Are Open Water events more popular than Pool events?
Former Member
It’s undeniable that the popularity of open water swimming has risen dramatically in the last few years. But when looking for a LCM meet to swim in, I saw an interesting trend on the USMS Calendar.
www.usms.org/.../calendar.php
Here in the Colonies Zone, there are three pool meets listed (two were last weekend and the other is in October) and TEN open water events. In the Great Lakes Zone, there are ZERO pool meets (not counting LCM Nationals in Indy) and seven open water events. These kinds of numbers are similar in virtually all the Zones.
Has open water swimming officially passed pool swimming in popularity?
I'd really like to know the answer to this one. I do know this is true as I've had to search LMSC websites (which are not always intuitive to find or navigate) to find meets to travel to that didn't appear on the USMS website. I generally have a limited number of weekends when I can get a meet in, but am willing to travel to do so. It would be nice if all USMS sanctioned meets across the country were listed on the USMS calendar events, both pool and OW.
I know in some cases, Meet Directors post to there Local LMSC sites and do not bother with the Calendar of Events. I think the thinking is they will have more swimmers locally and don't bother with filling out the necessary information to get the meet flyer posted on the site.
I'm with Patrick on this, I see no reason not to send the information into the national database (it certainly can't HURT attendance, anyway). It doesn't even have to be the meet director, from what I recall; at least, I know I did it for one of the meets in Virginia. It was online and took something like 1 minute.
I'd really like to know the answer to this one. I do know this is true as I've had to search LMSC websites (which are not always intuitive to find or navigate) to find meets to travel to that didn't appear on the USMS website. I generally have a limited number of weekends when I can get a meet in, but am willing to travel to do so. It would be nice if all USMS sanctioned meets across the country were listed on the USMS calendar events, both pool and OW.
I know in some cases, Meet Directors post to there Local LMSC sites and do not bother with the Calendar of Events. I think the thinking is they will have more swimmers locally and don't bother with filling out the necessary information to get the meet flyer posted on the site.
I'm with Patrick on this, I see no reason not to send the information into the national database (it certainly can't HURT attendance, anyway). It doesn't even have to be the meet director, from what I recall; at least, I know I did it for one of the meets in Virginia. It was online and took something like 1 minute.
