The FINA Bureau approved the dates, the schedule of events and the qualifying times for the XI FINA Masters Championships that will be held at the Avery Aquatic Center, Stanford University, Stanford California - August 4 - 17, 2006
Qualifying Times
The qualifying times are now posted. These times are easier than the USMS Long course times, however, remember if you do not swim at or faster than the qualify time you will receive "no time" for your effort - your swim will not count.
Schedule of Events
The schedule of events is up. The swimming portion will take place August 4th through 10th; and will include a day of relays. The open water swim will be on August 11th. There are also schedules for the other aquatic disciplines.
Hotel Rooms
The organizing committee has been working with a destination management company to get hotels at a good rate for swimmers. Those rates are only available if you book through the Internet portal that has been set up that has been set up or if you call the toll free number. Once to the home page of the hotel registration select your stay dates and number of guests in the room first then you will get a list of available hotels.(Also the Internet portal works best with IE 5.01 and IE 6.0+) .
Web Site
All of the above information can be found at the XI FINA World Masters Championship web site - www.2006FINAMasters.org .
Vacation destination
San Francisco and northern California is one of the premeire tourist destinations in the world. Besides the great swimming venue, there will be many day trips scheduled for you or your significant other (or children). This will be a great time to plan a vacation to the golden state.
The Organizing Committee is working on days trips and discounted airfares. Announcements will be made as the plans are made final.
michael
Michael W. Moore, president
XI FINA World Masters Championships - 2006
Stanford Unversity
Stanford California
You need to compete in a sanctioned Masters meet within a particular time period. Since it is about one year from this meet, I would start entering meets now to determine what QTs you have met.
Once the times are recorded by USMS, your QTs are validated.
Qualifying times for the XI FINA World Masters Championships are a little different that NQTs for USMS Championships. For the FINA championships, you must achieve the Q time or faster for your time to be recorded. If you swim slower, your time will be be recorded.
Thus, if the Q time was 32.00 seconds and you swam 31s at every race for the year preceding the championships, then swam a 32.50 at the Championships, your time would not count.
Any conversely, if you swam 33s at every meet before the championships, then came to the meet tapered and shaved (or drunk as a skunk) then swam a 31.50 your time would count and you would be eligible for a medal.
You do not have to swim the time before the meet in a long course pool. It would help great if you did swim the event in a long course pool so you know about what your time will be and it will help also greatly if you do write down a time that is close to what you will achieve as the best competition - and the most exciting to watch - is when a heat all hits the wall at about the same time.
michael
chairman, XI FINA World Masters Championships
Thank you for taking time to respond, Michael and Michael. I really appreciate it. I search for, click on, and read everything I can. Haven't joined the local USMS just yet because of upcoming ankle surgery.
Hopefully it wont affect my swimming too much. I have no intention though of racing with a flipper that isn't completely healed...
Originally posted by michaelmoore
Qualifying times for the XI FINA World Masters Championships are a little different that NQTs for USMS Championships. For the FINA championships, you must achieve the Q time or faster for your time to be recorded. If you swim slower, your time will be be recorded.
Thus, if the Q time was 32.00 seconds and you swam 31s at every race for the year preceding the championships, then swam a 32.50 at the Championships, your time would not count.
Any conversely, if you swam 33s at every meet before the championships, then came to the meet tapered and shaved (or drunk as a skunk) then swam a 31.50 your time would count and you would be eligible for a medal.
You do not have to swim the time before the meet in a long course pool. It would help great if you did swim the event in a long course pool so you know about what your time will be and it will help also greatly if you do write down a time that is close to what you will achieve as the best competition - and the most exciting to watch - is when a heat all hits the wall at about the same time.
michael
chairman, XI FINA World Masters Championships
I've read your response at least five times. Let me make sure I understand it. I don't need to swim the Q time or faster prior to the event. Just show up and swim faster than the Q time at the event and I'm eligible for a medal.
This can't be correct I must be missing something. Why have the Q times? This waters down the competiton to much and what is the point in attending a meet like that? Please correct me if I'm not understanding. Thanks, Jeff
Mary has it right. You do not have to make any real time for the FINA Masters. I entered three events in Italy, the 200, 400 free and 400 IM. I knew I was close on my time in the 400 free, the 200 free I was worried about and the 400 IM I thought I had.
When I got to the world's I got my 400 free time by four seconds, the 400 IM I was over by six seconds and the time was not recorded. Since the 200 was last I was worried I would not get that time as well but did by two seconds.
I think they actually give you a DQ by your name if you don't make the times. I like the way they do it since it gave me something to shoot for, I also did personal bests in all three events, though wish I could have done a better IM.
