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Summer Open

ESSA Summer Open Championships

The Summer Open (Individual) Championships organiser is summer-open@essa-mail.uk (Stewart Nicklin)

In 2026, ESSA are holding their 6th Summer Open Championships. It is open to all school age swimmers from 9 years old, including para swimmers.

2026 Event

6th Summer Open Individual Championships

  • Date:

    4th/5th July 2026

  • Venue:

    K2 Leisure Centre, Crawley
    50m Pool, 8 Lanes, full electronic timing with anti-turbulence lane ropes

  • License:
    Licensed by Swim England at Level 3 (3SE260524)
  • Entry:

    Hy-Tek/TeamUnify; SportSystems; group entry using Excel; Team/Individual entry using online form

    Entries open: Monday 2nd March 2026
    Closing date: Friday 5th June 2026 or when full if earlier

    As a 'first-come-first-served' meet, individual events or sessions may close early when full.

  • Age Groups:

    9, 10, 11/12, 13/14, 15 and over.
    Ages are calculated as at 5th July 2026 (Last day of competition)

  • Events:
    50m, 100m and 200m all strokes plus 200m IM, 400m Freestyle and IM
  • Awards:

    Awards to 1st, 2nd and 3rd in each age group. (HDW)

  • Fees:

    £9.00 per event (Payment by BACS or Card)
    Any refunds are at the discrtetion of the organisers and will be subject to a retained fee to cover processing and administration costs

  • Spectators:

    Pay at the door
    - Adults/Children 13 and older: £5 per session, £15 for both days (all 4 sessions)
    - Concessions : £3 per session, £10 for both days (all 4 sessions)
    - Children Under 13 Free

Entry Status

The meet is now full and we have closed the meet to new entries. Team Manager/Coach passess can still be ordered until Midnight on 19th June. 

Officials/Volunteers

This is a Level 3 licensed meet. We are seeking volunteers to help with the running of this event on the day.

If anyone is able to volunteer some time as an official, or to help on the door, medals table, marshalling of swimmers - all offers of help are appreciated. 
Please complete the online Volunteer form (Officials and Non-Technical officials): https://forms.office.com/e/eJG5Wf27VL
Expenses will be paid in accordance with our expenses policy:

Expenses Policy - Officials
Expenses Form - Officials

Accepted Entries

Entries are accepted after payment has been received. Please ensure payment is made on submission of entries, or as soon as practical afterward for BACS Payments.

We are working on a consolidated accepted entry list that will show any anomalies in matching to Rankings. In the mean time, the provisional accepted entries can be seen at https://bsbasa.org/WebEntry/EntryReport.php?Meet=essaso26

All these entries are accepted except where shown as struck though or where payment has not been received. Note the payment status on this list is out of date, so if yours is not marked as paid, but you have paid it, the entry is accepted. 

Withdrawals

Withdrawals close for each session at the start of the session's Warm-Up.
Withdrawals can be made using the online form https://forms.office.com/e/npekG6sCQs
The online form will close at the start of each warm-up to allow us to process the withdrawals, then re-open once the session has started.
Paper forms will NOT be used this year. 

Poolside Passes

Coach/Team Manager passes can be purchased up to midnight on 19th June even when entries are closed.
They can be applied for without an entry (e.g. after entries have closed early or after entry submission)  by selecting the 'Purchase of meet extras, eg Poolside passes, Parking etc.' option.

Chaperone passes are available for para swimmers. These passes are free of charge.
Chaperone’s will require a letter from school or club official and be a relative of the athlete.

Warm-Up Schedule

The warm-up schedule for each session will appear here after entries have closed

Live Event Information

All live information for these championships will be accessible from links on our live events page (click here)
Information/links should appear by mid morning on the 3rd July and be updated by the end of warm-up for each session.

Programme of Events

(Finish times are best estimates)

Saturday 4th July 2026 Sunday 5th July 2026
Session 1
Warm up 8:00am; Start 9:00am; Finish 12:00 midday (est)		 Session 3
Warm up 8:00am; Start 9:00am; Finish 12:00 midday (est)
101 Male/Open 400m Freestyle  301 Female 400m Freestyle
102 Female 200m Backstroke  302 Male/Open 200m Backstroke
103 Male/Open 200m Butterfly  303 Female 200m Butterfly
104 Female 100m Freestyle  304 Male/Open 100m Freestyle
105 Male/Open 100m Backstroke  305 Female 100m Backstroke
106 Female 50m Butterfly  306 Male/Open 50m Butterfly
107 Male/Open 50m Breaststroke  307 Female 50m Breaststroke
Session 2
Warm up 13:00; Start 14:00; Finish 17:00 (est)		 Session 4
Warm up 13:00; Start 14:00; Finish 17:00 (est)
201 Female 400m Individual Medley  401 Male/Open 400m Individual Medley
202 Male/Open 200m Individual Medley  402 Female 200m Individual Medley
203 Female 100m Butterfly  403  Male/Open 100m Butterfly
204 Male/Open 200m Freestyle  404  Female 200m Freestyle
205 Female 200m Breaststroke  405 Male/Open 200m Breaststroke
206 Male/Open 100m Breaststroke  406 Female 100m Breaststroke
207 Female 50m Freestyle  407  Male/Open 50m Freestyle
208 Male/Open 50m Backstroke   408 Female 50m Backstroke

Entries

Entries

This year, thanks to continued support from Berkshire and South Buckinghamshire Amateur Swimming Association webmaster, we are using an on-line entry system that accepts entries in the following formats:

  • Individual entries using on line form. This is also for Para swimmer entry.
  • Sport Systems (.SEZ) - See Entry Files below for the SportSystems Meet Entry files, and option to download the SportSystems  Entry Manager
  • HyTek/TeamUnify etc (.HY3/.SD3) - See Entry Files below for the Meet Definition File
  • Excel Entry File (.xlsx) - See Entry Files below for Excel spreadsheet download and instructions
  • Coach/Team Manager Pass - these are applied for when using any of the entry systems above, or can be applied for seperately.

Times submitted should be short course times.  - Conversion from Long Course times are accepted - e.g. using the Sportsystems Equivalent Time Converter download

Chaperone Pass Application Form:

This is ONLY for adults accompanying a para swimmer. Apply by 7th June: https://forms.office.com/e/Zm5vKiVn7L

Meet Entry Website:

Bulk entry files should be uploaded on the meet entry website.

Individual and group entries can be made using the on-line entry form on the meet entry website.

The meet entry website is available by clicking here

Meet Conditions

Meet Conditions are available for download here:

Summer Open (Individual) Championships Regulations/Information 2026

Results/Records

Live Start-Lists and Results will appear during the meet at www.essa-schoolswimming.com/live

Championships Results

5th Summer Open Championships - 2025

4th Summer Open Championships - 2024

3rd Summer Open Championships - 2023

2nd Summer Open Championships - 2022

1st Summer Open Championships - 2019

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can enter?

This is an individual event where swimmers represent themselves. They may enter directly, through their club or their school. It is open to all secondary school aged swimmers, and primary school swimmers that have reached the age of 9 by the last day of the championships, including Para swimmers.