Senior Swimming Gala 2024

Scouts, Explorers, Network & Adults

Venue: Willesden Leisure Centre

Donnington Road, Willesden, NW10

Time: 18.00 to 21.30

Date: Saturday 30th November 2024

Please ensure you arrive for 6pm in full uniform.

Entry Fee

This year, there will be a £2 entry fee per competitor.

Young people swimming

Younger members can swim in an older age group within their section, but older ages cannot swim in younger age groups. Only invested members will be able to participate. A person whose birthday is on the day of the Gala must swim in the older age group. i.e. A Cub Age 9 = Class B

Class	Beavers	Cubs	Scouts	Explorers
Class A	Age 6	Age 8	10.5 to 11	14 and 15
Class B	Age 7	9 to 10.5	12 and 13	16 and 17

Scoring of points

Points will be awarded according to the finishing place of each entrant in the race, the points are allocated as follows:

• First place = 10

• Second place = 8

• Third place = 6

• Fourth place = 4

• Fifth place = 2

NOTE: Double points scored for relay races. Half points are awarded in heats.

Special Events / Races

The District Championships are separate “Special Events” with their own Trophies and awards; therefore, these races WILL NOT count towards the overall points.

The network and adult races do count towards group points where the competitor is a group member.

Number in events

• Each Colony, Pack, Troop and Unit may only enter a maximum of 2 competitors for each race. 

• Each competitor may enter a maximum of 2 events, excluding the Relay or District Championship.

• No competitor may swim twice in the Relay.

POR ruling on swimming

All youth members need to be able to swim to participate in the competitive swimming races, but members taking part in the non-swimmers (Beavers egg and Spoon race) need to be members that cannot swim.

The District championship

• Scouts – Can only be swum by Scouts from Class B

• Explorers – Open to all Explorer Scouts and Young Leaders

Heats and Finals

Heats will be run for each event. Where there are more than six entrants, the race will be run as two or more heats. Where possible, entrants from the same group will be put in different heats.

If a race has six or fewer competitors, it will be run and scored as a final.

Time Keeping

Races are timed to select the six fastest competitors for the final, and timings are also used to verify winners.

Swimming Strokes

We are not part of any Swimming Clubs, and we do not expect all of the young people taking part in the event to be of club level. However, we do expect all competitors to know how to do the strokes, including which leg kicks to use. If a young person does not know how to swim a stroke or fails to swim the correct stroke, that young person could be disqualified from that race.

Footwear

No outside footwear may be worn on the poolside.

Members and leaders watching and cheering

Can you all please make sure that while we all know that we all get very excited while we are at the event, it is of uppermost importance that you all remain seated, so that we don’t have any accidents, can you please make sure that all young people walk on poolside as this again will stop any potential accidents. VIDEO RECORDING and PHOTOGRAPHTY is prohibited whilst poolside.

In all Rules and matters above, the Judge’s decision is final

Races

All races except relays are held for both Class A and Class B.

Scouts:

• Front Crawl

• Backstroke

• Breaststroke

• Relay:

  • A Front Crawl

  • A Backstroke

  • B Breaststroke

  • B Front Crawl

• District Championship, Class B only, 4 lengths at least 1 of each stroke

There are six Scout races; if you have more than 12 competitors, they won't all be able to swim twice. If you have more than six 12 & 13-year-olds, you should also consider splitting them into two teams, as they can't swim in Class A races.

Explorer Scouts:

• Front Crawl

• Backstroke

• Breaststroke

• Relay:

  • A Front Crawl

  • A Backstroke

  • B Breaststroke

  • B Front Crawl

• District Championship, Any class, 4 lengths at least 1 of each stroke

There are six Explorer Scout races; if you have more than 12 competitors, they won't all be able to swim twice. If you have more than six 16 & 17-year-olds, you should consider splitting into two teams as they can't swim in Class A races.

Scout Network:

• Front Crawl

• Backstroke

• Breaststroke

• District Championship, 4 lengths at least 1 of each stroke

Adults:

• Front Crawl

You must fill in and hand in the race card with competitors at the start of the event.