CURRENT  TIME STANDARDS 

Minnesota Swimming links
     SHORT COURSE YARDS
     LONG COURSE METERS

 
 
TYPES OF MEETS AVAILABLE TO CMA SWIMMERS

A/B/C/Open Meets
A/B/C/Open meets are for swimmers of all levels. All members are encouraged to participate. Event categories are divided into “C” times and slower, “B” and “A” and faster. Click here for more information.
 
B/C Meets

B/C meets provide an intermediate level of competition for swimmers with “B," “C" and “No Times.” 

 

A Meets

A meets are for experienced swimmers who have achieved “A” times and faster. Team scores are kept and team awards are given. 

Minnesota Achievement Championships (MACs)
This is a championship meet for those swimmers who have achieved a C time and no faster. This meet is held at the end of each Short Course and Long Course season. This is a championship meet for which coaches will use a training technique called "taper" in preparing swimmers. 

Minnesota Regional Championships (MRCs)
This is a championship meet for swimmers who achieve at least a B time standard, but not faster than an A time standard. This meet is held at the end of each Short Course and Long Course season. This is a championship meet for which coaches will use a training method called "taper" in preparing swimmers.

State Meets
State meets are open to all qualifiers with a “Champ" or other State qualifying time—and faster. Minnesota qualifying time standards can be found through the links above or on the Minnesota Swimming website. 
 
Zone Meets
"Zone" meets are regional championships for qualifying swimmers age 14 and under and are held annually by USA Swimming. USA Swimming divides the country into four zones and Minnesota is a member of the Central Zone. Minnesota swimmers with  qualifying times can join Team  Minnesota for the competition each August . Each zone hosts its own Zone meet (or meets) and names a Zone Champion. Central Zone meets are hosted in either Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Ohio, Michigan, Illinois or Indiana. Click here for more information on this year's Zone meet specifics and qualifying times.
 

Speedo Sectional Meets 
Speedo Sectionals provide the next level of competition for qualifying swimmers. Speedo Sectional meets have no age groups and all event seeding is based only on qualifying times. This meet is usually held at a premier location.

 

NSCA Junior Nationals

NSCA Junior Nationals are held each March for qualifying swimmers aged 18 and under and is hosted by the National Swim Coaches of America (NSCA). In past years, this meet has been held in Orlando.

 

USA Swimming Junior National Championships

USA Junior Nationals are exclusively for swimmers age 18 and under and the meet is held twice annually—each December (short course) and each August (long course). These meets serve as stepping stones to the top national and international-level meets for 18 and under athletes. Qualifying times for this meet are faster than the NSCA Junior National meet in March.

 

USA Swimming National Championships/US Open

These top national-level competitions are held at different times throughout the year and serve as qualifying meets for international-level competitions. There is no age limitation for these meets.

 

US Nationals 
US Nationals (held twice yearly) are the top annual championship meets in the country. America’s fastest swimmers compete at US Nationals—qualification times for this elite senior meet are faster than for the US Open. 

 

Olympic Trials
Olympic Trials are held every four years to select swimmers for the summer Olympic Games. This elite senior selection meet has qualification times faster than US Nationals. The top two swimmers in each individual event (plus a few additional freestylers) are selected for the US Olympic Team.