U.S. Masters Swimming has postponed its 2021 Spring National Championship because of the coronavirus pandemic, the organization announced on Thursday.
Spring Nationals, which has been renamed the 2021 USMS Short Course National Championship, is now tentatively scheduled for July 21-25 at the Greensboro Aquatic Center in Greensboro, North Carolina.
“We have been in constant contact with our event hosts and volunteer leadership and monitoring health guidelines and recommendations to determine if in-person USMS pool national championships can be held safely in 2021,” USMS CEO Dawson Hughes says. “In the best interests of our membership, volunteers, and event directors, we have decided postponing these events was the best course of action at this time. We remain hopeful that these marquee events can be held in 2021 once vaccines are more widely available and conditions improve, but the safety of our members, coaches, volunteers, and staff will continue to be our top priority.”
To implement social distancing at the rescheduled events, USMS anticipates limiting the number of participants and extending each event from four days to five to reduce the number of people in the facility at one time.
USMS and event organizers are also working on other measures to ensure the safety of participants. Any new information or additional adjustments will be announced when finalized, and full meet information is expected when registration opens in May.
“The decision to postpone the meet wasn’t made lightly,” Short Course Nationals Host Committee Chair Hill Carrow says. “We will continue monitoring the coronavirus and spend the next several months determining best practices to implement for our national championship. We hope swimmers will have an opportunity to experience our amazing facility and enjoy their time in Greensboro in a safe and fun manner this summer.”
Swimmers are encouraged to check usms.org for the latest information regarding all of USMS’s pool, open water, and ePostal national championships.