Jan 13, 2021
Swim BC is pleased to be introducing a new program, the Swim BC Pacific Wave.
An email was sent to each club with eligible swimmers. It is the club’s responsibility to notify their swimmers of the program. Only selected swimmers and their coaches will be able to register.
The program will be delivered by Head to Head and is an Olympian led 10 week mentorship program presented by Swim BC. This program is free to all identified swimmers and their coaches and will allow participants to interact directly with Olympic swimmers and hear from them about their experiences and the strategies they have used through their swim journey to reach success.
Selected swimmers and coaches will receive exclusive weekly content and access to Head to Head self-reflection workbooks, discussion guidelines, professionally created videos from Olympians and so much more; all to help you sharpen mental skills during this challenging time. In addition, participants will be receiving technical content from Swim BC to support your swimming development.
The program will kick-off on Saturday, January 23rd with the first live chat with an Olympic swimmer for all registered swimmers and coaches.
Jan 13, 2021
Please see below important information about the upcoming Virtual Divisional and Provincial Championships.
The competition dates have changed to respect the current Provincial Health Order. The meets have been pushed back two weeks:
- Virtual Divisional Championships Mar 1 – 7
- Virtual Provincial Championships Mar 29 – Apr 7
The meet package and Hytek files are now available through the Swim BC website and Swimming Canada. While the meet entries will be managed through the Swimming Canada’s RTR they are unofficial and all swims that are done in an unsanctioned event will not be eligible for the SNC Power Rankings, qualifying times, or team selections.
Swim BC will be compiling the entries, posting a psych sheet, collecting and posting results, and issuing virtual awards.
We are looking forward to great virtual racing.
Jan 4, 2021
December 28th the Ministry of Health updated the province-wide restrictions for sport with the following clarifications and amended definitions:
“Adult team sport” has been revised to “group sport”: Group sport is defined as sporting activity involving more than one person and includes training and practice for an individual or a team sport, but does not include sport for children or youth, varsity sport or high-performance athlete sport. Group sport (i.e. sport for those 22 years of age or older) is only permitted in groups of up to two people (e.g. singles tennis or an athlete and a coach training session). Outdoor group sport is only permitted in groups of up to four people (e.g. four individuals may run together or four individuals could run soccer drills). All participants must maintain a distance of three metres from one another while participating in the sport activity. While this order provides clarity, it is important to remember the intent is to limit group gathering. For example, individuals should not be playing a sport with four people and then switching teams to another group of four during the same time slot.
- Swim BC impact: Master swimming activities are still suspended. Registered swimmers aged 19 – 21 are now permitted to train with Swim BC Club programs
Travel to home club: Individuals are permitted to travel to their home club for the purpose of sport. Home club is defined as the sport organization, club, or facility at which a person is registered for ongoing sport programming. Individuals should not carpool with other participants.
High performance exemption: High performance athletes are individuals who have been identified to a targeted athlete list with the Canadian Sport Institute Pacific by their respective Provincial Sport Organization or National Sport Organization. A person, who is a high-performance athlete who is already training in B.C. may train, compete and travel for that purpose if they follow the COVID safety protocols of their respective provincial or national sport organization.
Sport for children and youth means an activity which is delivered by a provincial sport organization or a local sport organization and may include participants who are under 22 years of age but does not include varsity sports. The PHO Order for Events and Gatherings differentiates between adult and youth sport activities.
- Swim BC impact: As stated above, registered swimmers age 19 – 21 are now permitted to re-join their Swim BC Club in training activities.
Intercollegiate varsity sport exemption: Varsity sport is defined in the order as a sport for which the eligibility requirements for participation are established by a national association for the regulation of intercollegiate athletics, or which is designated as a varsity sport program by a post-secondary institution. Individuals of any age may participate in varsity sport if they are a member of a varsity sport team and they only train or practice with the post-secondary institution with which they are enrolled. Varsity sport, at this time, needs to follow viaSport’s Return to Sport Guidelines (i.e. maintain three metres physical distance and travel is limited the athlete’s respective post-secondary institution).
- Swim BC impact: All registered varsity programs may return to training while maintaining adherence to Swim BC Return to Swimming Guidelines (physical distancing revised to three metres at all times)
If you have questions, please reach out to Swim BC. Happy New Year.
Dec 18, 2020
As the year is coming to a close, we would like to recognize the Provincial & National Records set during the first quarter of our 2020-2021 season. These athletes have persevered through uncertain times, and we would like to congratulate them on their hard work.
Laon Kim (HYACK)
11-12 Men 200m Freestyle SCM
1:59.58
National Record
Lucas Kim (HYACK)
11-12 Men 400m Freestyle SCM
4:15.26
National Record
Markus Thormeyer (UBCT)
Senior Men 200m Backstroke SCM
1:50.27
National Record
HYACK Swim Club
Kim L., Yang B., Chan A., Kim L.
11-12 Men 4 x 200m Freestyle Relay
8:44.40
National Record
HYACK Swim Club
Orogo P., Jung J., Zhang H., Wang M.
13-14 Men 4 x 50m Freestyle Relay
1:40.53
HYACK Swim Club
Orogo P., Zhang H., Jung J., Wang M.
13-14 Men 4 x 100m Medley Relay
4:00.67
Congratulations! We cannot wait to see more records fall in the New Year.
Dec 16, 2020
As an alternative to our recently cancelled provincial competitions, Swim BC will be hosting the “Virtual Winter Divisional Championships” and “Virtual Winter Provincial Championships” for all eligible swimmers.
Due to the current Public Health Orders, swims may be completed in a unsanctioned time trial. Honesty will be the best policy when submitting times – the best outcome is to ensure swims are completed in a ‘race’ or ‘race rehearsal’ environment. If we’re able to sanction time trials before the events, we will circulate an update at that time.
Swim BC is supporting the event by posting psych sheets and meet results and issuing virtual awards. Meet Packages and Psych sheets can be found on our Championship page.
2021 Winter Divisional Championships
The Divisional Championships will be run for each of the three divisions (North/Interior; Fraser/Island; Vancouver Coastal). A summary of these meets is listed below, a detailed meet information package can be found on the Championships page.
Dates: March 1 – 7
Events: 50 Free, 100 Free, 200 Free, 400 Free, 800 / 1500 Free, 50 back, 100 Back, 200 Back, 50 Breast, 100 Breast, 200 Breast, 50 Fly, 100 Fly, 200 Fly, 200 IM, 400 IM
4 X 50 Free Relay, 4 X 50 Medley Relay, 4 X 100 Mixed Medley Relay
Age Groups: Female and Male – 12 & Under / 13 – 14 / 15 & Over
Course: Short Course Meters
Eligibility: Swim BC registered swimmers who are fully Registered in a Competitive category. Swimmer’s eligible age as of March 1, 2021 (for entire competition window). Entry by Event at the published Divisional Standard (Unofficial Times Acceptable). De-qualifying for the Competition – three (3) current provincial championship standards
Meet Packages & Psych Sheets
2021 Winter Provincial Championships
The Winter Provincial Championships celebrates the highest level of swimming in each of the age groups in BC. We welcome all qualifiers, including those who meet the standards in the Virtual Divisional Championships, to participate. The meet is summarized below, a detailed meet information package will be sent out in the Jan 13th bulletin and posted on the Swim BC website.
Dates: March 8th – April 7th
Events: 50 Free, 100 Free, 200 Free, 400 Free, 800 / 1500 Free, 50 back, 100 Back, 200 Back, 50 Breast, 100 Breast, 200 Breast, 50 Fly, 100 Fly, 200 Fly, 200 IM, 400 IM
4 X 50 Free Relay, 4 X 50 Medley Relay, 4 X 100 Mixed Medley Relay
Para Events: 50 Free, 100 Free, 200 / 400 Free, 50 / 100 Back, 50 / 100 Breast, 50 / 100 Fly,
150 / 200 IM
Age Groups: Female and Male – 11 – 12 / 13 – 14 / 15 – 17 / 18 & Over
Course: Short Course Meters
Eligibility: Swim BC registered swimmers who are fully Registered in a Competitive category. Swimmer’s eligible age as of March 29, 2021 (for entire competition window). Entry by Event at the published Provincial Standard (Unofficial Times Acceptable)
Please note that with the changing sport environment due to COVID-19, this Championship program is subject to adaptation and/or change at any time. Any changes will be communicated to all clubs as soon as possible.
Meet Packages
Dec 3, 2020
The purpose of this bulletin is to provide the Swim BC membership with timely interpretation of the Public Health Order announced by the PHO December 2nd and followed up by the publication of the Order December 3 at 11:30 am. The content of this bulletin is a result of Swim BC interpretation of the Public Health Order, an emergency interpretation meeting with viaSport and a specific one on one consult by Swim BC Executive Director with viaSport. Please note that viaSport is now part of an interpretation committee that meets directly with the BCCDC. Sport has been instructed to adhere to the intent of the Order.
The following is in effect immediately and until such time as is repealed by the Provincial Heath Officer.
Age group (youth sport) swimming
Swimming for children and youth (under 19) is permitted if the following conditions are met:
a) Participants maintain a physical distance of three (3) metres
b) There are no spectators unless the presence of a spectator is necessary in order to provide care to a child or youth.
c) The focus is on activities that have a low risk of COVID-19 virus transmission
For clarity, the intent of the order is to move to skills and drills type activities and to suspend activity that draw people together. To that end, all sanctioned and unsanctioned time trials involving any number of officials, volunteers or additional coaches are suspended.
Master’s (adult sport) swimming
The PHO order is confusing with regard to individual adult sports. The intent of the order is to stop all adult sport activity where participants come together to pursue that activity. Adult sport is defined as all activities for 19 years and older and includes individuals under 19 that participate with that cohort.
For clarity, all masters swimming club activity and all varsity swimming activity is suspended.
Clarification regarding the use of masks
In a previous bulletin we stated “Swimmers are required to wear a mask when entering the facility, in the changing rooms and standing on deck.“
To clarify, a person who is less than 12 years of age is exempt from use of a face covering. We apologize for any confusion this may have caused clubs attempting to enforce this interpretation.
Reminder regarding the requirement to report incidences of COVID-19 contraction in a Swim BC club environment.
viaSport has formally requested all sports to report incidences of COVID transmission. If a Swim BC club suspects a potential exposure to COVID-19 during their activities; (1) always report this to your local health authority immediately as required as stated in the Swim BC Return to Swimming Guidelines. (2) Please also any incidences to Swim BC as viaSport now requires we report sport exposure.
When reporting an incidence please consider providing the following information:
- Please describe the situation and communication with your Regional Health Authority
- Describe who informed you of the exposure including any issues and outcomes;
- Please include any information you feel will be useful including:
- Date
- Time
- Location
- Facility
We are looking for general information that will help describe the exposure. We also ask that you respect the privacy of your member and not disclose names or other personal information. Exposure reports can be sent to Sam Thoms, who will report them to viaSport on your behalf.
