Swimming

GENERAL

The rules of the competition will be as directed by the Swimming Victoria Inc. unless contra indicated below. Any infringement of the rules may result in the disqualification of the swimmer concerned. 

Competitors are restricted to one age group, unless there is no provision for a specific event within that age group. In that case a competitor may enter the next older age group.

A student may choose to compete in an older age group.  If they do, the student must compete in this older age group for the duration of the event.

All students competing in EISM activities MUST be secondary students.

Age groups to be determined by age as of midnight 31^st December 2024.  If 12 on 1^st January 2025, then that student competes as an under 13.

Disqualifications:

• Starts:
  • Diving in before the starter’s signal (or equivalent for Backstroke)
  • In Breaststroke, taking more than 1 ½ strokes whilst under water
• During events:
  • Incorrect stroking, which goes beyond reasonable tolerance as described in the Events Section
  • Incorrect changeovers in Relays
  • Walking on the floor of the pool
  • In Breaststroke, using a flutter or butterfly kick. The legs should mirror the same pattern (no uneven kick)
  • In Butterfly, using the flutter or breaststroke kick. Butterfly arms should be brought forward over the surface of the water near simultaneously
  • In Butterfly and Breaststroke, performing a stroke that does not approximate the intended stroke
• Finish:
  • In Breaststroke and Butterfly, touching with one hand
  • In Backstroke, the swimmer must touch the wall while on the back. The swimmer must not be totally submerged
• Swimwear Infractions;
  • Swimmers must wear ‘School approved’ swimwear (no bikinis, football shorts or board shorts allowed).  All swimmers must wear a school swim cap.  Competitors must abide by Swimming Victoria Regulations of one garment only.

Marshalling:

• Schools have been supplied with a map of the venue and it is vital that all competitors report to the marshalling area promptly once their event has been called. Competitors will exit this room and go directly to the pool deck and therefore must have everything they require at this stage. Upon entering the pool deck all competitors must keep well back from the pool edge until requested to take their blocks.
• Competitors who do not marshal will not be credited points for the event.  They will be deemed to have not swum.
• Swimmers may also check in for all of their events the first time they marshal.

Warm Ups:

• Competitors will only be permitted to use the 50m Competition Pool for swimming warm ups during the allocated times. Lane allocations will be noted in the Program.
• Feet first entry only into the water for warmups.  This is a safety issue, due to the number of swimmers in the pool at one time.  Swimmers to swim in a clockwise direction in their lane and there is to be no stopping at the end of the lane.
• Diving is only to occur during the specified time, in the specified lanes.
• Swimmers are NOT to sit on the land ropes. Swimmers must NOT exit the pool by climbing over the timing pads.
• At the completion of the 15 min warm-up period, all swimmers are to return to the stands or go directly to the marshalling room.
• Each school must supply sufficient adults to supervise the warmup and ensure that all swimmers are following the above rules.

Miscellaneous:

• Swimmers and spectators are requested to keep silent at the commencement of each race.  i.e. from the Referees first long whistle until after the starting signal.
• It is the swimmer’s responsibility to report punctually for their event. 
• Competitors are allowed to compete in a maximum of 4 individual events and 3 relays.
• Competitor names are required by the EISM office one week before the event is held.

Start

The start in Freestyle, Breaststroke, and Butterfly will normally be a dive. In certain circumstances, with permission from the Referee in Charge, a swimmer may start in the water and must touch the wall until the starting signal.  The start for Backstroke is always in the water.  Once swimmers are in the water, there will be a second long whistle to call swimmers to the starting position.

Swimmers are called to their blocks for the race by a long whistle. When the starter gives the command “Take your marks” swimmers will move to the front of the blocks and remain still until the starting signal.  If a swimmer breaks before the Starters beep, the race will continue, and the breaking swimmer will be disqualified. If the Official Starter has made an error, a second start beep will be heard, and all Swimmers are then to return for a new start.

Swimming Program

Following is a list of events offered to both boys and girls in the Swimming program for the various divisions:

100m Freestyle           U15                Div 1
100m Freestyle           Open               Div 1, 2 & 3
50m Freestyle A          U13 to Open        Div 1, 2 & 3
50m Freestyle B          U13 to Open        Div 1
4x50m Medley Relays      U13 to Open        Div 1, 2 & 3
50m Breaststroke         U13 to Open        Div 1, 2 & 3
50m Butterfly            U14, U16 & Open    Div 1, 2 & 3
50m Backstroke           U13 to Open        Div 1, 2 & 3
4x50m Freestyle Relays   U13 to Open        Div 1, 2 & 3
5x50m Relay              Multi-age          Div 1, 2 & 3
Multi-Class 50m          As Required        Schools to request entry form

Points

Individual A:            30, 27, 25, 24, 23, 22, 21, 20, 19, 18.
Individual B:            20, 18, 16, 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10, 9.
Relays:                  45, 41, 38, 36, 34, 32, 30, 28, 26, 24.