Your Guide to Swimming Competitions

The world of swimming competitions is an exciting journey that allows swimmers to challenge themselves and progress through the sport. All official competitions are licensed by Swim England to ensure fair and consistent standards. This guide explains the different levels of meets and the main championships our swimmers work towards.

When Can My Child Start Competing? Officially, swimmers can enter licensed open meets from the year they turn 9. However, swimmers aged 8 can get their first taste of racing at our internal Club Championships and time trials (which are licensed as Level 4 meets).

The Four Levels of Licensed Meets

Swim England grades competitions into four levels. As a swimmer develops, they will progress up through the levels.

  • Level 4 Meets

    • Purpose: The perfect starting point for new or inexperienced swimmers.

    • Pool Size: Can be 25m or 50m.

    • Key Fact: This level includes our Club Championships and time trials. It's designed to give swimmers their first official race times, which they can then use to enter Level 3 meets and the County Championships.

  • Level 3 Meets

    • Purpose: To help swimmers achieve times for entry into County and Regional Championships.

    • Pool Size: Can be 25m (Short Course) or 50m (Long Course).

    • Key Fact: These are the most common type of "Open Meets" our swimmers attend. They often have Upper Qualifying Times (UQTs), meaning you can't be too fast to enter, ensuring swimmers compete against others of a similar ability.

  • Level 2 Meets

    • Purpose: A higher-level competition for swimmers aiming for National Qualifying Times.

    • Pool Size: Strictly 25m (Short Course) only.

    • Key Fact: These include the Regional and National Winter Championships.

  • Level 1 Meets

    • Purpose: The highest level of meet, for swimmers targeting top-end County, Regional, and National times.

    • Pool Size: Strictly 50m (Long Course) only.

    • Key Fact: These include the British Summer Championships and other major national events.

Understanding "Age Groups"

You'll see two types of age criteria for meets, which is very important for knowing which age group your swimmer falls into:

  • Age at 31st December: This is the standard for all major championships (County, Regional, National). Your swimmer's age group for the entire competition is their age on the last day of the year the competition takes place.

  • Age on the Day: Some Level 3 open meets use this. It's simply the swimmer's age on the day of the meet itself.

The AST Competitive Pathway

This is the typical journey a swimmer takes as they progress in the sport.

Step 1: Club Competitions & Open Meets (Levels 4 & 3) The journey begins at home with our Club Championships (Level 4). Once a swimmer has official times, they will start entering local Open Meets (usually Level 3) to gain experience and improve their Personal Bests (PBs).

Step 2: The County Championships (Somerset) The first major goal for many of our swimmers. The "Counties" take place every January/February and bring together the best swimmers from all clubs in Somerset. Swimmers must achieve a specific County Qualifying Time (QT) at a licensed meet to be eligible to enter.

Step 3: The Regional Championships (South West) The next level up from Counties. "Regionals" see our qualifiers compete against the fastest swimmers from across the entire South West (Somerset, Devon, Cornwall, Dorset, Wiltshire & Gloucestershire). These are held in Spring/Summer (Long Course) and Winter (Short Course).

Step 4: The National Championships This is the pinnacle of domestic swimming in the UK. The main events are the British Summer Championships and the respective Home Nation (Swim England, Swim Wales, Scottish Swimming) Summer Meets. Qualification is not based on times, but on a swimmer's national ranking during a set qualification window. Only the top-ranked swimmers in Great Britain are invited to compete.

Team Spirit: Inter-Club Leagues

It's not all about individual times! AST also competes in exciting team-based leagues. Team selection is made by the coaches.

  • Cotswold League A fantastic local league where we compete against other clubs in the area. It’s a developmental competition designed for swimmers who are aspiring to achieve County and Regional times. To ensure fair competition, there are "speed limits," and swimmers who race faster than the limit don't score points for the team.