Galas explained

Swimming galas have a terminology all of their own and it can all be very confusing at the start.  Do have a look through the glossary, where many of the terms (cards, BAGCAT, NQT, open, etc) used are explained.  Also speak to someone who has more experience.

Do look at the guides to competition: mind | nutrition | preparation and USA Swimming's Speedo tips of the week.

Club galas - for club members only e.g. our club championships, long distance championships and time trials. Our club championships are in he late Autumn usually

Inter-club galas - informal competitions between clubs.  Not so much used these days, as leagues have taken over as the focus for inter-club competition.

Leagues - we belong to the Speedo, Hants & South Coast.  These are groups of clubs arranged in a league table who compete in Rounds to determine the placings.  Each has its own set of rules, far too complicated to describe here!

Open galas (or 'events' or 'meets') - these are for entry on an individual basis by swimmers. There are different grades of meet.  They are usually subject to qualifying times in order to control the number of entrants, and entry should be in consultation with the swimmer’s coach. The club selects a number of such galas for club swimmers to enter as a group, both as part of the training programme and to provide fun for the swimmers.

Borough, County, District, National - competitions for all the swimmers in the relevant geographic area (note for those who do not live in Surrey, a dispensation will be sought to enable our swimmers to compete in the Surrey County Championships).  Our County and District boundaries are changing in 2005.  As soon as we have more information about the implications of this, we will communicate it.

Designated meets - these are open or other galas which meet strict ASA rules.  Only times from these meets are sufficient for District and National competitions.

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