There are approximately 14 BASA sanctioned meets on the 2025-26 calendar. The schedule is posted on both the Harbour and Basa websites. In order to participate in a BASA sanctioned meet, the BASA registration MUST be completed and the $160 annual fee must be paid. Registration runs from September until August, regardless of when you sign up. The link to register is posted on the Basa website. Participation in swim meets is not mandatory!

In addition to BASA sanctioned meets, Harbour will try to put on a couple of unsanctioned meets. These run exactly as a regular meet with full timing equipment, but they are more relaxed and swimmers will not be disqualified. Times swum at these meets cannot be used for entry into sanctioned meets but Harbour will accept them for gold or silver squad qualification. Dates of the Harbour meets will be circulated later in the season as the schedule allows. Basa registration and fees are not required to participate in these meets and many swimmers prefer to do these meets first before entering a BASA meet.

A request to confirm participation in a meet will be sent approx. 12 days prior to the competition. Parents will be asked to confirm via email with their swimmers coach by a set deadline. If you miss the deadline your swimmers will not be entered. For 5 session championship meets later in the season we may look at using an online sign up system – more info to follow.

Coaches will select the swimmers events for the meets. Parents do not have to fill in any forms –just the email confirmation. Entry fees are included in the annual fees.

Some meets have qualifying standards and these will be explained in the “meet packages” which will posted on the BASA website (not posted as of Sept 15th).
For swimmers new to competition, they will be entered in “Development events” until they achieve a certain time standard. This time standard is a B time in the 10 and under age group (regardless of the swimmers age) in an event of 100metres or longer. Swimmers participate in the same competition but will race against other swimmers also in the development category. Time standards are posted on the BASA/Harbour websites. Swimmers who have reached the required time standard swim in “standard events”.

Once all entries are received a Psych sheet is issued which lists all swimmers competing in each event and is circulated a few days prior to the event. Heat sheets and a meet timeline are sent a day or so before the meet. Please note heats are seeded according to a swimmers time, therefore swimmers will not necessarily be in the same heat as swimmers their own age. Results will be collated according to age groups which are typically 10 and under, 11-12, 13-14 and 15 and over, split into each gender.

Please do not sign up for meets without checking your schedule. Swimmers should only be scratching from meets if they become sick or due to other unavoidable circumstances.

Unless there is a technical issue, swim meets typically run on time! Swimmers should all be on deck at the designated time for warm up. This is an important aspect of the competition. Please do not be late.

If your swimmer is sick on the day of the meet, you must email your coach no later than 10 mins prior to the first scheduled warm up (usually 7am). Basa impose a “no show” fine for each missed race if swimmers have not been scratched within the required timeline. These fines are passed on to the parents for payment.

Approx 25-30 volunteers are required to fill positions at each session of a swim meet. Once swimmers have been competing for a year or two, ALL parents are expected to volunteer. For some 5 session championship meets, swimmers will not be entered if at least one parent does not volunteer. Parents are encouraged to start “shadowing” official positions during the swimmers second year of competition. No swimmer may join gold or silver squad without one parent being qualified as an on deck official (this does not include time-keeping).

It will be mandatory for all swimmers to wear the Harbour t-shirts and swim caps once they have been issued. Apologies again to our juniors for the delay in receiving smaller sizes!

We strongly discourage the use of electronics on deck. The coaches want to see all swimmers either preparing for their race or supporting their team mates.
Swimmers should know their scheduled race times and ensure they are situated near the marshalling area prior to their race. Coaches should not have to go looking for the swimmers.

Meets usually start at 8.30am with warm ups starting at 7am. Seniors will typically warm up at 7.15am and juniors at 7.50am. For championship 5 session meets, the finals sessions will usually start at 5pm with warm up at 4pm. Warm up times and meet start times will be confirmed.

Please feel free to reach out with any questions.