Competitions Explained

Levels of Meets:

Level 1 = Long course (50m) only and cover National, Regional and County Championships. Minimum qualifying times are required to enter.

Level 2 = High level Short course (25m) competitions that include National, Regional and County Championships. Minimum qualifying times are required to enter.

Level 3 = Long or Short course events. Most of these events require qualifying times to enter. They also provide the opportunity to gain times to qualify for level 1 or 2 meets.

Level 4 = Entry level, short course events. Provides opportunities for swimmers to experience competitions outside of the club environment (Open Meets). Times achieved here provide results to enter at level 3 meets.

Note:
- National Qualification may only be obtained at Level 1 or 2 Meets or equivalent.
- Regional Qualification may only be obtained at Level 3 or higher.
- County ASA Qualification may be obtained at Level 4 or higher.

Results:

All results from licensed competitions will be circulated via email and posted on Swim England Rankings. Here you can track progress and see where swimmers rank in the county, region and nation.

County, Regional & National Competitions

Please note this is for guidance only and the meet conditions need to be referred to in case there are changes.

Oxfordshire & North Buckinghamshire (ONB) County Championships

  • Swimmers must have achieved the consideration time during the 12 months normally ending on 6th December YYYY. These times must have been achieved at licensed meets (Level 1 – 4) and be included in the Ranking Database at the date of entering
  • Age as at: 31st December
  • Age groups: 10/11, 12, 13,14,15,16+
  • https://uk.teamunify.com/team/onbc/page/swimming/county-championships-2024

Winter Regionals (South East)

  • All submitted times must be shown in Rankings and have been achieved in a level 1, 2 or 3 licensed meet in the calendar year (i.e. since 1st January).
  • Submitted times may be either short or long course times.
  • Ages as at 31st December.
  • It is an open event so there is only one set of ”consideration” and “automatic” qualifying times (i.e. no age groups).

Summer Regionals (South East)

  • Age as at 31 December.
  • Age groups – 11/12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17/18+.
  • Submitted times may be either short or long course. All times must be shown in Rankings published by the ASA and set in competitions licensed at level 1, 2 or 3.
  • All submitted entry times must have been achieved since 1st June.

National SC Championships (December)

  • Short Course entry times must appear in the Swimming Rankings from Licensed 2 Meets since 1st December.
  • Age groups: Open.

British and English Nationals (Summer)

  • Age groups – British - Male/Female 13/14, 15, 16, 17/18, 19+
  • Age groups – English - Male athletes aged 13/14, 15, 16, 17, and 18+, and for Female athletes aged 12/13, 14, 15, 16, and 17+
  • Ages at midnight on 31st December.
  • Only times achieved in a 50m pool are accepted for entry, no converted times will be accepted.
  • In general the Qualifying Window runs from mid March to the end of May.  They do vary each year.  Following the closure of the Qualifying Window, invitations will be sent to swimmers.  Top 24 to British and the following 24 to home country (England, Scotland, Wales).  (Lower number of entries into distances events).

Other Competitons: ​Types of Events / Meets

  • Thame Swimming Club (TSC) Championships – is held in September each year. Coaches expect all swimmers to enter.
  • Licensed Open Meets – Throughout the season the club will attend various open meets.  There are different levels of open meet and an explanation of the licensing levels is set out above.  The coaches will advise which meets swimmers should enter.  Entry will be via the club website and one club entry will be submitted to the host club.
     
  • BBATT - (Bourne End, Didcot Barramundi, Aylesbury, Thame & Tring Swimming Clubs) – a licensed meet involving the above 5 clubs which Coaches expect all swimmers to enter.
  • Chiltern League (CL) – This is a team event. There are 3 galas between February and April each year. Selection for the teams is by the coaches.