Happy New Year!
Happy New Year and welcome back to swimming club for 2023. We hope you had a restful Christmas and New Year and are ready to hit the water again to maybe work off some holiday indulgences!
Merrylands 50s
The highlight of this week’s program – the Merrylands 50s – is back for 2023.
How does it work? Swimmers that have entered the event have been evenly seeded across 4 heats for the preliminary round, and given a time handicap. You need to finish in the top 4 in your preliminary heat to progress to the semi-finals. The top 4 from each semi-final will then progress to the final. Swimmers will be re-handicapped after each round based on their time from the previous round.
The rules for handicaps are detailed on the website. Note that rule SW14.2 will apply to this event while rule SW14.3 will not apply. So you can’t get disqualified for going too fast, but you may get your seed time adjusted if you go too slow.
Need some tips for the event? Try asking one of our previous winners:
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Year
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Winner
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2019
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Lisa Shrestha
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2020
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Joseph Assi
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2021
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Aisha Abdelraheem
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The first-placed swimmer in the final will win a prize.
Next Week: Handicap Relay
The fun events continue next week with the 2x50m Handicap Relay. Want to enter? Get a teammate, come up with a team name and enter online before 8pm Thursday.
Metro South West Qualifying Meet
Good luck to our team swimming at the Metro South West Qualifying Meet tomorrow: Joseph, Laura-Belle, Ren, Alison, Daniel and Matthew.
Merrylands SwimFest – Entries open
Our annual swim meet, the Merrylands SwimFest will be held on Saturday, 18th February, 2023.
This meet is not only great competition practice for our swimmers, but is the club’s main fundraiser of the year with proceeds going towards our annual presentation evening.
Needless to say, we need everyone’s support in running the meet, and our swimmers to compete.
Our members get discounted entry fees for the meet and both Full Swimmer and Club Only Swimmer members are able to compete.
Entries close on Saturday, 4th February. See the website for details, get your entries in and think about how you will help on the day.
Merrylands SwimFest – Timekeeping
One of the most important and best jobs at the SwimFest is timekeeping, and it couldn’t be any easier – push a button when the swimmers hit the wall at the end of the race. No pencil, no clipboard, no splits, no writing times. All you need is eyes, a thumb and a connection between the two. The rest of the time you have a front-row seat to all the action with food served to you on a platter. We need 16 timekeepers to run the meet, so please volunteer when asked later this month.
Speedo Sprint Series Heats
The Speedo Sprint Series Heats will be held at the Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre on Sunday, 12th February. Swimmers aged 8-13 years that can swim 50m are encouraged to swim at this meet - speak to your coach if you are unsure whether you should enter. Entries close on 31st January – see the website for details.
Do your kids know what is going on?
Keep you kids informed about what is happening. Print them a copy of the newsletter to read each week or sign them up to receive a copy via email.
Lions Club Award
Each month the Committee votes for the Lions Club Award – the club’s Volunteer of the Year.
You can nominate a club member to recognise their service online here.
Club Uniforms
Order your club uniforms before the Merrylands SwimFest online here.
COVID-19 Conditions
Read the conditions for club races here.
Upcoming Meet Calendar
Check the website for the full list of upcoming meets, closing dates, programs and qualifying times.
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MEET NAME
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MEET DATE
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ENTRY CLOSING
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Speedo Sprint Series Heats
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12th February
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31st January
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Merrylands SwimFest
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18th February
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4th February
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NSW Senior Metropolitan Championships
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25th February & 26th February
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14th February
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Speedo Sprint Series Finals
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4th March
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Qualify via Heats meet
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NSW State Open Championships
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10th March to 12th March
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28th February
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NSW Junior State Age Championships
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25th March & 26th March
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14th March
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NSW State Masters Championships
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1st & 2nd April
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24th March
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School Holiday Activities
Bingo
Tuesday 10 January 10.30-12pm
Great prizes to be won
Register at https://www.clubmerrylands.com.au/
Kids Disco
Tuesday 17 January 11-1pm
Who is ready to party? Dress up in your favourite costume and join in the fun, Kids FREE soft drink, Prizes up for grabs
Register at https://www.clubmerrylands.com.au/
Kids Barefoot Bowls
Thursday 19 January and Friday 20 January
Roll up for a fun day on the green
10.30-11.30am
Register at https://www.cumberland.nsw.gov.au/