Per USMS rules “Open water events restricted to USMS members, one-event registrants and Masters swimming members of a FINA member federation.” We do allow events to be dual sanctioned with USA Swimming. So the event either needed to apply for both USA Swimming and USMS sanctions or not run the youth division when the Masters were swimming.I assume this inability to include all ages under the USMS OW sanction is due to insurance? As a father of swimmers, I love, love, love events where my kids and I can swim (e.g., La Jolla Rough Water Swim and, at times in the past, various OW events in Arizona). I think the all ages atmosphere is great for the event experience for everyone, but also great for future recruiting for USMS. Though I don't have specifics, I have heard rumors that it is even harder to get USAS sanctioning for an OW event.
Is there a separate insurance reason and cost why USMS OW sanctioning can not also include under 18 year olds?
Or, is this more of a 'strategic' reason that, since USMS starts with 18 year olds, we want to have all of our events focused on our 'target market?'
I'd just like to understand what the barriers are to an easy-to-implement all ages OW race.
Per USMS rules “Open water events restricted to USMS members, one-event registrants and Masters swimming members of a FINA member federation.” We do allow events to be dual sanctioned with USA Swimming. So the event either needed to apply for both USA Swimming and USMS sanctions or not run the youth division when the Masters were swimming.I assume this inability to include all ages under the USMS OW sanction is due to insurance? As a father of swimmers, I love, love, love events where my kids and I can swim (e.g., La Jolla Rough Water Swim and, at times in the past, various OW events in Arizona). I think the all ages atmosphere is great for the event experience for everyone, but also great for future recruiting for USMS. Though I don't have specifics, I have heard rumors that it is even harder to get USAS sanctioning for an OW event.
Is there a separate insurance reason and cost why USMS OW sanctioning can not also include under 18 year olds?
Or, is this more of a 'strategic' reason that, since USMS starts with 18 year olds, we want to have all of our events focused on our 'target market?'
I'd just like to understand what the barriers are to an easy-to-implement all ages OW race.
