Parent's Guide to Canada Artistic Swimming Rulebook Ages 8-19 2025-26

To be a Qualified Competitor a swimmer must comply with current Canada Artistic Swimming rules and policies, be a competitive (not recreational) swimmer, be a Canadian competitor, meet the age requirement, be chosen by the Selection Committee where relevant, be a registered member of only one club or provincial/territorial organization (or an authorized unattached competitor), and participate without substances prohibited under the Canadian Anti-Doping Program (CCES).

Minimum age: swimmers aged 11 and younger (age on December 31 of the competition year) cannot compete at the Qualifier or the Canadian Championships (CASC). Swimmers aged 12 may only swim up to Youth Team, Youth Duet, Youth Mixed Duet and Free Combination, unless granted an exemption for Youth solo.

Athletes may represent and compete for two member clubs in the same season in different routines.

Source: Canada Artistic Swimming Rulebook (revised November 2025), rules 1.6, 4.2 and 5.11.4.

The events are Female Solo, Male Solo, Female Duet, Mixed Duet, Team, Free Combination and Acrobatic Routine.

• Youth: Figures, Solo, Male Solo, Duet, Mixed Duet, Team and Free Combination.
• Junior and Senior: Solo, Male Solo, Duet, Mixed Duet and Team, each with a Technical and a Free routine, entered separately. Acrobatic Routine is an open Junior/Senior event.
• Adaptive: events in Appendix IV of the rulebook, including Mixed Ability Duet and Team.

Teams have 4 to 8 swimmers at national level, with no deduction in Canada for fewer than eight. Free Combination has 4 to 10 swimmers. Competitions below national level are the responsibility of the provincial and territorial organizations.

Source: Canada Artistic Swimming Rulebook (revised November 2025), rules 1.3, 1.4, 2.2, 2.4, 2.8 and 3.1 to 3.2.

Swim up: an athlete may swim up one age category in Duet, Mixed Duet, Team, Free Combination and Acrobatic Routine.

• A 12 and Under athlete aged 12 may swim up to Youth Duet, Youth Mixed Duet, Youth Team and Youth Free Combination, and must then enter Youth figures.
• A Youth athlete may swim up to Junior Duet, Junior Mixed Duet, Junior Tech or Free Team, Senior Tech or Free Team and the Acrobatic Routine. A 15-year-old can also swim Junior Solo and Senior events because they are age eligible.

Swim down: one first-year Senior (20-year-old female, 21-year-old male) can swim down on a Junior Team, and one first-year Junior (16-year-old female, 17-year-old male) can swim down on a Youth Team. Only one athlete per club per age group can do this. With 4 or more athletes in the age group no swimming down is allowed, and permission is granted by the Rules Committee on written request from the club. The rulebook says the measure is meant to help small clubs.

Age 12 and Youth solo: a 12-year-old may request an exemption to swim up to Youth solo from the CAS Rules/Technical Committee by showing physical and psychological maturity matching their skills.

Source: Canada Artistic Swimming Rulebook (revised November 2025), rules 1.6 and 5.11.

Figures are a separate event judged on set body positions and movements. Swimmers are identified by number for the figure competition and names are not called.

• Youth: each Youth competitor in Solo, Male Solo, Duet, Mixed Duet and Team performs two figures (the same two for everyone). At the Qualifier and Canadian Championships (CASC), all Youth competitors in those events, including alternates and substitutes, must swim figures. Youth in Free Combination may enter figures if they are not in another routine event.
• 12 and Under: World Aquatics rules apply if Canada Artistic Swimming holds a 12 and Under event. Canada Artistic Swimming recommends provincial and territorial organizations use four figures.
• 10 and Under: figures as recommended in Appendix 5 of the rulebook. 8 and Under: figures and skills are decided by the provincial or territorial organization.

Figures are chosen by the World Aquatics technical committee every four years. In Youth figures, a zero is given if the announced figure is not performed, the swimmer stops, or required elements are missing. In 12 and Under figures, a one-point penalty applies and a second attempt is allowed; if the problem happens again the figure scores zero.

Source: Canada Artistic Swimming Rulebook (revised November 2025), rules 2.1, 5.12.1, 10.6 and 10.12.

Each judge awards marks from 0 to 10 in steps of 0.25 (for example 10 is perfect, 9.75 to 9.5 near perfect, 9.25 to 9.0 excellent, 6.75 to 6.0 competent, 0 completely failed).

• Elements panel: judges give one score for the execution of each element (free elements and technical required elements). The score is multiplied by the element's degree of difficulty. Difficulty Technical Controllers check the difficulty declared on the coach card.
• Artistic Impression panel: judges give three scores: Choreography and Musicality, Performance, and Transitions.
• Calculation: for each mark the highest and lowest awards are cancelled, and the remaining three are averaged (elements) or added (artistic impression). Elements score plus Artistic Impression score, less penalties, is the routine score.

Deductions and penalties follow World Aquatics Rules section 18.

Source: Canada Artistic Swimming Rulebook (revised November 2025), rules 15 to 17.

Time limits include ten seconds for deck movement.

Youth and 12 and Under Free Combination is 3:00. The Acrobatic Routine is 3:00.

Source: Canada Artistic Swimming Rulebook (revised November 2025), rule 12.1. The 12 and Under and 10 and Under limits are recommendations for provincial and territorial organizations.

Routines: swimwear (swimsuit, cap and goggles) must be non-transparent, suitable for the sport and must not carry any symbol that may be considered offensive. Nothing may hang or dangle from the suit, including long ties. Swimwear that meets religious or personal beliefs, such as a hijab or full body covering, is permitted. If the referee thinks swimwear does not conform, the swimmer cannot compete until she or he changes into appropriate swimwear.

Figures: swimmers wear a plain black one-piece suit and a white cap. The cap must have no identifying marks. The suit must have no identifying marks other than a manufacturer's logo not exceeding 16 square centimetres, and nothing on the suit should be able to float.

Source: Canada Artistic Swimming Rulebook (revised November 2025), rules 10.7.2 and 11.10.2.

Nose clips are allowed for all events.

Goggles are allowed in routine events only with medical certification, which must be given to the Chief Referee at least 30 minutes before the event. Masters and Adaptive athletes may use goggles in all events without medical certification.

In the figures event, goggles and nose clips may be worn.

Source: Canada Artistic Swimming Rulebook (revised November 2025), rules 10.7.1 and 11.10.1.

Makeup: theatrical make-up shall not be worn. Natural makeup that represents the athlete's personality and/or the theme of their routine may be used.

Jewellery: for safety, only small stud jewellery is permitted. Dangling jewellery, and dangling items on headpieces or swimwear, must be removed before the start of the event.

Medical or religious items: these can be worn only if requested in advance to the Chief Referee (through the registration form or as the Competition Director requires). For example, one standard medical alert bracelet or a bracelet of religious significance such as a Sikh Kara may be worn if it is no more than one centimetre wide and has a smooth surface.

Other accessories and extra clothing are not permitted unless required for medical reasons.

Source: Canada Artistic Swimming Rulebook (revised November 2025), rule 11.10.