I currently cannot make any of the Q-times for my age group. I would like to swim the 1000, 500 free, and the 50 free. Do I understand the rules correctly, that I can swim any three events including the long distance event (1000 free) without making the Q-times?
Connie,
You have a correct interpretation of the rule as it applies to the Mission Viejo Long Course Nationals.
The idea behind this rule is that it gives the championship committee a way to help the meet host prevent one day of the meet from being too long, but still allow swimmers the ability to enter one distance event at nationals without having met the NQT.
In addition to the 800 free, we are also swimming other events and a relay on the first day of the meet. This is something new we are trying. The committee felt that too large of a turnout in the 800 free could cause problems, thus we set that as the event that a swimmer must meet the NQT in. If we were looking at the meet in Savannah last summer, we probably would have made the 1500 the event with a required NQT. It is a balancing act between trying to make an event open to everyone and also keep the day from being too long.
Connie,
You have a correct interpretation of the rule as it applies to the Mission Viejo Long Course Nationals.
The idea behind this rule is that it gives the championship committee a way to help the meet host prevent one day of the meet from being too long, but still allow swimmers the ability to enter one distance event at nationals without having met the NQT.
In addition to the 800 free, we are also swimming other events and a relay on the first day of the meet. This is something new we are trying. The committee felt that too large of a turnout in the 800 free could cause problems, thus we set that as the event that a swimmer must meet the NQT in. If we were looking at the meet in Savannah last summer, we probably would have made the 1500 the event with a required NQT. It is a balancing act between trying to make an event open to everyone and also keep the day from being too long.