SPRING NATIONALS! Naval Academy ANNAPOLIS, Maryland
I am SO excited to announce our Spring National Championships at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland! The competition will be held May 10th, 11th and 12th with the athlete meeting taking place on Thursday evening May 9th.
The closest airport to Annapolis is Baltimore-Washington International (BWI). Annapolis is approximately 20 minutes south. You may also consider Reagan National Airport in Washington – which is approximately one hour by car. Dulles Airport is also in D.C. – but can be up to 2 hours with traffic.
The meet headquarter hotel will be:
WESTIN Hotel – Annapolis
100 Westgate Circle
Annapolis, MD 21401
410-972-4300
Group Block Room Rate is $139/night.
Reservations should be made by individuals calling the hotel directly. When calling in for reservations ask for the USA Masters Diving room block to ensure you receive the group rate.
We are unable to guarantee availability of rooms after APRIL 15TH
Westin Hotel is one mile from the pool. It is a manageable walk – through historic Annapolis.There are sidewalks – and the route is reasonably safe. There is also public parking in 3 different lots closer to the pool. Parking can be difficult – Uber is a good option instead of keeping a car. Annapolis is pedestrian friendly – and easy to navigate without a vehicle.
Getting the Westin for $139 a night is incredible. Hotels in Annapolis – especially in the Spring are very expensive. Please book your room EARLY! Those of you that waited to book in Indianapolis were unpleasantly surprised at how much rates went up as we approached the weekend of the competition. Though there are other hotels in the area – there are none in the historic district of Annapolis with better rates.
The meet should be up on DiveMeets by early next week. I will post meet information sheet there – so you can print out the schedule.
The Naval Academy is a secure Military property. Valid government ID will be necessary to gain entry to the grounds and pool. Please be sure to have valid photo ID – such as license or passport to identify you and gain access.
SUMMER NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS – Mission Viejo, CA
The summer National Championships has been confirmed for Mission Viejo, California for August 23rd, 24th and 25th. Mission Viejo is an iconic location for USA Diving – and has been recently renovated. This beautiful facility will also be hosting USA Diving’s International Grand Prix event in April. We are excited to have access to this world class facility!
We are working on host hotel details and negotiated room rates. Look for further information as we confirm details. For now – please get these dates on your calendar.
2019 FINA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS – Gwangju, South Korea
It is hard to believe that it has been almost 2 years since our incredible success in Budapest, Hungary in the 2017 FINA World Championships. We brought a team of 50 athletes to the DUNA Arena – and had an extraordinary experience.
The competition in South Korea will start on August 13th and continue through August 18th with a training day on August 12th. Registration is currently OPEN.
I am not sure how many USA Masters are planning on attending. Especially with the meet being so far away geographically – and so close time-wise to our Summer Championships in Mission Viejo. Rather then filling everyone’s mailbox with information regarding the FINA meet – I am creating a separate GWANGJU group that will be kept up to date on details of the competition. This worked very well for us in Budapest.
If you are considering travelling to South Korea for the World’s – please e-mail me directly at gerry@mypotomac.com . I anticipate we will have 20-25 athletes that will attend – and I know that at least 10 of you have already signed up.
I was blessed to attend a meet in Seoul, South Korea with 5 other Masters Divers in 2013. It was a once in a lifetime experience – and a beautiful country. Young Soo Huang was one of our hosts – along with the Goyang Diving Club. I have never been treated so graciously – and made to feel so at home. I look forward to seeing all of my Korean friends in August. If you are on the fence about whether you want to go – I can promise you will fall in love with the Korean people and a beautiful country and culture.
Details of the meet can be found on-line at the FINA registration page. If you participated in Montreal in 2015 or Budapest in 2017 you already have an account. Use your e-mail and password to sign in. If you did not participate in these competitions – follow directions to create an account.
https://registration.fina.org/account/SignIn
The FINA system is not very user friendly. Be patient – and stay the course. I have tried twice already to register without success. I am sure I will succeed – but will take some time.
Housing will available at an athlete village close to the venues. The cost will be approximately $75 a night for shared accommodations. I can help coordinate roommates and synchro teams as we get closer.
More details regarding special procedures for registering for SYNCHRO and policies regarding the availability of team outfitting will be shared with those on our Gwangju list.
That is all for now! I am looking forward to another fantastic year with my Masters Diving family. Until then – I am at your service!
Let’s DIVE! Gerry Dunn – Chairman US Masters Diving