2014 Canadian Nationals

Is this the kind of flexibility you had in mind? No, it was just that I now realize it wasn't a fair demand for somebody to say if Canadian Masters Nationals can permit distance swimmers to swim both, why can't USMS? At this time we don't limit our overall entries and we don't require two-to-a-lane for distance events. If we did either or both of those, we might be able to offer the double as well.

I have a hard time believing that people would be happy with two-per-lane at a USMS national championship.

Add me to the list of people who would be willing to swim 2 per lane in a long course national meet if it allowed me to swim both the 1500 and 800! Heck, I'd even do it short course for the 1650 and 1000. All of the rough water would be good practice for the upcoming open water season, which is my focus anyway :)

Add me to the list of people who would be willing to swim 2 per lane in a long course national meet if it allowed me to swim both the 1500 and 800! At Greensboro SC Nationals they allowed people to swim both 1000 and 1650. I did a quick analysis of the psych sheets and it looks like there were 395 people (combined men and women) who entered at least one distance event, and 78 (19.7%) who entered both. It seems likely to me that not EVERY person who entered both events would be happy with 2 per lane in order to do it, but for the sake of argument let's make that dubious assumption. That means that you are asking 80% of the distance swimmers who do NOT want to enter both events to double up their lanes for the sake of the 20% of the swimmers who want to do both. Is that a fair thing to ask of them? (One can argue that even those distance swimmers who would only swim one event would be willing to swim two-per-lane for the sake of their distance brethren who want to do both.) Of course if the distance events were on different days (like at Maryland, though that is a 5-day meet instead of the usual 4-day format) you might have a lot more than 20% of the people who would enter both events. But it isn't obvious to me that a majority would do so, some people are perfectly content with their 800/1000 split when they do the mile and might rather do other events to get more "bang for their buck."

Other options include: For SCY Nationals, create a 5 day event, with a distance day on each end of the meet, one for the 1000 and one for the 1,650. For LCM, permanently move all Nationals to Stanford where we have two 10 lane 50 meter courses. (Please, Fresnoid, do not chime in and offer 100+ degree Clovis) For either course length, weather permitting, find a city like Mesa or Clovis where the distance day can be run in two pools with men in one pool and women in another, but offering both events (1000 and 1650) at each pool. I like the extra day option with the 1650 and 1000 at either end. If not, let people enter both, but put them on the same day like in 2009 and let those who are willing prove they are waaaaaay tougher than any sprinter. Clovis North is in Fresno, not Clovis. So is Clovis West, host for US Swimming LC Nationals in 1987 and 1998. What's the problem with coming here in the summer? You're in the water when you race so the air temp is irrelevant. We'll never be able to use Clovis North for a multiple day event again unless it is summer or spring break. The reason we were allowed to host 09 is the school only had freshmen and sophomores at that point and the district agreed that the facility could accommodate the traffic while school was in session.

Well, actually only 78 of the 395 people (20%) would have to double up on their lanes, not 80% of the distance swimmers, right? Every meet I've been to that has doubled up lanes did so for every swimmer, not just select swimmers. Has anyone here been to meets that do it that way? I'd be curious about the logistics. Would the "doublers" be responsible for providing the extra timers? It all sounds pretty summer league-ish to me, but I guess I wouldn't be affected...

Let's face it, distance swimmers will complain no matter what you do! ...but I still think we're better than sprinters in this regard. You know, maybe distance swimming does something to the brain. The hardcore open-water types seem to have the biggest chips on their shoulders (Rodney Dangerfield style), followed by the distance swimmers. But you're right, sprinters are also pretty diva-ish in their attitudes. It is clear that we mid-D types have the most balanced temperaments among swimmers (which may not be setting the bar very high). And now that I've offended almost everyone... :bolt: PS: hopefully everyone realizes that my tongue was firmly in cheek with the above. Well, except the mid-D comment was completely true.

At Greensboro SC Nationals they allowed people to swim both 1000 and 1650. I did a quick analysis of the psych sheets and it looks like there were 395 people (combined men and women) who entered at least one distance event, and 78 (19.7%) who entered both. It seems likely to me that not EVERY person who entered both events would be happy with 2 per lane in order to do it, but for the sake of argument let's make that dubious assumption. That means that you are asking 80% of the distance swimmers who do NOT want to enter both events to double up their lanes for the sake of the 20% of the swimmers who want to do both. Is that a fair thing to ask of them? Well, actually only 78 of the 395 people (20%) would have to double up on their lanes, not 80% of the distance swimmers, right? And, if selected wisely, I'd bet that doubling up would have little to no impact on the times of those 78 individuals who were selected to share their lane.

The hardcore open-water types seem to have the biggest chips on their shoulders (Rodney Dangerfield style),...Hey, please don’t lump all open water swimmers in the same pond. There are OW sprinters (5K or less), mid-D types (5K-15K) and distance swimmers (25K and more). Here in the OW we have higher standards than you poolies. Also please note it is usually the OW sprinters who have the chip, but it is on their ankles. As for OW whiners, those are only our Ice-Milers who complain when the water gets over 5C. I believe Rob Copeland was at this meet and he swam two to a lane. I remember one of the international meets in Indianapolis, either the 1989 Pan Pacific meet or the 1992 World Meet that swimmers swam the 800 Free two to a lane. It was probably 1992, because I remember this being done in Long Course and not in Short Course.Yes, I remember swimming 2-per lane at LC Nationals, but I can’t recall which meet. It was optional with all the 2-per lanes going first and then the 1-per lanes. I don’t recall any issues with sharing.

After reading replies, my ques. has been answered. Yes USA swimmers can enter this meet. Thanks.