USA Swimming Open Water National Championships Return to Castaic

The 2017 USA Swimming Open Water National Championships will return to Castaic Lake, near Santa Clarita California for the first time since 2014. The decision was announced by USA Swimming today, alongside a format change – where stand-alone Junior National Championship Races will be held for the first time.

Previously, Junior National Champions and Junior National teams were selected from the top eligible swimmers in the open field. But with a separate Junior National race, swimmers will have a chance to race against competitors specifically of their own age, and therefore of a more similar strength and experience level, in a side of the sport where physical contact is infinitely more common than it is in the pool.

“We’re looking forward to another exciting weekend of open water racing at Castaic Lake with qualification for a number of international events on the line,” said Bryce Elser, USA Swimming’s Open Water Program Director. “The addition of Junior Nationals will provide more up-and-coming swimmers an opportunity to experience open water racing and creates a direct pathway from the junior ranks to our National Team.”

In spite of the separate Junior National Championship race, both the National and National Junior Teams will be selected from the open 10km event that is to be held on Friday, May 19th. Besides the National Teams, that race will determine participants for the 2017 World Championships in the 10k and 25k, the 2017 World University Games team, and a junior FINA World Cup trip. The top 6 male and top 6 female finishers, as well as their junior counterparts, will qualify for their respective National Teams.

Sunday will feature the 5k race, which will serve as the qualifier to swim the open water 5k at the 2017 World Championships in Budapest.

On the day in betweem May 20th, there will be a pair of 5K Junior National Championship races for swimmers aged 16 and under.

Full Day-by-Day Race Schedule

Friday, May 19th:

• Men’s 10km race – 8AM Pacific Time
• Women’s 10km race – 10:30AM Pacific Time

Saturday, May 20th:

• Boys’ 5km junior race – 8AM Pacific Time
• Girls’ 5km junior race – 9:30AM Pacific Time

Sunday, May 21st:

• Women’s 5km race – 8AM Pacific Time
• Men’s 5km race – 9:30AM Pacific Time

Qualifying Criteria

Swimmers can qualify either by a time or a placement.

For the Open 10K race, swimmers must have finished

• in the top 15 of the 2016 10K National Championships
• in the top 30 of the 2015 FINA 5K or 10K 2015 World Championships
• Finished in the top 20 at the 2016 10K at the 2016 Olympics
• OR hit a time standard in the table below

For the Open 5K race, swimmers must have finished

• in the top 15 of the 2016 5K or 10K National Championships
• in the top 30 of the 2015 FINA 5K or 10K 2015 World Championships
• Finished in the top 20 at the 2016 10K at the 2016 Olympics
• Finished in the top 3 at a USA Swimming Open Water Zone Championship (5K or longer) in 2016 or 2017
• Finished in the top 5 at the 2016 CSCAA Open Water Collegiate Nationals
• OR hit a time standard in the table below

For the Junior 5K race, swimmers must have finished

• In the top 10 at an Open Water Zone Championship
• OR hit a time standard in the table below