CUSSL/LUCNS GENERAL REGULATIONS
Amendments and additions made from the 2009 and 2010 voting motions listed in "blue" lettering.
A.COMPETITIONS
1. For all teams within Ontario and Quebec, Easterns and Nationals
are compulsory in all events, unless the league approves a special exception
due to extenuating circumstances prohibiting participation. In the
event that routine (athletes with a disability solo, novice tech solo,
novice duet, novice team, solo, duet, team) does not receive approval and
does not compete in Easterns, they will be ineligible to compete at Nationals.
2. Nationals is the only meet that is compulsory for routines outside
of Ontario and Quebec; however these teams may feel free to swap routine
videos with other clubs.
3. To be eligible to compete in the league, a swimmer must be enrolled
in an accredited university degree program.
4. Each university should assure that the league coordinator has an
up-to-date pool diagram including dimensions and depths by October 31st
of each year.
5. There shall be competition in athletes with a disability solo, novice
technical solo, novice duet, novice team, solo, duet, and team routines.
6. Each university may enter an unlimited number of entries in each
category.
7. If possible, the host university should provide spacing time of
a maximum of five minutes per team prior to the competition. It is
recommended that a minimum of ten minutes warm up time be provided prior
to each routine event.
Added 2009: If possible, open pool time should be given on the day
prior to National prelims (Teams from the West would be offered later spacing
times.)
7a. Amended July 2008: At Nationals, teams will be seeded into
three groups if the total number of teams is ten or greater. Seeding will
be divided into groups with the greater equal part of teams from prelims
swimming last during finals (see chart below). A random draw to determine
the order of swimming will be done within each seeding group. (Teams only,
not novice teams)
Total Number of Teams Number of Teams in Each Seeding Group (last to
swim on the left)
10 4, 3, 3
11 4, 4, 3
13 5, 4, 4
14 5, 5, 4
16 6, 5, 5
17 6, 6, 5
8. At any given meet, in drawing for a swimming position, a swimmer
may draw first position only once in novice technical solo, solo, and duet
events; otherwise a draw will be done.
9. In routines, the swimwear must conform to FINA Rule GR6. The
use of accessory equipment or additional clothing is not permitted unless
required for medical reasons. Goggles may be worn.
10. In the event that a referee thinks a competitor(s) swimwear does
not conform to A9 or FINA Rule GR6, the competitor(s) will not be permitted
to compete until changing into appropriate swimwear.
11. Each team will be asked for the expected number of competing routines
in each event for the season at the October 31st registration date.
The number of competing routines for each team is subject to approval by
the league due to scheduling limitations and a limit may be implemented.
In case of a problem number of extra routines (duets, solos) registered
in the league the limiting number of extra routines per team per university
will be determined by the league.
12. It has been approved by Synchro Canada that "the
top three University solos, duets and teams at the University Championships(Nationals)
are eligible to compete at the Canadian Open in the Tier 7 Senior Free
events without qualifying through Divisionals. The athletes competing
at the Canadian open must be registered athletes with Synchro Canada."
(" " This is wording from Synchro Canada's motion)
13. Nationals will be held in a Western province at least once every
four (4) years if pool time can be arranged.
14. There is no penalty for teams competing with less than eight (8)
swimmers.
15. FINA rules will apply in all cases where no CUSSL rule or penalty
is specified.
16. NEW RULE : 2010 - TEAM SIZE: The maximum swimmers on a team will be set at 10 plus alternates.
B. JOINT TEAMS
1. Two years after inception, joint team status will be evaluated at
the CUSSL/LUCNS annual meeting. At that time a decision will be made
as to whether or not they can continue as a joint team. If the joint
status is renewed, they will then be revaluated annually.
C. NOVICE RULES
1. A swimmer qualifies as a novice swimmer if they have never been
registered, before their university career, as a competitive swimmer with
Synchro Canada or with their respective national organization. The
maximum duration of an individual’s classification as a novice level swimmer
is 4 years.
2. Once a novice swimmer obtains a technical solo championship score
of 60 or greater at the final meet, they are no longer eligible to compete
in the novice category.
3. The novice technical routine elements shall be the same as the season’s
FINA required elements for the Masters Technical Solo Routine.
4. Added July 2008: In the Novice Technical Solo category the penalty
for a missed element is one (1) point per element.
5. In order to be eligible to compete in the Novice Team category a
team must consist of swimmers the majority of whom, excluding alternates,
are defined by rules C1 and C2. A team eligible to compete in the
Novice Team category may choose not to compete in the Novice Team competition
but rather in the main Team category. Once a team has chosen to compete
in the main Team category at a meet they are ineligible to compete in the
Novice Team category the rest of that competitive season.
6. All swimmers who are competing in a novice duet or a novice trio
must be a defined novice swimmer by rules C-1 and C-2.
D.TIMES AND PENALTIES
1. The following times will apply to all teams. These times can
be reviewed and changed at the annual meeting.
a. Team: three minutes and forty five seconds (plus or minus
fifteen seconds)
b. Novice team: two minutes and forty five seconds (plus or minus fifteen
seconds)
c. Duet: three minutes (plus or minus fifteen seconds)
d. Novice duet: two minutes (plus or minus fifteen seconds)
e. Solo: two minutes and forty five seconds (plus or minus fifteen
seconds)
f. Novice Technical Solo: one minute and thirty seconds (plus
or minus fifteen seconds)
g. Athletes with a Disability Solo: maximum time limit is two minutes
and forty-five seconds (no minimum time)
2. In all events deck time must not exceed ten seconds. The penalty
for routines not complying with the deck time regulation will by 1.0.
3. The penalty for routines not complying with the specified time regulations
will be 1.0.
E.SCORING
1. At Nationals, an overall championship university shall be declared
upon receiving the highest total point score. The championship total
points shall be determined by adding up all the place points won by an
institution in each event. The remainder of the participating teams
shall be recognized in descending order of place.
2. The Championship overall total points will only be determined from
the results of the final meet.
3. Only the top two competitors from each university in each of the
athletes with a disability solo, solo, duet and team competitions shall
be considered in the placing and scoring of those events with regards to
the championship total points. In the novice division only the top
two finishes in the novice team, novice duet, and novice technical solo
competitions combined will count towards the championship total points.
I.e. At Nationals a university fields a novice team that places 1st and
two novice technical solos that place 1st and 2nd. Only the points
from the 1st place team and 1st place technical solo count for overall
championship points total. The second place technical solo receives
a silver medal but does not receive any points towards their university’s
overall championships points total. The 3rd place technical solo
from another university still receives 4 points for 3rd place.
4. Points allotment:
Novice Division Points:
| Placement | Technical Solo Points | Duets/Trios Points | Teams Points |
| 1 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| 2 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| 5 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Experienced Division:
| Placement | Solo Points | Duet Points | Team Points |
| 1 | 12 | 14 | 16 |
| 2 | 10 | 12 | 14 |
| 3 | 8 | 10 | 12 |
| 4 | 7 | 8 | 10 |
| 5 | 6 | 6 | 8 |
| 6 | 5 | 5 | 6 |
| 7 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| 8 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| 9 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| 10 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Athletes with a Disability Solo:
| Placement | Solo Points |
| 1 | 6 |
| 2 | 5 |
| 3 | 4 |
| 4 | 3 |
| 5 | 2 |
| 6 | 1 |
5. If, in any event, there is a tie, the higher technical score will break the tie.
F.AWARDS
1. In regards to the Championship(National) meet the following awards
regulations will apply:
a1)The winner of the team event shall receive the CUSSL/LUCNS Championship(National)
Team Trophy (John Drake Trophy)
a2)Added 2009: The winner of the novice team event shall receive
the CUSSL/LUCNS Championship(National) Novice Team Trophy
b. The winner of each category event (novice team, team, novice duet,
duet, novice technical solo, solo, athletes with a disability solo) shall
receive a CUSSL/LUCNS gold medal
c. Individuals placing second in each category will receive the CUSSL/LUCNS
silver medal
d. Individuals placing third in each category will receive the CUSSL/LUCNS
bronze medal.
e. The overall championship university shall receive the designated
CUSSL/LUCNS acknowledgement. (Gerry Dubrule Trophy)
f. In each category, only the top six finalists will be awarded a medal
and/or ribbon.
G.OFFICIALS
1. Where at all possible, judges and referees without conflicts shall
be chosen from the list of Synchro Swim Canada rated officials.
2. Where at all possible, no coach, assistant coach, swimmer or relation
of a participating team shall be on a judging panel while his or her team
is entered in the competition. A rated coach, assistant coach, swimmer
or relation could referee if necessary.
H.COST SHARING
1. Meet costs are to be shared equally by league registered swimmers.
2. The Championship team will be responsible for the engraving and
maintenance of the trophy.
3. Ideally, admission revenue will be split 50/50 between host club
and league based on league finances and participation of both bodies in
the planning of the meet.
I.SPECIAL AWARDS
1. CUSSL/LUCNS All Canadian
The CUSSL/LUCNS All Canadian awards will be awarded to registered swimmers
who compete in at least one league event with an annual average of 80%
and above or the equivalent of 3.4 and above. This award will be
administered by the league vice president.
2. The Anne Smeeton Award
The Anne Smeeton Award will be rewarded yearly to someone who contributes
significantly to the league. Nominations can be sent in by each university
and a winner will be chosen by the league executives.
J. POLICIES
July 2008: Discipline and Complaints, Appeals, Privacy, and Conflict
of Interest Policies adapted from Synchro Ontario.
See full details in Policy section on www.universitysynchro.ca
K. Grants - 2009-2010
Added: 2009
Each eligible team will receive funds at a ratio of 60% (West)
40% (East) per swimmer to a maximum per university that will follow the
same 60%, 40% ratio.
Addendum 2010: In the year Nationals are held in the "West", the above ratio will be reversed. ie 40% to Western Teams and 60% to Eastern teams with a reduced amount given for travel only to teams that normally do not qualify because they do not pay pool costs.(20%)
L. Administrative Policies
1. CD administration:
Added 2009: Each music CD should have the following:
i - 2 copies (ie a backup CD) of the same
music CD
ii - Each routine CD must be in a separate protective
case/envelope. However, the 2 copies of the same music CD can be
placed in the same
or separate
protective case/envelope.
iii - Full university name must be used - no
acronyms
iv - Name of event (ie novice solo, novice duet/trio,
novice team, solo, duet/trio, team, athlete(s) with a disability solo)
v - Full name of swimmers (no initials)
is needed with the exception of the novice team and team events.
IF THERE ARE
MULTIPLE
NOVICE TEAMS OR TEAMS FROM THE SAME UNIVERSITY, THE NAME MUST BE CLEARLY
WRITTEN.
(ie Queen's Novice team - Blue Team)
Failure to do the
above will result in a fine of $20.
2. Music: One person per university is to give ALL the club's music
at once AT LEAST 30 minutes prior to the club's spacing time. For
Nationals the music must be given at least 30 minutes before the team preliminary
event. If this is not possible, the club must make arrangements with the
meet manager prior to the meet. A $20 fine will be given if the university
fails to do so.
3. Conference attendance: Each university must have a representative
at the CUSSL Conference and conference call. (Conference is held
every other year and conference call/annual meeting the other year). Universities
who do not have a representative at the CUSSL conference and conference
call will be fined $50. Note: university representatives located out
of Ontario and Quebec have the option to phone-in to attend the CUSSL conference.
This fine will be paid with the university registration fees.