Some changes to the national meet schedule have been instated for the summer of 2016, with the news of an additional Arena Pro Swim Series stop added in Indianapolis being one of the biggest of those changes.
Another significant change will be that both the U.S. Open and the Junior National Championships are set to be held in Minneapolis next summer.
Since the inaugural U.S. Open meet in 1985, Minneapolis has hosted three times, in 1991, 2002, and 2008. The most recent U.S. Open, in 2013, was held at the Woollett Aquatic Center in Irvine, CA. Since 2007, the U.S. Open has typically been held in early August during years where U.S. Nationals aren’t held in that same month. This means that the U.S. Open is traditionally held during Olympic years, when there is no Senior Nationals meet at all (Olympic Trials occur instead in June and/or July). The same goes for years like in 2013, when the Barcelona World Championships Trials were held earlier in the year and there was no National meet in August.
During the last Olympic year, 2012, the U.S. Open was held August 7-11, while Junior Nationals were held August 13-17, both in Indianapolis. Next year’s dates for the two meets will look like this:
2016 U.S. Open | August 2-6 | Minneapolis, MN
2016 U.S. Junior Nationals | August 8-12 | Minneapolis, MN
Besides the obvious change in location from 2012 to 2016, USA Swimming is upholding the same plan of having the two meets held at the same pool one day apart from one another. The same was done in 2013, as both meets were held in Irvine with one day separating the two.
The University Aquatic Center in Minneapolis, which opened in 1990, is a fantastic modern facility that has played host to multiple men’s and women’s NCAA Championships and U.S. National Championships, to highlight a few. The 8-lane, 50 meter pool has room for over 2,500 spectators.
Click here to see USA Swimming’s full 2015-2016 Quadrennial Plan
I think USA Swimming needs to take on a new approach as it relates to its nationals meets.
I think this years event in San Antonio will be interesting – just because of what the heat issues may be and the possibility for thunderstorms during finals –
I know there are very few college campuses that are willing to open up their pool for these meets as they get started with their academic year – which leads me to think – why doesn’t USA Swimming consider doing what they do with Olympic Trials – and find a venue where you can bring in temporary pools in a larger venues in a city that may be a lower cost and… Read more »
I think Stanford is also a great swimmers venue.
Odd. I’m not saying that all of these people are wrong, but we are usually thrilled to have meets at the U because it is the only decent facility in all of Minnesota, and my kids have attended swim camps there for 3 years in a row. We have never had issues, or heard of anyone else complaining about the air quality at any meet we’ve been to. We are probably there for meets 6 weekends a year, if we are lucky.
I can’t believe there are still air quality complaints! I coached at Summer Nationals there in 1998 and it was horrible. And they’re still giving national meets to this complex??
As a MN club swimmer who competes at this facility quite often, there is a serious air quality problem. Eyes Burn after a few HOURS of being in the facility, a chlorine cough is apparent after only 2 DAYS. This problem was still apparent as ever during Speedo Sectionals this past week. It takes almost 3 days to feel normal after competing in this facility. I can barely survive 4 days of prelim/finals, I dont know how the college team practices there every day. Also the locker room on deck cannot fit enough girls for an Invite, or State meet let alone a National meet. The U of M has some SERIOUS work to do.
We need to do something. Maybe it’s some combination of updated air filtration systems, mandatory showers before entering the water, limiting the size of meets… and I’m sure there’s more solutions…
But something needs to be done. Having a Senior/Junior National Championship in a place where some athletes are struggling to breathe is unacceptable.
It’s not just Minnesotas pool. This is an issue at a number of facilities at the national and local level.
It takes me until Tuesday or Wednesday to get my lungs back feeling normal after meets sometimes. That’s insane. And all I do is coach. I’m not trying to perform at a high level.
Did this venue just have teams bail on sessions due to poor air quality?
Yes. Air quality at sectionals this past weekend was unbearable. I saw swimmers starting to hack like crazy as early as day 2
Keep in mind that the venue hosted 800+ swimmers this past weekend on top of the weather being quite dense with humidity.
Unless something drastic is done to correct the air quality, this is is a TERRIBLE choice. It’s a great facility but it’s not a healthy place for the athletes (or the coaches).
Hear that USA Swimming? Fixing the air quality should be part of the deal for awarding these meets.
I’ve seen a few Facebook rants by coaches who attended. It’s not good.