Competitive Pathway (Championships) 

The competitive pathway is the route to the top level of swimming. These meets will often require a qualifying time at a licensed meet, to show that the swimmer is at the required level to compete. The pathway is designed so that good performances at one level will qualify you for the next level. 
 
At Beacon our pathway is as follows: 

• Club Championships - are licensed level 4, they are open to all 'first claim' members (members can registered with two clubs on the ASA database designating one club as first claim) and other members may also be able to compete for time only. A level 4 license is sufficient to allow qualification to County Championships. It is obviously nice to win medals and break Club records at this event, however, the main role of this event is to give swimmers an opportunity to register a licensed time, which, if fast enough, will enable the swimmer to enter the Sussex County Championships.
  
• Sussex County Championships - are held at the beginning of the year and are held Long Course (50m pool), normally at K2, Crawley, and this is a licensed level 1 competition. A level 1 license is sufficient to allow qualification to Regional and National Championship events. A swimmer’s age for the County Championships will be counted as their age on the 31st of December that year. In addition to individual events the Club also enters various County relay teams.
• ASA South East Region Championships - are usually held in May, in a 'National qualifying window'. They are also held Long Course and licensed to level 1 to allow for qualification to the Summer National events. Again, a swimmer’s age for this Championship will be counted as their age on the 31st of December that year. In addition to individual events the Club also enters various Regional relay teams. 
• British Championships/British Summer Championships/ASA Summer Championships - take place a various times throughout the year, and each event has its own qualification requirements.

The British Championships are usually held in April and are International trials; this event is used for selection for major international competitions such as World Championships, European Championships and the Olympic Games.

The British Summer Championships and ASA Summer Championships are held at the end of the swimming year at the end of July/beginning of August. Qualification for these events, rather than with a qualifying time, is done on national rankings within a 'qualifying window'. The South East Regional Championships will always be held within this window. The top ranked 24 swimmers nationally in an event qualify for the British Summer Championships with the next ranked 24 swimmers in that event qualifying for the ASA Summer Championships also known as the English ASA Nationals.