Dates
Competition days are August 7-11, 2019
The competition pool will be open for warm-up on Tuesday, August 6, from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m Pacific time. On competition days, the competition pool will be open from 6:00 a.m. until 7:20 a.m. and the warm-up pools will be available from 6:30 a.m. until the conclusion of the final event.
Location
Marguerite Aquatic Center
27474 Casta Del Sol
Mission Viejo, CA 92692
949-380-2552
Hosted By
Meet hosts: Mission Viejo Nadadores and the City of Mission Viejo
Meet directors: Mark Moore and Vivian Pierre
Have Questions?
Please contact the National Office at events@usmastersswimming.org or 1-800-550-SWIM (7946).
Facility
The Marguerite Aquatic Center is home to the Mission Viejo Nadadores. It has an outdoor 50-meter championship pool with eight, 9-foot-wide lanes and a water depth of 2 to 3.5 meters. Also included is a 25-meter by 25-yard diving pool with eight lanes and a 25-yard, four-lane instructional pool for continuous warm-up during the meet. At least one lane for swimmers over age 65 will be available at all times.
Entry
If you cannot enter online, call 1-800-555-SWIM (7946) to provide your entry information. A member services representative will complete the entry for you. Please have your desired events, times, and credit card information available.
Entry Deadline and Surcharge
Mid-May to Tuesday, June 18 at 11:59 p.m., PT* $55**
Wednesday, June 19 to Monday, July 8 at 11:59 p.m., PT* $65**
*Pacific time
**Meet surcharge doesn’t include individual event and relay fees
National Qualifying Times/Number of Events/Sixth Event
Competitors may enter up to three individual events without meeting the national qualifying time (NQT) or a maximum of six events if they meet the NQTs in three of them, i.e. have swum a time equal to or better than the NQTs during the past two years. Exception: All swimmers entering the 1500 must meet the NQT. All swimmers are limited to three individual events per day. All events must include an entry time. If the meet is deemed too large, an athlete’s sixth event will be dropped. On the entry form, indicate this event with a “6” in the designated column. No refunds will be given if the sixth event is dropped. Note: the sixth event is likely to be dropped based on high attendance at this venue for previous USMS national championships and the eight-lane competition course. A decision on the sixth event will be announced at usms.org by July 12, 2019. If a swimmer enters an event with a time significantly slower or faster than that swimmer's recorded time in the previous two years, the Championship Committee may, after a discussion with the swimmer, change the seeded time to a realistic time.
Eligibility
Participants must be registered Masters swimmers and at least 18 years of age as of August 6, 2019. Swimmers turning 18 after the meet entry deadline and by August 6, 2019, must enter the meet by the meet entry deadline and register for USMS either before or on August 6, 2019.
If a swimmer wishes to affiliate with a Masters club, the club and swimmer must both be registered with the same Local Masters Swimming Committee (LMSC). If there are questions about affiliation, the swimmer will be entered with the affiliation “UC” (Unattached).
International entries are subject to verification and may require additional documentation. Please submit a copy of your Masters Registration card/letter from your governing body to events@usmastersswimming.org. Verification is required at the time of online entry. If you do not present verification, you will not be permitted to swim in the competition.
Age Groups
Age for the meet is determined as of December 31, 2019, except for 18-year-olds, who must be 18 by August 6. Age groups for individual events: 18–24, 25–29, 30–34, 35–39 … (five-year increments as high as necessary). Relay events: 72–99, 100–119, 120–159, 160–199, 200–239, 240–279, 280–319, 320–359, 360–399 … (40-year increments as high as necessary). The aggregate age of the four relay team members shall determine the age group.
Registration
Prior to warm-ups or competition, all participants must register at the meet by signing an emergency card, safety information statement, and liability release. Registration will be held at the Marguerite Aquatic Center on Tuesday, August 6, from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., and on all other days from 6 a.m. through the end of competition.
Seeding
Men’s heats will precede women’s heats for each event, except that men’s and women’s heats may be seeded together for the 400, 800, and 1500 freestyle events. The 1500 and 800 freestyle events will be seeded slowest to fastest by entry time, regardless of age. The 400 freestyle and 400 IM may be seeded slowest to fastest by entry time, regardless of age. The 200-meter events will be deck seeded and may be seeded by entry time, regardless of age, for each sex. All 50 and 100 events will be preseeded by age group, with the oldest age groups first, slowest to fastest within each group. All seeding decisions will be announced at usms.org by July 15, 2019.
Distance Events (800/1500)
*Swimmers may enter the 800 freestyle or 1500 freestyle, but not both. All swimmers entering the 1500 must meet the NQT.
Fees
Fees are $6 per individual event, plus a surcharge per swimmer. The surcharge varies according to date of entry (see Entry Deadlines and Surcharge). Refund requests must be submitted to the National Office at events@usmastersswimming.org or 1-800-555-SWIM (7946) by July 15. No refunds will be given for events not swum. Relay-only swimmers must enter and pay the meet surcharge by the entry deadline.