How to Run a Swimming Event in Colorado

Running a swimming event in Colorado? Here's how to plan it, pick a format and run it on Colorado Under Par, start to finish.

What it looks like

Colorado amateur swimming includes age-group and masters meets at rec center pools, plus summer open water swims and charity swims at reservoirs and lakes.

Formats

Pool Meet (Age-Group / Masters)

Swimmers enter events by stroke and distance, are seeded into heats by entry time, and race in lanes.

Open Water Swim

Swimmers race a buoy-marked course in a lake or reservoir, often in wave starts.

Relay

Teams of four each swim one leg in turn, either the same stroke or one of each stroke in a medley.

Time Trial

Swimmers race alone or in small groups against the clock to set an official time, often to qualify for a later meet.

Timed Finals

Each event is swum once with no prelims, and the times from those heats decide the final placings.

Underwater Distance Challenge

With lifeguards watching closely, swimmers see how far they can glide off the wall in one push. A short, safe test of form, not breath holding.

Pledge Per Lap Swim

Swimmers collect pledges for every lap they complete in a set time. A classic swim a thon that works for all ages.

Rubber Duck Awards

Every winner gets a medal plus a rubber duck, and the best spirit swimmer wins a giant duck. Easy, cheap and perfect for photos.

Build it

In the Organizer Dashboard, click Create event and pick swimming and your format. Every tab, word and Start here guide then follows your sport.

Registration

In Registration, ask what you need from each entrant, like events you are entering and seed time, if you have one.

Results

Open Course map and race info to upload a GPX file or draw the route, and pin the start, finish, water and parking. Bibs are automatic: set the first bib and every entrant gets the next number when they register. Time it with the phone finish line link, which works with no signal, or upload your timer's results file. Pick age groups and awards, and every entrant gets a results email when you post them. For heats and lanes, entrants add a seed time, heats are seeded fastest last, and everyone sees their heat and lane on their ticket.

Event day

Swimmers check in and get heat sheets or body markings, warm up in the water, race their heats or wave, then results post and age group awards follow.

Fun ideas

Make it memorable. Three ideas people love. Underwater Distance Challenge. With lifeguards watching closely, swimmers see how far they can glide off the wall in one push. A short, safe test of form, not breath holding. Pledge Per Lap Swim. Swimmers collect pledges for every lap they complete in a set time. A classic swim a thon that works for all ages. Rubber Duck Awards. Every winner gets a medal plus a rubber duck, and the best spirit swimmer wins a giant duck. Easy, cheap and perfect for photos.

Tip

One tip for first-timers: recruit timers early, at least one or two per lane for a pool meet, because timing volunteers are the hardest job to fill. Building is free, then 1% per paid order plus card processing, paid to your own Stripe account. Stuck? Ask Caddie or search Need help in your dashboard. Start at coloradounderpar.com/sell-tickets.