Now that we have completed this year’s County Championships, here is a brief over-view of how it went. 27/28 January – LAC The weekend ran well with only a few minor hiccups. Despite that, we managed to finish within the allotted time and not incur a fine for running over. The temperature in the call room was an issue and we have spoken with the pool regarding the fact that some swimmers were overheating. The heat in the AOE suite was also unbearable at some points so this is clearly...

More swimmers than ever before will be invited to compete at a new-look 2024 GoCardless Swim England National Summer Meet. The increased number of entries has been revealed as the qualification window for the British Summer Championships and the corresponding home nations meets was confirmed. For the first time, the National Summer Meet will be held over six days, with a change to the format of previous years. The changes have been introduced to ‘give a better competition experience’ for swimmers, coaches, officials and parents’. Selection for the summer competitions...

The dates for Swim England’s national swimming events in 2024 have been confirmed. Headlining the schedule is the five-day GoCardless National Summer Meet, which will take place at Sheffield’s Ponds Forge International Pool between Tuesday 30 July and Saturday 3 August. The event attracts more than 1,000 swimmers from clubs across the country, with able bodied and para-swimming athletes are set to compete. It is one of three national swimming events being staged by Swim England throughout 2024. The GoCardless National County Team Championships has been scheduled for Sunday 6...

Water Polo Online Rules Update led by Chris Stephens (Officials Lead WPLG) 4th February 2024 – 17:00 to 18:30 During 2023, World Aquatics introduced a number of new rules in Water Polo. During this online session, Chris Stephens the Officials Lead in the Water Polo Leadership Group will offer a comprehensive explanation of the new rules and their implementation followed by the opportunity for questions. The session, aimed at referees, is also open to other members of the Water Polo community looking to gain a better understanding of the rules....

The Region are delighted to announce the appointment of David Skinner as our new Open Water Swimming Chair. We would like to extend a very warm welcome to David and thank him for joining our volunteer workforce. David is an advocate of the health and wellbeing benefits of aquatic sport for all and the role it can play in helping shape the lives of young people. He is passionate about promoting access to all. David first became involved in aquatic sport as an age group swimmer and later played water...

Swim England has published an updated version of its safeguarding policy and procedures document. The new edition of Wavepower contains a number of important changes which aim to ensure everyone is able to take part in aquatic sports and activities in a safe, positive and enjoyable environment. All Swim England affiliated clubs and organisations are required to adopt Wavepower, which is now a ‘living and breathing’ digital-only document that will be reviewed annually but updated as and when is necessary. The key changes introduced in the latest version cover adult...

A total of 41 athletes have been invited on to British Para-Swimming’s 2023-2024 World Class Programme, off the back of a successful home Para Swimming World Championships and with the 2024 Paralympic Games less than a year away. The list includes a plethora of athletes who have had success at every level of the sport to those who have begun to make impressions on the national and international stages, with a potential eye for a 2028 Paralympic appearance on their radar. Ellie Challis, Jessica-Jane Applegate, Maisie Summers-Newton and Bethany Firth...

Middlesex Development Camps Selection Policy 2023 Swimmers Only swimmers aged 12 by the 31st December 2023 (2011 Born) are eligible for selection. Eligible swimmers must be a member of a MCASA and Swim England affiliated club. Eligible swimmers must have competed at the 2023 Middlesex County Championships (Please see criteria number (g. ii.) for an exemption to this condition). All eligible clubs will be offered a minimum of 2 places (1 boy; 1 girl) at the 2023 series of camps. Eligible swimmers will be selected as the highest-ranking swimmer in...

Background Swim England delivers team manager training in order to equip clubs and volunteers with the skills needed to ensure a safe and effective environment at all competitions and camps outside of your normal club training environment. The existing team manager training covers two modules. Module one for local single day activity and module two for overnight stays and competitions / training camps overseas. Within the team manager training, guidance is shared on the recommended ratios of team managers and coaches to athletes in both scenarios and this has been...