2022-23 Season (Irish Summer National Championships and Irish National Division 2 Competition)

In preparation for the coming Season and in line with the feedback we received through our various stakeholder engagement opportunities, we are incredibly excited to announce some big changes to our two main summer competitions.

Providing high quality exciting racing opportunities for the largest number of junior and senior athletes, Summer Nationals and Division 2 competitions have always been the most popular events on the swimming calendar. Therefore, as we strive for continual improvement to ensure the meets are catering for all the development and performance needs of our members, we are pleased to outline changes for the season ahead.

The Irish National Division 2 Competition will see a complete change and will be replaced with the Irish Summer National Age Group Championships (details outlined below). Whilst this is a new event and the name has changed, we can assure you it won’t lose the fun, excitement, and amazing atmosphere that we know and love.

Irish Summer National Age Group Championships (50m)

• Division 2 will be replaced with an Irish Summer National Age Group Championships (50m)

• The competition will be run in University of Limerick and will be held in a 50m pool rather than in a 25m pool

• This competition will cater for only ages 12-14 years

• Qualification times and consideration times will remain in line with 2021-22 season Division 2 entry times

• The introduction of new individual prizes to reward improvement on entry time

• The introduction of new club prizes such as top team and top cluster points awards

• The competition will now run over 4 days from the 6th – 9th July 2023

The Irish Summer National Championships will also see a complete change with the introduction of the Irish Summer National Youth & Senior Championships (50m). This new event will see the top athletes (15+) from around the country come together under one roof, further details below.

Key changes (Irish Summer Nationals)

• Summer Nationals will be replaced with an Irish Summer National Youth & Senior Championships (50m)

• The competition will run in the National Aquatic Centre, Dublin

• The competition will cater for ages 15 years & over

• Qualification times and consideration times will remain in line with 2021-22 season Division 2 entry times

• The introduction of new individual prizes to reward improvement on entry time

• The introduction of new club prizes such as top team and top cluster points awards

• The competition will run over 5 days from the 26th – 30th July 2023

The reasons behind the overhaul of summer competitions

• Feedback from club coaches around the country felt that National Division 2 needed a refresh and a change of format.

• With this new format coaches, swimmers & families will know at the start of the season which competition they will be swimming at in July the following year, thus giving them ample time to put plans in place.

• It will eliminate swimmers from the same club of the same age having to go to different competitions. Previously swimmers of the same age from the same club were split up across two different competitions, with this sometime resulting in clubs not being able to field relay teams.

• It will mean that swimmers can race more competitions & events and race to their full potential, without the fear of qualifying for a competition they, their coach or family doesn’t want them to take part in.

• Families were unsure what competition their child was going to be swimming in (National Division 2 or Irish Summer Nationals) until the last qualification competition had finished, which led to the late acquisition of accommodation and interfering with planned family holidays.

• Staying with Division 2-type qualifying standards will ensure that all athletes that would be used to racing a National event in the summer still have this chance.

• Individual age bands (medals) across both competitions.

• There is a clear line as to when a young athlete transfers for a 4-day meet in Limerick to a 5-day meet in Dublin and this is often the age where swimmers make a judgement as to how much commitment they wish to put into our sport.

Competitions Manager, Pat Daly said “We thoroughly believe these changes will have a positive outcome for Irish swimming and ultimately Irish swimmers and clubs. By making these changes swimmers and families have certainty around what competition they will be attending later in the year, whilst allowing swimmers to race at more competitions & events throughout the year to their full potential”.

For more information, please see Summer Nationals and Division 2 briefing document.

For any queries, please contact Competitions Manager, Pat Daly: patdaly@swimireland.ie