Team Events

Club calendar

Competition Advice

• Between 3 to 6 development galas per year.
• For athletes aged between 9 to 16 and raced in age groups.
• Has approximately 50 events over a 3 hour gala on Saturday evenings.
• Usually has upper limit times in each event, which limits the event to development Athletes.
• Mixture of relays and individual events within each age group.
• There is no event fee for Team galas. 

• An Availability email will be sent 1 month before the event, please respond promptly to requests.
• Selected by development team manager, notification emails will be published 1 week before the event.
• As part of a competitive swimming club it is an expectation for Athletes to make themselves available for team galas.
• No buses are available to transport Athletes to events

• 3 Kent Junior league galas each year.
• Held in June, September and November.
• For Athletes aged between 9 to 13.
• Age groups of 10 and under, 11, 12 and 13.
• Has 51 events over a 3 hour gala on Saturday evenings.
• All competitive swimmers are eligible.
• Mixture of relays and individuals events. 
• There is no event fee for Team galas. 

• An Availability email will be sent 1 month before the event, please respond promptly to requests.
• Selected by Head Coach, notification emails will be published 1 week before the event.
• As part of a competitive swimming club it is an expectation for Athletes to make themselves available for team galas.
• Buses may be available for some galas where it is cost effective to do so. 

Arena League (website)

• 3 Arena League Galas each year.
• Held in October, November and December.
• For Athletes of all age groups 9 and over.
• Age groups of 9/11, 12/13, 14/15 and open.
• Has 50 events of a 3 hour gala on Saturday evenings.
• All competitive swimmers are eligible.
• Mixture of relays and individuals.
• Usually level 4 Licence.
• There is no event fee for Team Galas. 
• This league is a national league with 3 leagues within each region.

• An Availability email will be sent 1 month before the event, please respond promptly to requests.
• Selected by Head Coach, notification emails will be published 1 week before the event.
• As part of a competitive swimming club it is an expectation for Athletes to make themselves available for team galas.
• Buses may be available for some galas where it is cost effective to do so. 

Individual Events/Opens

Club calendar

• The Head Coach will decide which open galas the club enters.
• Generally for ages 9 and above.
• Targeted opens can be seen on the club calendar.
• On either a Saturday, Sunday or both.
• Over 2-3 3 hour sessions. 
• Fees per event apply.
• Lower qualification (must be faster than) and/or Upper Qualification (must not be faster than) times apply to all opens. 
• Held at 25 metre and 50 metre pools.
• Different level of licencing applies to different opens.
• Different age on dates (how old on that date) apply to different opens.
• We compete as Folkestone in the majority of open galas. 

• Please review club calendar for targeted opens. 
• Entry emails are sent 1 month before the event with strict entry deadline days.
• Athletes select which events they wish to compete in. 
• Event fees are non refundable once entry has been sent to promoting club.
• Athletes are required to sign in to events on the gala day, non sign in will mean Athletes will be unable to compete in the event. 

Championships

• Open to all Fully paid club members with Folkestone as first ranked club.
• Open to members of all ages. 
• Program Covers full list of Events. 
• Dates to be confirmed for 2018.
• Price per event.
• Held at Folkestone Swimming pool.
• Licensed at Level 4.
• Other fun galas held throughout the year. 
• No Qualification times required.
• Entry deadline is applicable, no entries will be accepted after this time. 

The majority of our member's first steps into competitive swimming where when they took part in an event at club championships. The championships are held yearly and is a brilliant show case of the talent within the club from competitive level to our learning to swim members of all ages.  

Club championships are the first rung on the competitive ladder leading onto East Invicta Championships, Kent County Championships, South East regional Championships and finally Nationals. 

Details of Club championships are emailed to members 6 weeks prior to the events with a entry closing date of 2 weeks prior. Athletes select electronically the events that they wish to enter. 

• Open to members of Folkestone, Hythe, Dover, Ashford, Canterbury, Thanet, Herne Bay and Faversham.
• We Combine with Hythe to Compete as Shepway.
• For Ages 9 and over. 
• Usually Held at Canterbury 25 metre swimming pool in November. 
• Fees per Event apply.
• Licensed at Level 3.
• Athlete's Personal best times must by faster than the Qualification times. 
• Entry deadline is applicable, no entries will be accepted after this time.

The next rung on the competitive ladder and achieving a qualification time for the East Invicta championships is a bench mark achievement for many of our competitive Athletes. Over the last 4 years the club has continually improved the quantity of members competing at this level, last year 70% (60 members) of our competitive squad achieved a qualification time to compete at these championships. Competing as Shepway we were ranked 3rd from all the member clubs.

Full event program, qualification times, conditions and event selection are emailed to parents in late September.

• Open to all Kent affiliated clubs.
• We combine with Hythe to compete as Shepway
• For Ages 10 over at year end (Athletes age as of 31/12.)
• Usually held at Crystal palace and Olympic 50 metre Pool.
• Held between January and February.
• Licensed at level 1.
• Athlete's personal best times must be faster than the qualification times and achieved at a level 4 gala. 
• Entry deadline is applicable, no entries will be accepted after this time.
• Qualification times have to have been achieved after the 1st January the previous year. 

It is a major achievement for athletes to achieve a qualification time for the Kent County championships as the level of entry is extremely high, with many National Athletes competing. For many of our competitive squad this is their Olympics  with 30% (26 members) competing in this years championships.

Full event program, qualification times, conditions and event selection are emailed to parents in late December.

There are 2 qualification times for these Championships due to the set limit of Athletes per age group and event. 

An automatic qualification time guarantees athletes have qualified for their event.

The fastest consideration qualification times will only be used if the set quantity of athletes per age group and event have not been achieved.

South East Regionals

(website)

• Open to All South East regional clubs
• We combine with East invicta clubs to compete as Excel.
• For Ages 11 and over at year end (Athletes age as of 31/12.)
• Can be held anywhere in the South East of England.
• Held in May.
• Licensed at Level 1
• Athlete's personal best times must be faster than the qualification times and achieved at a level 3 gala. 
• Entry deadline is applicable, no entries will be accepted after this time.
• Qualification times have to have been achieved after the 1st June the previous year. 

Athletes that achieve qualification times for South East Regionals are competing with some of the best Athletes in the country. This year 5% (5 members) of the competitive squad have achieved qualification times to compete at the Championships.

Full event program, qualification times, conditions and event selection are emailed to parents in late March.

There are 2 qualification times for these Championships due to the set limit of Athletes per age group and event. 

An automatic qualification time guarantees athletes have qualified for their event.

The fastest consideration qualification times will only be used if the set quantity of athletes per age group and event have not been achieved.

Nationals

• Invitation only bases upon current ranking within the uk
• For Ages 11 and over at year end (Athletes ages of of 31/12.)
• Licensed to Level 1.

In recent years Lucy Howes has competed at Nationals and represented Folkestone Swimming club. Being an invitational only bases upon Athletes rankings within the UK.