To establish common criteria for the establishment and conduct of swimming events which as a consequence provide swimmers with the opportunity to achieve qualifying standards for ASA National Swimming Events.

Each District shall appoint a Designation Co-ordinator.

Criteria

1. Pools used for designated events should be a minimum of 25 metres long, except with dispensation from the ASA Districts and be of a length which can be interpreted through the use of the ASA Equivalent Performance Tables. The depth of water at the starting end of the pool shall be in accordance with the guidelines issued by the ASA with reference to the safety document "Diving into shallow water". Warm-up marshals must be appointed and warm-up information published.

2. The event organiser shall ensure that anti-turbulence lane lines, starting blocks and turning flags are provided. Designated events, other than distance meets with only 400m, 800m, 1500m freestyle events, shall have electronic timing installed and be operated under ASA Law.

NB Counties who cannot facilitate the provision of electronic timing for County Championships, will be granted dispensation up to 31st December 1999 on application to their District.

3. All officials shall come from a District ASA list of Officials with the exception of timekeepers who may come from a District or County list. All officials shall be offered expenses.

4. All requests for designation, on the standard form, giving details of dates, programme schedule (no session is programmed to last more than 3˝ hours and not more than 7˝ hours of programmed swimming per day) and programme of events should be submitted to the District Designation Co-ordinator by the 31st August, for implementation in the following calendar year (1 Jan-31 December).

5. Counties MUST apply for designation.

6. Designated events, other than National, District and County, must be “open” competition within the laws of the Amateur Swimming Association.

7. All programmes and publicity for designated events will carry the wording - "this event is designated by the ASA for entry into National Competitions and Championships".

8. The District ASA may appoint an observer at designated events for all or part of the event who shall complete a check-list.

9. There will be a standard designation fee payable to the District Amateur Swimming Association. The fee shall be determined by the ASA Committee annually and shall be based on a charge per accepted entry. The agreed fee for designated meets held from 1st September 1998 is 25p per accepted entry, i.e. for each individual event entered and accepted.

10. Counties, National Speedo League Final, British Grand Prix Final and ESSA Individual Championships do not have to pay a fee, but must fulfil the remaining designation criteria.

11. The organiser of a designated event must:-

a) provide a computerised results service;
b) forward a copy of the results on computer disk in a specified format, together with a printed copy, to the ASA National Events Administrator within 5 days of the final event. (This will enable the meet results to be included in the ASA rankings and be used to validate information used on entry forms for national competitions);
c) forward to the District Designation Co-ordinator within 5 days of the final event:-
(i) a copy of the Technical Officials form;
(ii) a copy of the Meet Summary form, together with a cheque for fee payable.

12. Events will not be approved for designation which conflict with events, other than Masters:-

a) promoted by the District;
b) which conflict with Championships or Age Groups of a County in the geographical region and within the County reserved dates, currently week numbers 8 to 14.

13. Counties holding events outside of the reserved period will have no priority over other designated events.

14 The District reserves the right to refuse designation if the Meet Conditions do not provide competition suitable for the purpose of achieving National Qualifying Times.

15 3 weekends will be allocated "free of designation" for Speedo National League fixtures.

16. No District or County events, where a "title" is at stake, will be granted designation during the examination period of weeks 22 to 25.

17. When granting designation, priority will be given to Grand Prix meets held within the District and consideration will be given to ESSA meets.

18. The decision of the District shall be final.

19. Re Warm-up procedures:-

a) please refer to the guidelines in the ASA Handbook;
b) general principles to be printed in the Meet programme;
c) specific procedure to be circulated with cards and to be available on the day.

20. Re H.S.E. - please refer to the guidelines in the ASA Handbook.

design98.crt (June 1998)


Last Revised: 20 Jan 99