April 26, 2021

Swim Ireland's 2020-2021 Pool Competition Season has been a turbulent one to say the least, but in light of changing restrictions throughout the island of Ireland, we have made some further amendments in an concerted effort to make the most of the remaining months of the 2020-21 competition season

Please read this update carefully and download the Swim Ireland Domestic Competition Plan Update

New Plan for May to August 2021

Step 1 is for clubs to reintroduce competitive opportunities in house a minimum of 4 weeks after returning to training. This allows athletes to compete from the comfort and safety of their local pool and doesn’t require any travel.

Step 2 would be ‘virtual’ or ‘actual’ inter club meets in collaboration with local clubs, with this taking place a minimum of 8 to 10 weeks after returning to training if Swim Ireland and the Regions are unable to deliver Regional and/or National Meets in July/August 2021.

If an ‘actual’ meet can be delivered, this reintroduces head-to-head racing in a controlled environment with limited travel requirements.

Step 3, Swim Ireland, and the Regions intend to offer an ‘actual’ three-tiered approach to racing in July/August 2021.

Each tier will cater for a specific demographic of athlete and provide an opportunity for everyone to celebrate a return to competitive sport and to measure their progress since resuming training:

National Meet – top 20 athletes per event and per gender (13 year & over)
Regional Meet – top 20 athletes per event, per gender and per age group (from those within each Region 13 years & over not selected for the National Meet)
Regional Find Your Flippers (Feet) Meets (10 years & over not selected for the Regional and National Meets)

This is very much a phased return to competition with an emphasis on celebrating being back in the water.

Prepare for Competition Return

To help clubs prepare for a Return to Competition this summer and autumn, our Level 1 Swimming Official and Level 1 Team Manager qualification courses are back on our Virtual Classroom schedule in May.

The first courses take place:

May 5 Level 1 Team Manager - 18:00 - 20:30

May 19 Level 1 Official - 19:00 - 20:30

For more information on our Return to Competition please download and read: Swim Ireland Domestic Competition Plan Update