestyle and 400 IM will be deck seeded with the oldest age groups first, slowest to fastest within each age group, men and women separate.
• Age groups will be oldest to youngest within each session, per USMS rules.

Distance Events

Competitors may enter both the 1000 and 1650 freestyle events but must meet the NQT for the 1650 freestyle. 

Because spectators will not be allowed, volunteers will be available as counters for the 500, 1000, and 1650 freestyle events if you do not have a teammate or coach who can be your counter.

Meet Procedures

Event Sanction 

Sanctioned by the North Carolina LMSC for USMS Inc. Sanction Number 131-S002

The length of the competition courses are in compliance and on file with USMS in accordance with articles 105.1.7 and 106.2.1, but as bulkhead courses, are subject to length confirmation. Eligibility of times for USMS Top 10 and records will be contingent on verification of bulkhead placement. 

Check-In Deadlines

Swimmers must check in for events 400 yards or longer. Swimmers, or their coaches or teammates on their behalf, may check in online by the deadlines below. Failure to check in will result in the swimmer being scratched from the event. The swimmer won’t be permitted to swim that event at another time.

The check-in deadline has been moved to 7 p.m. Eastern time the day prior to the event (rather than 7 a.m. the morning of the event in previous years) so swimmers can be better prepared for when to arrive at the pool. Heat sheets will be posted online by approximately 8 p.m. Eastern time the night before each distance event. 

For health and safety reasons, check-in will only be available online rather than both online and in-person like in previous years. If you need assistance, please visit the Solutions Table near Registration.

*All times are Eastern time.

Meet Roster

A real-time meet roster including name, age, sex, and club is available here. Please verify your information and contact events@usmastersswimming.org with any concerns by June 21.

Heat and Psych Sheets

Psych sheets for all individual events are now available here (updated July 12). Heat sheets for preseeded events will be available online by July 16. Heat sheets for deck-seeded events will be posted on Meet Mobile and SwimPhone once the events have been seeded.

Note: To provide flexibility in the planning timeline with the added benefit of going green, we are not providing printed meet programs for this event. All pertinent information, including heat and psych sheets, will be available online.

Sessions and Meet Start Times

The competition will be split into sessions to allow for social distancing. Swimmers will only have access to the facility during sessions in which they are entered. 

Sessions will be split by event on Wednesday (1650 and 1000 freestyle) and Thursday (500 freestyle and 400 IM). For Friday-Sunday, the meet will be split into two sessions each day, with the older age groups (60-64 through 95-99) starting at 8 a.m. and younger age groups (18-24 through 55-59) starting at 12:30 p.m. each day. Here is the detailed estimated timeline. (updated July 12) 

Warm-up Times

On competition days (Wednesday-Sunday), swimmers will have access to the facility for the warm-up prior to a session in which they are entered. Here is the estimated timeline including warmup start times for each session. 

On Tuesday, July 20, the GAC is planning to have lap swim lanes available from 8:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. in the competition pool and 12:00-4:00 p.m. in the training pool. The drop in fee is $5 ($4 for 65+). 

There will be a general warmup from 2:00-4:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 22 that is open to all swimmers (no fee). If you're arriving early but not swimming distance events, this is your chance to get wet prior to Friday. (updated July 12)

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. A few lanes will be designated as one-way sprint lanes during the pre-meet warm-up sessions in the competition pools only. Any swimmer who acts in an unsporting or unsafe manner within the swimming venue may be considered for appropriate action or penalty by the referee (rule 102.13.3). Swim equipment is not allowed in the competition or warm-up pools. This includes pull buoys, kickboards, fins, hand paddles, etc.

To allow for social distancing, USMS recommends a max of six swimmers per lane during warm-up. Swimmers are discouraged from hanging on the walls during warm-up. Please be flexible with your warm-up routine to avoid overcrowding and be considerate of your fellow swimmers. 

Scratches

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

Relays 

Relays will not be contested because of safety concerns and timeline constraints. (updated June 23)

Scoring

Swimmers in individual events will be awarded points for first through 10th places as 11-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1, respectively.

Club Scoring

Club scoring will be tabulated in two categories (regional clubs and local clubs) and three divisions (men, women, and combined).

Awards

Medals will be awarded for 1st through 10th places in each age group, for all events. A U.S. Masters Swimming national champion 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. Club awards will be presented to the top 10 clubs in the local club division and top five clubs in the regional division.

Final Results

The complete results, including splits, will be posted at usms.org. A paper copy of the complete final results will be mailed to those who ordered it during meet entry.  

USMS Top Ten

Due to the postponed dates for this event, times will be considered for Top Ten as part of the 2021-22 season (June 1 - May 31) along with 2022 USMS Spring Nationals.

Split Notification

Final results will indicate splits for all swims (excluding pad malfunctions). Splits will be recorded for all swimmers and submitted for records and Top 10 consideration, for initial distances of all individual events (except for backstroke) and for all relay lead-off splits. Therefore, swimmers need not submit split requests for those events. Split requests are required for initial distance(s) of an individual backstroke event. The swimmer is responsible for picking up the Split Notification Form from the administrative official, filling it out, and presenting it to the administrative official prior to the swim. Automatic split times will be submitted for USMS Top 10, however automatic split times from individual events will not automatically appear in the USMS event results database. If you would like a split time to be added to the event results database, please email your request after the meet to events@usmastersswimming.org.

Time Verification

Swimmers wishing to have times entered into SWIMS (USA Swimming’s times database) must complete a form, obtained from the administrative referee at the meet, prior to the swim.

Hearing Impaired Start Assistance

Any athlete with a hearing impairment may request starting assistance from the meet referee.  The request must be made prior to the start of the meet. If portable strobes are available, one may be located in a manner to provide a visual aid. Otherwise, another appropriate method may be employed to visually assist the affected swimmer. Please contact the events@usmastersswimming.org by June 21 if you require this assistance.

Please note, the GAC will have speakers and strobes at each lane in both courses. 

Service Animals

Animals other than service animals will not be permitted on deck at the venue.