Hanover/ASA National Masters Preview

Facilities Town, Pool, Car Parking, Catering, Seating, Other

Programme Sessions, Individual Events, Relays, Specials

Incentives Awards, Level of Competition, Local Heros, Other

Conflicts Other Competitions, Other Events

Restrictions Age, Sex, Qualifying Times, Closed/Invitation, Other

Facilities: Outside, Pool, Car Parking, Catering, Seating, Other

Outside: Town

Sheffield used to be the city of steel. It supplied steel to every part of the world. It has recently installed super-trams. This meant building a new steel bridge which passes in front of Ponds Forge Pool.

Facilities: Pool

Ponds Forge is Britains best competition swimming pool. So this Open competition is a chance use the pool and break a short course record.

The pool is divided into two 25M pools by a movable boom, each pool has Ten Lanes. There are anti-wave lane lines. There are two score-boards, one at each end. The men have one pool and the women have the other. They swap pools in alternate years.

The diving pit is used as a warm-up/swim-down pool.

The larger electronic scoreboard is at the east end and the starting is done from there.

Facilities: Car Parking

Parking is pay and display. There is a pool car park underneath the pool building. and the nearby open air public car park is used. This is shared with shoppers.

There is also free on-road parking on Sundays.

Facilities: Catering

The cafeteria is at first floor level (compared with the pool) and is partitioned off by glass doors from the seating/spectator area which overlooks the pool. It is cooler than poolside. There is a selection of cooked foods and drinks, rolls, sandwiches, cakes and the usual prepackaged foods.

Facilities: Seating

The seating extends around the pool and is not directly accessible to swimmers unless they find the secret staircase. Otherwise they have to go out to the foyer and up the stairs.

Facilities: Other

There is a built-in swim shop

There may also be a swim shop in the competition foyer.

An ASA stand was in the foyer.

Manned by most attractive ladies.

There is a large meeting room upstairs where the Masters Forum was held.

Programme: Sessions, Individual Events, Relays, Specials

Programme: Sessions

There are two sessions: morning and afternoon.

Programme: Individual Events

Programme: Relays

There are relay events, 4 * 1 length mens and womens freestyle and medley relays for 120, 160 and 200 years.

Programme: Specials

There are no special events.

Incentives: Awards, Level of Competition, Local Heros, Other

Incentives: Awards

Awards will be made to the first three placed swimmers in each AGE GROUP for each event.

Individual and Relay medals

Incentives: Level of Competition

The level of competition is at National level with most 'top swimmers' competing.

Incentives: Local Heros

No local heros.

Incentives: Other

There are no other incentives.

Conflicts: Other Competitions, Other Events

Conflicts: Other Competitions

There are no conflicting swimming events.

Conflicts: Other Events

There are no conflicting national events.

Restrictions: Age, Sex, Qualifying Times, Closed/Invitation, Other

Restrictions: Age

Upper limit is Age Group N (85+). Swimmers in older groups will be combined into Group N.

Restrictions: Sex

Same events for men and women.

Restrictions: Qualifying Times

There are qualifying times.

Restrictions: Closed/Invitation

The competition is restricted to swimmers who have been resident in Britain for six months and belong to clubs affiliated to the ASA.

Restrictions: Other

Be warned that this event is heavily subscribed and the competition is intense. Medals are not easy to win, unless you have great talent and/or train very hard.

Competitors may compete for only one club.

Competitors must be registered with the ASA and be a member of an affiliated club.

If they wish to dive in at the start of the race, competitors must have reached the standard of the ASA Racing Start, and must perform a shallow racing dive. They must NOT tumble into the water head first. Competitors may start in the water.

Competitors must make themselves familiar with the emergency exits and vacate the building upon hearing the alarm, should this be necessary.

Competitors must report any hazards that they observe to an official as soon as possible.