Competitions Explained
When you join a swim club and enter this new world at the pool, we know that it can be overwhelming for parents. You may have so many questions that you don't even know where to begin! One of those questions is probably around Swim Meets and Competitions and which ones your swimmers should attend, which ones they are qualified for, and what is the difference between all the swim meets and events that are posted on the website.
Below is a breakdown of the different types of Swim Meets and Competitions that will happen in our own WDSC community, the Lower Mainland Region, the Province of BC, as well as competitions that take place on the National and International stages!
**One thing to remember, just as we practice and repeat skills in training everyday, our swimmers also need to practice how to race. Our WDSC coaches recommend that your swimmer attend every racing opportunity that your group is offered, or as many as possible. Racing and swimming fast are some of the most fun aspects of this sport!
Different Types of Competitions
WDSC Mini-Meets
Our WDSC Mini-Meets are the first racing opportunity that your swimmer will participate in when they become a WDSC swimmer. It is an interclub meet, run by our coaches with the support of our WDSC parents, and is a chance for your swimmer to learn the rules around racing, to compete in a safe and comfortable environment with only othe WDSC members and to have some fun with their teammates.
PASS Meets
PASS Meets are the first level of competition where there is a suggested standard that a swimmer must have met in order to compete. The standard for PASS Meets this season is:
100 IM under 2:10 completed legally*
*A legally swum event is when the swimmer is able to perform the stroke and skills without doing something that may get them disqualified in a sanctioned swim meet.
PASS Meets will include swimmers from other clubs, and is the last step in competition before your swimmer starts participating in sancitioned Swim BC competitions.
LMR Level Competitions
To attend an LMR level competition your swimmer must have achieved the following standard:
Under 4:00 in the 200 IM
LMR competitions are offered by teams across the Lower Mainland Region, with multiple swim clubs attending each competition. The results that swimmers achieve at these competitions are their first official results of their swimming career. This is also the first time that swimmers may be disqualified in a race (DQed) due to performing a skill or stroke incorrectly.
Invitational Level Competitions
Invitational Swim Meets are competitions which may have their own set of standards in each event that swimmers must achieve in order to attend. Majority of Invitationals are done in a prelims and finals format, with the top 8 or 10 swimmers in each event from the prelims sessions qualifying for the finals. Invitationals bring together the top swimmers in the province or the country to compete against each other in a competitive and dynamic atmosphere.
Swim BC
Championships
Swim BC hosts two levels of championship competitions twice during the year (once during short course (SCM) and once during long course (LCM) season):
Swim BC Divisional Championships
Swim BC Provincial Championships
Swimmers need to achieve certain time standards across multiple events to qualify for each championship meet. When swimmers qualify for the provincial level meets they are considered some of the top swimmers in the province.
National Level Competitions
When swimmers reach the top level in the sport of swimming they have qualified for meets that are hosted on the national and international level. During the 2022/23 season the national meet calendar is here on the Swimming Canada Website.