Australian Masters Nats?? CRAZY FAST!!!

I agree 100%. I'd like to see us "flip" the seasons and have the May Nationals SCM and transform the Fall regional meets to SCY. This borders on slander, coming from someone who should know that the only real racing (as opposed to swimming) in a pool is SCY. SCM is just a freaky un-American activity... LOL

For those who really want to compete in an SCM meet, there is the Pan American Championships (UANA) meet that will be held in Veracruz, Mexico at the end of October. This will be the first Masters Pan American Championships that will be held in an SCM meet format.Talk about soft records - there are no records. Show everyone the demand for a SCM meet by creating a large contingent of Norte Americanos who will compete at the SCM meet. If there are 600-800 US swimmers competing that will certainly get the Championship Committee's attention. And you dont have to fake a championship name - it is a real championship. If you come in first you are the Pan American Champion in your age group and you have the meet record. Not only that, the Spanish you pick up there will help you at the 2010 US Masters Swimming Long Course Championships that are being held in Puerto Rico. GO FOR IT. -michael current 400m FR and 800m Fr Pan American Champion in the 55-59 age group Any links available?

I like your approach, but if it succeeds, we still have the facility problem. Where in the entire US is there a complex that can run 2 SCM courses plus warm up lanes? Stanford in the Belardi Pool -michael

For those who really want to compete in an SCM meet, there is the Pan American Championships (UANA) meet that will be held in Veracruz, Mexico at the end of October. This will be the first Masters Pan American Championships that will be held in an SCM meet format.Talk about soft records - there are no records. Show everyone the demand for a SCM meet by creating a large contingent of Norte Americanos who will compete at the SCM meet. If there are 600-800 US swimmers competing that will certainly get the Championship Committee's attention. And you dont have to fake a championship name - it is a real championship. If you come in first you are the Pan American Champion in your age group and you have the meet record. Not only that, the Spanish you pick up there will help you at the 2010 US Masters Swimming Long Course Championships that are being held in Puerto Rico. GO FOR IT. -michael current 400m FR and 800m Fr Pan American Champion in the 55-59 age group

Any links available? You aren't 45 yet are you? OK, then I'll post the link. www.asua-aquatics.org/.../2panmaster1.htm

I'm all for having a SCM National Championship and like Jeff's suggestion of rotating seasons as an option. However, I think the current "standard" SCY season is too long so that we could aim for a SCM Nationals in the early December time period (like when all the big regional meets are now) and have three nationals meets per year. Those folks who like to stick with the measurement rules that Mother England gave us a few hundred years ago can still be happy with having an SCY champs. While I recognize that Mel's suggestion of going through the rules/proper chain of command is the "official" way to do this, that seems too slow and antiquated to me. I think that the Power of Marketing and an entrepreneurial approach can be applied here in two simple steps: Someone call the Grunions and convince them to rename their December meet to the "Unofficial American SCM Masters Champs" or something so that it doesn't infringe on any USMS trademarks, etc. Publish the flyer, market the meet and make it so Maybe this would inspire others to create competing meets, each trying to outdo the other (better venue, more attractive order of events, location, etc.) to become the official unofficial SCM champs, etc. so that we let the "market" create the meet rather than the bureaucracy. I like your approach, but if it succeeds, we still have the facility problem. Where in the entire US is there a complex that can run 2 SCM courses plus warm up lanes?

Stanford in the Belardi Pool -michael OK, then its settled. Michael Moore is in charge of implementing a faux "Championship" SCM meet at Stanford next spring. Everyone needs to support the concept and attend the meet. Legislation to formalize the concept will follow.

For those who really want to compete in an SCM meet, there is the Pan American Championships (UANA) meet that will be held in Veracruz, Mexico at the end of October. This will be the first Masters Pan American Championships that will be held in an SCM meet format.Talk about soft records - there are no records. Show everyone the demand for a SCM meet by creating a large contingent of Norte Americanos who will compete at the SCM meet. If there are 600-800 US swimmers competing that will certainly get the Championship Committee's attention. And you dont have to fake a championship name - it is a real championship. If you come in first you are the Pan American Champion in your age group and you have the meet record. Not only that, the Spanish you pick up there will help you at the 2010 US Masters Swimming Long Course Championships that are being held in Puerto Rico. GO FOR IT. -michael current 400m FR and 800m Fr Pan American Champion in the 55-59 age group Hmmm, I have 4 free tickets on Delta I need to use and my daughters love Mexico.