Following the communication on Thursday 11th February regarding entries for the Arena European Masters Championships, LEN and the LOC wish to share the following update.
Entries from 38 different countries across Europe for swimming reached the 14,000 individual race entries target in 50 hours, this is unprecedented with the previous record entry being 12,849 in Eindhoven in 2013 which took over six weeks to be achieved. This demonstrates the increased popularity of swimming across Europe.
It is clear that a great many Masters athletes still want to enter these Championships. Following feedback from the community, LEN and the LOC agreed to review the planned operations for the Championships to identify any changes that would enable more entries to be accepted.
In order to accommodate additional athletes, LEN have agreed that entries will re-open but a limit of three events per person will be in place (entries made previously will not be affected). The system is currently being updated to enable additional entries to be made. LEN anticipate that the system will be ready and entries will open on Thursday 18th February after midday. LEN and the LOC will issue a communication when the system is fully open for swimming entries, including relays.
Until entries close the detailed schedule of events each day will not be known. If the numbers increase significantly over than 15,000, both 50m pools in the London Aquatics Centre will have to be utilised for competition (whilst ensuring that there is warm up capacity at specific times in the day). LEN will issue the final programme once start lists have been confirmed.
LEN and the LOC understand the great lengths to which the Masters community have gone to ahead of the Championships – training for the competition and booking flights and accommodation– and we thank you for your patience as we reviewed the situation. Diving and synchronised swimming entries remain open for athletes to enter.
http://euroaquatics2016.london/2016/02/statement-on-additional-swimming-entries-for-european-masters-championships/
