Just a reminder that as of Sept 23, 2009 the "distance" Relay Events for Long and Short Course Meters are eligible for FINA Masters World Records. These events include the 400 Free, 400 Medley and 800 Free for Men, Women and Mixed. Standard World Record documentation is required.
I agree, but USMS is steadfast in holding a "short course meters season" that goes until Dec. 31st. Why can't USMS get aligned with the rest of the world? Trying to swim a meet around Thanksgiving and Christmas is difficult.
Follow Up question on this - how is this going to work - trying to get the right info to my swimmers ?
1) Is it true that relays with swimmers below age 25 are not allowed for FINA records - even if the combined age is 120+ or so (I am guessing because FINA does not recognize them as Masters swimmers) ???? Which would have been good to know prior to this weekend .....
2) Who will get FINA certificates ? IF there was no existing record - will everybody who completed the relay get a FINA certificate ? If there was a record, will every team who broke the record get a certificate ?
Erik,
I can only throw out an answer to question #1. Relays with swimmers less than 25 years old are not qualified to hold any FINA record, period, end of story. I believe it happened to a couple of the relays at the NorCal champs, they won the event, had 18-20somethings ('cause they were all 25+.
Follow Up question on this - how is this going to work - trying to get the right info to my swimmers ?
1) Is it true that relays with swimmers below age 25 are not allowed for FINA records - even if the combined age is 120+ or so (I am guessing because FINA does not recognize them as Masters swimmers) ???? Which would have been good to know prior to this weekend .....
2) Who will get FINA certificates ? IF there was no existing record - will everybody who completed the relay get a FINA certificate ? If there was a record, will every team who broke the record get a certificate ?
FINA does not recognize any swimmer under age 25. This is not just for the new relay events. All relays submitted for FINA Top10 and Records must have all swimmers 25 and older.
As for the FINA Record Certificates and the new distance relays, only teams that become record holders will get certificates. This is different than the policy on individual events and the 200 m. distance relays where "record breakers" get certificates. With the distance relays there was no record to break so the FINA Masters Committee agreed with my proposal to only give certificates to record holders. This means that I wait 60 days after the swim to submit the request for certificates just to make sure no one has done it faster.
Walt Reid
FINA Masters Recorder
