USMS National Championship/International Events - Recent Threads

RE: World Aquatics 2025 Top Ten Announced

Britt03 — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 21:32:59 GMT

I have not heard of any honoring in the past for AQUA Top 10 accomplishments by USMS.
Back when it was FINA, you could order a Top 10 patch off the FINA website. I have not checked if AQUA released new versions of these patches. To add: those were generic Top 10 patches without a year on it.

World Aquatics 2025 Top Ten Announced

BethanyBurchill — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 13:52:40 GMT

World Aquatics has announced the Top Ten for 2025.

See links below for more information and congratulations to all making the list!

https://www.worldaquatics.com/masters/top-10/lcm-2030-2021 (LCM)

https://www.worldaquatics.com/masters/top-10/scm-2030-2021 (SCM)

RE: World Aquatics 2025 Top Ten Announced

Irish — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 16:43:54 GMT

Unfortunately WA doesn’t accept USA meet results. Also if you did your best time at a USA meet and then your next best time was at a USMS - but it is still top 10 worthy - it’s not going to show up either. :( USMS should have that fixed for next year but I understand nothing can be done for this year.

RE: 2026 Summer Nationals event cap

03WKA — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 16:41:03 GMT

I will add a sixth...

How can USMS be allowing a 6th event for people before allowing a waitlist event which, at least in some cases, is only a second event?

2026 Summer Nationals event cap

09433 — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 00:46:28 GMT

I’m curious how others feel about the event caps at Summer Nationals this year.

I understand the need to keep the meet timeline manageable. My concern isn’t that events were capped—it’s that there didn’t seem to be any advance information about which events were likely to fill or how the capacities would be managed.

I was surprised to find that all of the events over 100 meters were already closed while shorter events remained open. Without knowing that ahead of time, it felt like registration became a race to click “submit” rather than an opportunity to register for the events you’ve trained all season to swim.

In my opinion, USMS should have published estimated event capacities or identified events that were likely to fill quickly before registration opened. I think having that information would allow swimmers to make more informed decisions and would make the registration process feel more transparent.

I’m interested to hear what others think and whether anyone else was caught off guard by the event caps.

RE: 2026 Summer Nationals event cap

03WKA — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 13:22:44 GMT

The way this was done is absolutely ridiculous for multiple reasons:

First off, there was no cutoff given in the meet info - when someone is trying to decide whether to go to the meet, they need to be able to watch the number.

Second, the number in the men's and women's athletes is not equal in the cutoff events, which is insane.

Third, the number is not even a multiple of 8, so what is going on there?

Fourth, it is 2 days before the meet and according to email reply, they still haven't decided on some waitlist people. How are people supposed to make travel plans? One email said they will be letting people know as they come off the waitlist, and a next email asking when they would know was not replied to. And there has been nothing about the waitlist in the email updates. Horrible communication.

Fifth, this is a national championship meet. If numbers are an issue, the qualifying times should be a lot faster and should be enforced in all events. This isn't just some average meet. This is supposed to be a national championship. How do you not allow the fastest person in an event to swim when they entered the meet before the entry deadline?

I question whether the USMS staff has any prior experience running meets. They should have people who have run USA Swimming Nationals in the past involved and advising, at a minimum.

RE: World Aquatics 2025 Top Ten Announced

Jennifer Tran — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 01:33:42 GMT

Thank you so much! Will USMS be honoring the USMS swimmers who made the World Aquatics 2025 Top Ten in any way?

I created this dashboard to analyze the USA in the World Aquatics Masters Top 10 from 2021 to 2025, where you can browse data and view USMS swimmers who've accomplished the World Aquatics Masters Top 10. If anyone has feedback on how we can better recognize USMS swimmers, please let me know!

RE: 2026 Summer Nationals event cap

Kurt Dickson — Sun, 02 Aug 2026 16:43:24 GMT

Other than you traditionally can't do 1500 and 800, no. The cap/waiting list seems to have occurred over the last 3 or 4 years.

RE: 2026 Summer Nationals event cap

Jennifer Tran — Sun, 02 Aug 2026 16:10:32 GMT

I'm also bummed that it was not possible to swap distance events for another distance event, even if you are freeing up time! For example, I wanted to swap the 800 free for the 200 free and was told that I still had to go through the waitlist! Instead, I had to swap the 800 free for the 50 free.

RE: 2026 Summer Nationals event cap

Jennifer Tran — Sun, 02 Aug 2026 16:08:49 GMT

Was there no cap in 2013?

RE: National Events Picker tool

Jennifer Tran — Sun, 02 Aug 2026 15:49:30 GMT

Thank you for taking a look! Please let me know if you have any feedback or feature requests :) I'm thinking a lot about how it would be a useful tool for event development - right in time for Relay!

National Events Picker tool

Jennifer Tran — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 22:57:10 GMT

I've created a Nationals Event Picker, by special request, at a coffee hangout post-practice. Just in time before 2026 Summer Nationals registration ends on July 13th.

The Nationals Event Picker helps you select events to register for at Summer or Spring Nationals, recommended based on your likelihood of earning a Top 10 medal, using data from the last three years of Nationals.

Go to https://www.tryopenlane.com/ -> Enter your USMS ID or your profile (if you have an account and have saved it) -> Nationals Event Picker tab.

On the Nationals Event Picker page, you can add various filters, including LCM/SCY events, specify the maximum number of events, compare your times by age group (useful for those moving up), and compare different types of personal best times (default shows all of your events with your personal bests that you've swum in the last two years. You can also choose to compare with your last swum times, your personal bests in your current age group, or your overall personal bests.). You can use this to plan for any Nationals at any time.

Events are shown with the following labels:

Highly Likely:
Less than 10 swimmers in your age group swam these events at Nationals in at least 2 of the last 3 years. Finish legally, and you will likely score in the Top 10'

Likely:
Your time is better than the 10th place finishers at Nationals from the last 3 years

Stretch:
Your time sits between recent 10th-place cuts. Some years you're in the 10th-place cut; some years you're out.

Long Shot:
Your time is much slower than every recent 10th place.

Specifically, for LCM Summer Nationals, you can select the days you'll attend the 2026 USMS Nationals in Sacramento, and it will recommend events corresponding to those days. For example, I'll attend the 2026 USMS Nationals on Thursday and Saturday, and by default, My profile recommends 200 breast and 400 free, since I have swum them at least once in the past two years, and since 10 swimmers or fewer typically swim them. It recommends the 50 free, but also advises me that, based on my personal best in the last two years, it's a long shot for me to get into the Top 10 and how much faster I need to swim to get a Top 10.

The descriptions provide me with data on how many swimmers have swum them in the past three Summer Nationals and, if more than 10 swimmers register, how far away I am from the typical Top 10 cut.

Any feedback is welcome!

P.S. It's a bummer that many mid-distance and distance events are currently capped for the 2026 Summer Nationals, but don't be afraid to add yourself to a waitlist for an event you're highly likely to medal in.

RE: National Events Picker tool

no200fly — Mon, 27 Jul 2026 20:11:47 GMT

Jennifer - Your openlane app is so cool. Thanks for sharing it.

RE: 2026 Summer Nationals event cap

Kurt Dickson — Mon, 27 Jul 2026 02:12:29 GMT

I guess I do not care either way. The knowledge of past caps and a summer nationals in a popular location such as California make it sort of a rookie move not to enter early if you swim 200 and above (apologies to the actual rookies who were shut out). My 1500 in 2013 at Mission Viejo finished after or right around 9pm. Understandable if they don't want 14 hour days. Now if they had the will/bucks/volunteers to split in to two 7 hour shifts on longer days, that would be another story. With that kind of will/bucks/volunteers, you could probably also put 1500 first day and 800 last day and let people swim both.

RE: 2026 Summer Nationals event cap

0A0SE — Sat, 25 Jul 2026 13:50:32 GMT

I was caught completely off guard by the caps. The caps should have been communicated clearly when registration opened. I entered the 800 free shortly after registration opened and did not get in, put my name on the waitlist and just learned that I didn't get in when Psych sheets came out. At that point I asked if I could enter the 50 fly as a substitute and was told "no." There are 2 heats of the 800 free in my age group. The real competition is not in the pool for this event, but who can register the fastest. I understand needing to manage a timeline, I hope there will be more transparent, early communication about caps in the future.

RE: World Aquatics 2025 Top Ten Announced

Kurt Dickson — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 15:54:14 GMT

World aquatics is pretty persnickety. If time was done at non masters meet or one that allows one event entry it can be disallowed. Somebody at USMS office could probably tell you why. I can't remember contact but my 1500 last year was disallowed because the meet allowed for one event entry.

RE: World Aquatics 2025 Top Ten Announced

09433 — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 14:30:35 GMT

Who do we contact if the list is wrong? I should be ranked #1 in the 100 fly and #2 in the 200 fly but all my other rankings showed up just fine. 😩

RE: World Aquatics 2025 Top Ten Announced

Allen Stark — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 18:41:05 GMT

Thank you

RE: World Aquatics 2025 Top Ten Announced

Elaine Krugman — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 18:37:18 GMT

Congratulations to King Frog (Allen Stark) for placing 4th in LCM 100 breaststroke (75-79)!

RE: World Aquatics Top Ten

BethanyBurchill — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 13:49:57 GMT

We were notified by World Aquatics today that the 2025 Top Ten has posted. Congratulations to all athletes making the list!

https://www.worldaquatics.com/masters/top-10/scm-2030-2021 (SCM)

https://www.worldaquatics.com/masters/top-10/lcm-2030-2021 (LCM)

World Aquatics Top Ten

JKD6X — Fri, 17 Apr 2026 17:23:16 GMT

Does anyone know the usual publication schedule for World Aquatics Top Ten? I know 2024 was very delayed and come out quite late in the year last year, but when is the normal publication?

RE: 2026 Summer Nationals event cap

sarahwelch — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 21:44:37 GMT

You've stated your 'position'. I'd like to request that the NO or the Championship Committee do an analysis of the application of caps at LCM Nationals (say over the past 20 years). Year, meet, location, and how many days the meet ran 1) when was the cap imposed - days from cutoff, 2) what events were capped, eg 'distance' 1,500 and 800, the 400's if different, and the 200 events.3) the projected timeline at the day caps were imposed and the final timeline once waitlist swimmers are moved into the meet, 4) number of people per event moved from the waitlist to the event, 5 ) and comparative data for how long the meet 'should be' for each day--this info would show if the planning parameters have changed. That's what I can think of right now to have a transparent approach to something that seems like such a big change and such an impact on our athletes. I'm happy to discuss my ideas with the NO staff or championship committee members. You know where to find me. Thanks for considering. Sarah

RE: 2026 Summer Nationals event cap

Erin Sizelove — Mon, 13 Jul 2026 15:08:49 GMT

We understand that having to cap entries is not a popular option. The caps are put in place to ensure that the meet is enjoyable and manageable for those participating and the volunteers. The possibility of caps on 200s and longer is in the rule book and the published meet information. From 104.5.3.C(2), the Championship Committee may choose to put an entry cap on events 200 yards/meters and longer.

We are excited that many people entered early. However, this meant that caps needed to go in place earlier. We are continuing to look for other ways to limit the timelines for future National meets. We do appreciate your feedback.

RE: 2026 Summer Nationals event cap

sarahwelch — Thu, 09 Jul 2026 13:42:55 GMT

I too find the early caps a complete surprise. At least one of my colleagues of international ranking didn't enter the meet b/c she was locked out of 3 of her 6 events. I've never seen waitlists, esp this early, for past meets. This occurred 4 weeks prior to the meet closing. This feels like an impactful change on USMS or the Meet Host's part, one that warranted advance notice IMO. Is it due to considerations of hot days for officials? If so notice would have been nice. I'm also interested in seeing how the waitlists play out in the end. Will this turn out to be a 'false alarm' and people miss Nat'ls as a result, or was it warranted and we just need earlier notice and good communication in the future. Waiting to see....

RE: 2026 Summer Nationals event cap

Jennifer Tran — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 18:43:49 GMT

I'm disappointed that the longer events have already been capped. I registered early and was able to enter all of my top events (200 breaststroke and 400 freestyle), but some of my teammates were caught off guard, especially since the cap didn't apply in the past.

Like you, I would like to hear about the time constraints USMS is facing and to participate in an open forum to propose solutions for this and the upcoming Summer Nationals!