2009-2010 ATHLETE CARDING Senior Provincial Carding - Thirty Cards: The top 30 FINA scoring swimmers based on Olympic events from selected Long Course competitions. Funding level is based on the following FINA Point thresholds. Performance Threshold 900+ FINA Points = $6000 880 FINA Points = $5000 850 FINA Points = $4000 800 FINA Points = $3000 Junior Provincial Carding – Ten Cards: The top 5 FINA scoring females 16 & under and the top 5 FINA scoring males 17 & under each receive $1000, (10 X $1000 = $10,000); excluding swimmers who qualify for the Senior Carding (30 spots). Selected Long Course Competitions in 2009 - Ontario Carding. • Junior Pan Pacific Swimming Championships (January - Guam) • Australian Youth Olympic Festival (January - Australia) • 2009 Charlotte UltraSwim - (May - North Carolina) • Grand Prix Mel Zajac International • Grand Prix Quebec Cup • Swim Ontario Long Course Senior Championships (June - Etobicoke) • Swim Ontario Junior Provincials (July - Etobicoke) • World University Games (July - Serbia) • SNC Summer Nationals (July - Montreal) • Canadian Age Group Championships (July - Montreal) • 13th FINA World Championships (July/August – Italy) • Long Course Dual Meet (August - Great Britain) TBC • North American Challenge Cup (August - Mexico) 1 Criteria and Guidelines Payment: • Carding money is payable to the individual athlete. • Ontario Residents: Receive 50% after the SNC Canada Cup in November 2009, and 50% after the SNC Spring Nationals in April 2010. • Out of Province Swimmers: Funding will be prorated on the amount of time (monthly basis) the athlete resides and trains in Ontario during the competitive season (September 2009 to August 20010). Payment will be made after SNC Spring Nationals in April 2010. It is the responsibility of the athlete (or their family) to notify Swim Ontario with proof of athlete residence and training conditions. • Out of Province Swimmers: SNC Senior Carded Swimmers+: Can apply to Swim Ontario to receive up to 50% of the funding regardless of their place of residence. • Competition Schedule: Funding is released once the coach of each carded swimmer submits a Competition Schedule to the Provincial Mentor Coach of Swim Ontario by the SNC Canada Cup in November of 2009. • NCAA Eligibility: The onus is entirely on the athlete (and their family) to determine the impact of accepting Ontario Carding funding on current or future NCAA eligibility and deciding whether or not to accept Ontario Carding funding. Performance: • If after two carding periods (two full short course and long course seasons), the swimmer has failed to improve on their fastest previous Carding time, or FINA rating in another event, the swimmer will be removed from the carding program. The swimmer is eligible to re-qualify at the next carding opportunity, by achieving a time that is faster than their previous carded time or achieving a higher FINA point score in another Olympic event. Swimmers who score above 920 FINA points are exempt from the Performance Criteria. • Attendance at the 2010 Swim Ontario Senior Provincial Championships for at least two sessions is compulsory for all “In Province” carded swimmers. • Fitness must be proven at the 2010 Swim Ontario Senior Provincial Championship or a competition deemed acceptable by the Swim Ontario Provincial Mentor Coach. • Fitness is defined as achieving a FINA SC or LC points rating in any Olympic event within 50 points of the LC rating used to earn their carding. E.g. carding time is 52.03 LC = 800 FINA points. Therefore the swimmer must score 750 or more FINA SC or LC points. Failure to satisfy both the Attendance and Fitness criteria will omit an In Province carded swimmer from receiving the second half of their carding. Eligibility: • Must be a Canadian Citizen or a Permanent Resident. • Must be eligible to represent Canada at major international games. • Must represent an Ontario Club during domestic SNC National level competitions. • Must be registered, and in good standing with, Swim Ontario and Swimming/Natation Canada during the Carding Selection period. • All Ontario swimmers carded by SNC are eligible for Ontario carding. • Athletes who register with, and/or represent, another Provincial Association are ineligible. 2 • + SNC Senior Carded Swimmers: Must include in the application a description of how the funds will be utilized and a letter of support from the Coach of Record supporting the application. Exemptions to the Attendance and Fitness Guidelines for “In Province Swimmers” may be requested by submitting a detailed letter from both the coach and the athlete, outlying the reason(s) for an exemption to be made. If accepted, carding may be withheld until the athlete meets the criteria at a mutually acceptable competition. If the exemption is denied, the next eligible swimmer will be moved into the carding program. *Please note that “Out of Province” carded swimmers receive a prorated amount; the remaining funds are not transferable to another athlete during the swimming year. Tie Breaking Rules: • The current IPS System will be used to determine the winner. • An international performance (provided the qualification standard for the international meet is higher than SNC Senior National Standards) takes precedence over a domestic performance. • Final swim takes precedence over a B-Final/Semi-final or heat swim. • A semi-final/B final will be considered equal and will take precedence over a heat swim. • An Individual swim will take precedence over a relay lead-off • Position of finish in the race will be the final determinant if a tie remains 3.