Swimming competitions are referred to as swimming galas or increasingly more common as swim ‘meets’. We are a competitive swimming club so we do actively encourage our swimmers to participate in a few galas each year.
We have our own Club Gala in September each year. This is closed to our members only.
Throughout the year we provide opportunity for our swimmers to compete in around 8 ‘open’ galas. Open galas are organized by other swimming clubs usually in their own pool, sometimes by hiring another pool. The organising club opens their event to swimmers from other clubs. Some of these galas are fairly local at Wrexham, Shrewsbury, whilst others are further afield in places such as Wolverhampton, Manchester & Cardiff.
We encourage our swimmers to compete as a matter of course in the Swim Wales North Region galas at Llandudno. Our membership of Swim Wales actually includes a commitment to support these events by entering swimmers and providing officials. These events consist of a development meet in December and the North Wales Championships over two weekends in late January and early February. We also target the Swim Wales Closed National Championships at Easter, as well as their Open National Championships in July/August, at the Wales National Pool Swansea. The latter two are subject to quite stringent qualifying times.
This is usually done via the Club. We provide details and entry forms for you to complete and return to us with full payment by a stated deadline. The Club then submits all entries received via an electronic team manager system. There are some instances though where you yourself will need to be responsible for submitting entries e.g. National Championships (Easter & Summer Nationals) have to be entered online by the individual swimmer/parent. The cost to enter galas varies but typically, gala fees are around £4-5 per event, some though can be as much as £7 per event. Payment  by BACS unless arranged otherwise.
Not all galas are suitable or open to everyone. For instance, they may be limited to a certain age group. They may be limited to certain distances. They are also limited to the ability of a swimmer by qualifying times (QT).
Swim Wales will license a gala at one of four different levels. A Level 1 gala will restrict entry to faster swimmers whereas a Level 4 gala will have much less stringent qualifying times thus making it suitable for less experienced swimmers. In between, there are Level 2 & Level 3 galas. Swim Wales/ASA as the licensing authorities set the qualifying times. These are usually listed on an entry form as a lower qualifying time (i.e. you need to be faster than the LQT to enter).
Some galas set upper qualifying times (i.e. you must be slower than the UQT to enter). This is to ensure a more competitive gala for less experienced swimmers. Some galas set both so you need to fall somewhere in between the LQT & UQT. Others set a qualifying time which you must have achieved to ensure entry coupled with a slower consideration time (CT) i.e. if you meet the CT but not the QT you may still be accepted if there’s space. It can be very confusing so please don’t hesitate to approach our Gala Secretary or Coaches if there’s anything unclear about eligibility and how to enter galas.
Welshpool Sharks Swimming Club compete in the East Clwyd League comprising 5 other clubs in North East Wales. These galas take place in Holywell. We compete as a team rather than individuals with swimmers awarded points for their Club depending on their placing in each race. The club with the most points is the winner. These galas are great for team spirit. We travel together on a team bus and stop off on our return journey for food. McDonalds is the swimmers favourite venue, KFC a close second. Involvement is dependent on team selection and by its very nature places are limited. In each age group there are just 4 races plus a relay. Whilst we try to involve as many swimmers as possible the opportunities are limited.
Galas generally start early (e.g. warm-up is sometimes as early as 8am). They usually consist of several sessions (am/pm/eve) throughout the day. You could be there for one session or all day if your swimmer competes in many events. There is usually good viewing opportunity at galas but be prepared as a spectator to pay cash for entry. Refreshment provision can be poor so bring your own. The environment is very warm and humid. Turning up to spectate in heavy, warm clothing will mean you’ll get to feel very uncomfortable very quickly, even in winter.
It can be a long day for spectators. A few simple tips would be to sit with fellow Club parents, buy a program to follow the schedule, support not just your own child but our other Welshpool Sharks Club swimmers. You could even take a stopwatch to record your and other swimmers times and splits. Alternatively, bring a good book!
Swimmers need to arrive on time. They’ll no doubt be nervous so turning up late simply adds to their anxiety. They’ll need their kit together with a towel and a t-shirt to wear poolside. A spare swim suit or jammers and a second pair of goggles and swim hat are recommended as these can rip or break. A pair of flip-flops a good idea too. Lunch, snacks and water are all essential. A book or music to keep them occupied in between their events is a good idea and whilst we don’t stop swimmers bringing electronic game devices, such items are their own responsibility.
Swimming is ‘refereed’ by individuals referred to as Officials. There are different roles from swimmer marshals to timekeepers to stroke judges to the Chief Referee. These individuals are prominent on poolside as they’re (usually) dressed in white. They too are all volunteers. As a Club we are required to provide judges & timekeepers as part of our gala entry application e.g. for every 10 swimmers entered we need to provide 2 officials. Whilst we have a few trained officials within our Club we can always do with more volunteers to these roles to spread the load.
See some common questions and answers below, or get in touch.
If you are unsure of your swimmer’s ability, speak to one of the coaches and they will be able to advise you of which races to enter your swimmer.
A swimmer can enter any Level 3 Gala, Level 2 and Level 1 will need to have qualifying time. Speak to the coaches as they will be able to advise.
You may be able to get a refund in some circumstances, Covid or broken bones, something that is beyond control.
Unfortunately, you will not be refunded if your swimmer misses a race at the Gala. Hopefully this will not happen, as the coaches will be there to make sure that they are in the marshalling area in plenty of time. If the swimmer misses the raise due to illness on the day, there will still be no refund.
Coaches will be on poolside to instruct and direct the swimmers when they need to go to marshalling prior to their race.
Results are printed and put up on the wall in the swimming pool, Alternatively, you van download the Meet Mobile App that is updated pretty quickly.
Yes, a fee will have to be paid, normally a full fee, or it could be split into Morning session, afternoon session or evening session. However if you volunteer to be an official there is no charge and sometimes you will get your car park fee back and maybe a free lunch.
Yes, take as much food and drinks as you want or need, make sure it is in insulated bags as it gets very hot on poolside. There is normally a café on site but the queues are sometimes long and slow. At some locations there are eating establishments nearby.
No, as you are given a wristband for that session or day. You are able to come and go as you please.
Yes, you will complete a form with all your details on and then will be given a different coloured wristband that allows you to take photos and videos.
Your swimmer can take the biggest bag they can carry. They will need to pack their clothes in their bag as it is not recommended to leave clothes in the changing rooms. They will also need spare towels, food, and spare swimming attire. Just in case, warm clothing and anything else they wish to take with them.
This type of lane rope provides an effective barrier against the waves formed by swimmers by dispersing them down the lane lines and deep into the water.
Amateur Swimming Association and the governing body in England.
This is a swim and run event where a competitor swims, followed immediately by a run and the winner decided by the fastest total time (including the time it takes to change for the run). We do offer our swimmers an opportunity to enter such events as an alternative challenge.
This type of lane rope provides an effective barrier against the waves formed by swimmers by dispersing them down the lane lines and deep into the water.
Supine (on your back) and a horizontal position with many similarities to front crawl such as an alternating arm and leg action.
These are the small platforms off which swimmers dive or hold to start races.
The oldest and slowest of the four competitive strokes as it’s the least streamlined but it is the most technical to master.
It can be a long day for spectators. A few simple tips would be to sit with fellow Club parents, buy a program to follow the schedule, support not just your own child but our other Welshpool Sharks Club swimmers. You could even take a stopwatch to record your and other swimmers times and splits. Alternatively, bring a good book!
The second fastest stroke after front crawl with a horizontal body position and undulating, wave-like movement from head to toe.
The area around a swimming pool reserved for swimmers, coaches and judges.
False Start Rope Write a description for this list item and include information that will interest site visitors. For example, you may want to describe a team member's experience, what makes a product special, or a unique service that you offer.
Item LinkThe line of flags stretched across the pool at either end indicate the 5m mark from the pool end and enable swimmers on their back to count strokes ahead of their turn or finish.
Fastest of the four competitive strokes. Body position is almost flat with an alternating arm and leg action.
The terms used to refer to a swimming competition.
Most galas operate on the basis where swimmers compete across a series of heats and the winner and other placings are sorted afterwards on the basis of their individual times
Some galas operate heats & finals and competitors swim in a heat in the morning with the aim of qualifying for a final in the afternoon or evening but this is generally limited to national championships.
A combination of the four competitive swimming strokes swum in the following order: butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, freestyle (usually front crawl). But if swam in a relay format, the order slightly different: backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly & freestyle.
A style of swimsuit worn by male swimmers. Tight fitting to reduce drag/resistance in the water.
A small buoyant board that is used to support the arms of a swimmer in training to practice the kicking movements.
The section of a pool, distinguished by lane lines/ropes, in which a swimmer races. Lanes are numbered from 1 to 8; some pools are of course limited to six or even four lanes.
The floats on the lane ropes extending for a distance of 5 metres from each end of the pool are red in colour. At the 15 metre mark from each end wall the lane floats are also distinct in colour (usually red) from the surrounding floats, these are the resurfacing markers. In 50 metre pools the floats are a distinct colour (usually red) to mark 25 metres.
This refers to a 50m long pool.
When the second half of the race is swum faster than the first half.
Swimming events contested either in rivers, lakes or the sea where depending on water temperature, wet suits usually need to be worn.
This is an official form that displays all the swimmers who have entered a particular event.
A figure-eight shaped piece of buoyant foam placed between the swimmers thighs or ankles to support the body without kicking their legs allowing them to focus on their arms to develop endurance and upper body strength.
Most galas have specified times that must have been achieved for a swimmer to enter an event. Entry forms will state a time for each event and to enter you need to have swum a faster time than the QT listed. Other galas operate the opposite whereby they state a time for a particular event and to enter you need to be slower than that time. It all depends on the level & ability of swimmer the gala is seeking to attract.
These are the red floats on the lane ropes at 15meters from each end wall and their relevance is that after both a start and turn, a swimmers head must break the surface at a distance no greater than 15metres. This applies to freestyle, backstroke and butterfly. The rule no longer applies to breaststroke as stricter rules have replaced it.
Used to assign a swimmer to a heat or lane according to their qualifying time. Heats are usually run on the basis of slowest in heat 1 through to the fastest in the final heat. The idea here is that you swim against others of a similar ability irrespective of age e.g. a 9yr old might swim next to a 13yr old if their entry times are similar but they’ll still each compete in their own age group category. Those with the fastest qualifying times in each heat are assigned the middle lanes.
This is a 25m long pool.
For instance, if a swimmer is competing over 100m in a short course pool, the time for each length is often recorded as a coaching tool to determine if they went off too fast, too slow. These are known as ‘splits’.
These are worn on the feet in training to aid movement through the water & develop the kick.
A frontal snorkel is sometimes used in training to allow swimmers to concentrate on body alignment, stroke and kick technique as you’re able to glide through the water without lifting or turning the head.
The swimming governing body for Wales. As a ‘team’ of volunteers we seek to provide our swimmers with as much coaching, training, competition & support as possible in a fun & friendly environment. The more volunteers we have, the more we can offer. As you become familiar with your Swimming Club, why not get involved too?
Sharks Safeguarding Officer
Contact Lindsay Sweetman on
welfare.welshpoolsharks@gmail.com
Childline Telephone Number
0800 1111