OTTAWA – Swimming Canada is charting a course for Canada’s future as a world-leading swimming nation.

The organization has undertaken a competition review and as a result will be implementing a multi-part Competition Improvement Plan.

Sport Canada requires that all national sport federations undergo a competition review to ensure alignment with both development and high performance plans. More than 40 sports have already completed their review. Swimming Canada’s commenced with the first phase – evaluating the national competition structure – after a recent reorganization of its sport department.

“Our sport department has done an in-depth analysis of how, when, why and for whom we conduct competition, and how each element impacts the development of our athletes and international performance,” said Swimming Canada CEO Ahmed El-Awadi.

Swimming Canada’s Strategic Plan lays out an ambitious goal of becoming a Top 6 total medal producing nation at the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2020.

“A well-planned and aligned competition system for Swimming Canada is absolutely necessary to achieve this,” said Swimming Canada President Cheryl Gibson. “The ultimate goal is a fully integrated approach from the provincial level, to our national development team program and all the way up to our highest levels of international competition.”

Led by High Performance Director John Atkinson, this review included sport science and technical leaders from across Canada. Over a period of months, the group reviewed all elements of national competitions in detail and the sport science behind it.

“I am very pleased with the direction Swimming Canada is heading with this new competition structure,” said Istvan Balyi of the Sport for Life Society, a long-term athlete development expert who contributed to the review.

The review addresses two key gaps in Canadian swimming performance. It found too much competition, with swimmers resting too many times and interrupting key training blocks. In addition, there is a lack of depth/overall weakness in the 400-metre events and above, combined with general lack of swimmers capable of multi-event performance.

“Our goal is to improve everything we do in Canadian swimming,” Atkinson said. “In order to improve, changes must be made. We cannot stand still.”

Changes will include use of only long-course qualifying times at national competitions, combined with the creation of “peak performance windows”in March/April and July/August. This season structure will allow for longer, uninterrupted training blocks that align with when major international competitions traditionally take place.

In keeping with these peak performance windows, the Eastern and Western Championships will move to April from February. Other changes include emphasis on relays, the creation of a youth qualifying standard for Canadian Trials, changing the Canadian Age Group Championships into the Canadian Junior Championships.

These changes will affect both able-bodied swimmers and swimmers with a disability. Swimming Canada will continue to work with provincial sections to offer more competitions open to Para-swimmers, with more events in those peak performance windows available to post qualifying times.

Swimming Canada has also identified core strategies to develop the Open Water Program for 2017-2020.

The next phase of the competition review will take place after the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The second phase will review the competition structure at the provincial and developmental levels. Swimming Canada will also review these national event changes to evaluate their impact on an ongoing basis and make adjustments as necessary.

A detailed overview of the Competition Improvement Plan can be found HERE

Preliminary meet information for 2017 national competitions can be found HERE

National time standards for 2017 can be found HERE

For further information, or for access to the full review document, please email [email protected]