How is my child's age group worked out for a meet?

Under Swim England's Open Meet Licensing Criteria, every licensed meet (Levels 1-4) uses one of two methods, and the meet conditions say which:

• Age at 31 December in the year of the competition, or
• Age on the last day of the competition.

For example, under the 31 December method a swimmer who turns 12 in November swims as a 12-year-old all year, even at a meet in March.

The promoter's conditions can also set maximum and minimum ages for particular events.