Swimming Canada released their 2015 national time standards, and with it they added a category by having separate qualifying times for both the Canadian Pan Am/ World Championship Trials and the Canadian summer nationals, a standard that used to be one in the same.
The new ‘Trials’ standards are slightly faster than the CSC (Canadian swim championships) standards that have been the norm in Canadian swimming for years, although most are within a second of the current CSC standards.
This move comes into effect the same year as Canada is due to host the 2015 Pan Am games, which will be held in Toronto, Ont. With faster qualifying times at the Canadian Pan Am/ World Championship Trials, it will most likely only effect those swimmers who were just a little faster than the cut-off as the overall difference in the Trials and CSC standards are so slight.
This move marks yet another change Swimming Canada has made over the past little while in hopes of developing a more competitive team on the world stage.
Canada has a very young roster, a much younger roster than a lot of other national teams, so these moves might have merit to them as we approach the Olympic year.
The current age-group national standards have remained unchanged and can be found here.
To see the current national standards, including the new trials standards, click here.