It's a form of club time trials that
are run 4 or 5 times throughout the year to enable all swimmers to get times for
different strokes and distances under competition conditions.
When is it
held?
It is held every couple of months,
always on a Sunday night at Kilsyth, during normal training times, between 5pm
and 8pm
Why do
it?
It enables swimmers to gauge how
they are progressing, as it provides them with times that they are able to
compare to past performance, or as a starting point.
In order to enter any competitions,
swimmers have to have 'club recorded' times. An club recorded time is one that
is taken by an official timekeeper. In the past, new swimmers had to wait
many months before being eligible to enter competitions, as they had no recorded
times.
It allows all swimmers, especially
younger or inexperienced swimmers to experience what happens during a
competition, what they have to do before, during and after a race.
As we have a Referee and judges
available, swimmers are given advice on any rules they have perhaps broken that
would have in a normal competition have resulted in their disqualification. It
is therefore a valuable learning experience, enabling swimmers to learn from
mistakes they and others make.
What do swimmers have
to do at the Grand Prix?
Register:
When you arrive at Kilsyth, you need
to 'register' at the Swimmer Registration desk. This allows us to see who is
swimming that evening and make any necessary changes to the
programme.
Warm
Up
The warm up is at 5pm, so you will
need to arrive 10-15 minutesbeforehand. Once you are changed you
should let the Coach know that you are there and they will tell you when to warm
up and when you need to get ready for your race.
Getting Ready to
Race
Your Coach will ask you to make your
way to the 'Marshalling Area'. This is normally a bench or set of chairs used to
gather together the swimmers who will be swimming in the next races. Depending
on the size of the competition, the organisers may have several points along the
poolside to gather competitors for several races ahead. During the marshalling
process you will be given a slip of paper with your name and lane number on it.
The marshal will also check with you the stroke and distance of the race you are
swimming.
When it is your turn to swim, you go
to the lane you are swimming in and tell the Timekeeper your name. This usually
happens as another race is taking place, so use the time to prepare
yourself, store any pool shoes or tops on the chair and adjust your goggles/hat
in readiness for your race.
The
Race
At the start of the race the Referee
(dressed in white) blows three short blasts of a whistle to let everyone know a
race is about to take place. This is a signal to everyone to be quiet and not to
move about, in case they distract a swimmer. When the Referee has everyone's
attention, they will blow a long whistle to let swimmers know to prepare for
their race by standing on the diving blocks. The Referee says: 'On Your Marks'
and then blows their whistle to start the race.
During the races, other swimmers,
parents and coaches will be shouting encouragement to help you do your best.
When you finish the race, stay in
the pool until the Referee tells you to leave the water. Don't worry if you
can't remember all of this, the purpose of the Grand Prix is to let you
practice, so you will be familiar with everything when you attend a competition.
After the race, the coach will
provide you with any pointers to help you improve. The times achieved by
swimmers are posted on the website a few days later.
What do I do if I have
any questions?
Please ask your coach if you have
any questions and remember sometimes other swimmers, officials and
timekeepers can help answer any queries. We have all had to learn, so don't
worry about asking anything.
Most of all enjoy the evening and
the experience, it is run in a fun and relaxed way, whilst conforming to all the
rules that swimmers experience in competitions.
