Entries open for National Winter Championships 2017

Entries are open for the Swim England National Winter Championships 2017, which takes place at Ponds Forge in Sheffield from the 13-17 December.

The National Winter Championships is one of the largest level 1 meets of the year. As such, it features some of the country’s top senior swimmers.

It is also always lots of fun, with a festive feeling and a great atmosphere. The Winter Championships provides a chance for junior swimmers to compete alongside some of their heroes.

Swimmers who have made a qualifying time can enter below. Entries are open until Thursday 23 November at 12 Noon and any entries received after this will be subject to a late entry fee.

• Click here to head to the competitor information page and download the entry pack.

The National Winter Championships has been a short-course meet for the past two years. However, as the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games takes place in April next year, it will be long course for 2017.

This will allow swimmers who have not yet made qualifying times to try and make the Team England swimming team. It will also provide an opportunity for those swimmers who have already qualified to fine-tune their racing before April.

There will also be a chance for para-swimmers to qualify for the Gold Coast. Due to the rescheduling of the IPC World Champs in Mexico, many swimmers would not have had another opportunity. Eligible swimmers have been set an invitation.

What to expect at the National Winter Champs

While the National Winter Championships is a competitive national event, it is also very different to the Swim England National Summer Meet, held in August.

Swimmers must have achieved qualifying times in order to enter, so it will see some of the country’s best competing for national honours. However, being so close to Christmas and the last event of the year, it has a very different atmosphere.

In the summer, many of the top English swimmers will qualify for the British Summer Meet and are not eligible to compete at the Swim England Summer Meet. However, at the National Winter Championships this is not the case so it usually sees greater numbers of senior swimmers.

Medals are given to the fastest senior swimmers in the ‘A’ final of each event as well as the fastest three junior swimmers (15 years old or younger) from the heats or finals.

• Click here to find out more about the National Winter Championships.