What Are the ORCA Awards? The ORCA Awards, presented by ISCA, recognize outstanding athletes, coaches, clubs, and contributors who help grow the sport of swimming. One of the featured honors is the Age Group Swimmer of the Year, which recognizes exceptional performances and achievements by age group swimmers throughout the calendar year. Swim Standards is proud to support the ORCA Awards by providing data analysis and independent rankings to help identify top candidates in each age group. The ORCA rankings published by Swim Standards are unofficial and are based solely on meet results available in the Swim Standards database. While we strive to provide complete and accurate data, some meet results may not yet be available or may be corrected after publication. The official ORCA Award finalists and winners are selected by ISCA. Calendar Year, Not Swim Season The ORCA Awards are based on the calendar year (January 1 – December 31), not the USA Swimming season. For example, the 2026 awards include swims achieved between January 1, 2026, and December 31, 2026. Age Groups Each swimmer is evaluated in one of the following age categories: 9 & Under 10 11 12 13 14 15–16 17–18 (Senior) Swimmers are ranked separately within each age category. When a swimmer ages up during the calendar year, they retain eligibility for their previous age and then gain eligibility for the next age group. This means that a high majority of swimmers will have dual eligibility in two different ages each calendar year (often referred to as upper and lower eligibility). Rankings for the older age group are based primarily on swims achieved after aging up. However, if a swimmer did not have an opportunity to compete in a particular eligible event after their birthday, their best time from the previous age group may be carried forward for that event. This helps ensure swimmers are not disadvantaged simply because of the timing of their birthdate. This carry-forward applies only when moving to an older age group. Times achieved after aging up are never counted toward the younger age group’s rankings. How the Scoring Works The rankings are based on each swimmer’s best time in every eligible event with USA Swimming Motivational Standards during the calendar year. Within each age group, gender, course (both SCY and LCM), and eligible events, a swimmer receives points based on their placement on the nation leaderboards. The higher the ranking, the more points received. Bonus points are awarded for any National Age Group Records held at the end of the calendar year. At the conclusion of the calendar year, an annual TOP 10 Leaderboard will be published for both genders and for each age category. The TOP 10 will then be rescored within their leaderboard so that 5 FINALISTS are named for every category. These 5 finalists will be submitted to an established voting committee where each AGE GROUP SWIMMER OF THE YEAR will be announced at the annual ORCA Awards in April. More Than Just Speed The point rankings are designed to identify the leading candidates, but they do not determine the ORCA Award winners by themselves. After the preliminary finalists are identified, ISCA also considers accomplishments such as: State Championship titles Senior State Championship titles Open Water achievements Zones results Junior or National Team selections Other notable accomplishments throughout the year These achievements help distinguish the final winners from the top-ranked candidates. Quarterly Rankings Beginning in 2026, Swim Standards publishes quarterly ORCA leaderboards throughout the year, allowing swimmers, families, and coaches to follow the race for the ORCA Awards as the season progresses. Current schedule: Q1: January 1 – March 31 (Published) Q2: April 1 – June 30 (Published) Q3: July 1 – September 30 Q4: October 1 – December 31 These quarterly leaderboards recognize the top-performing swimmers at each checkpoint of the year. The annual January–December rankings will be used to help identify the finalists for the ORCA Age Group Swimmer of the Year Awards. Annual Final Rankings At the end of the calendar year, Swim Standards will publish the complete January–December rankings. Our goal is to provide a transparent and objective scoring system that recognizes outstanding age group performances while supporting the ORCA Awards selection process. For more information about the ORCA Awards and ISCA, visit the official ORCA Awards page. Disclaimer The ORCA rankings published by Swim Standards are unofficial and are intended for informational purposes only. They are calculated using the scoring methodology described above and are based solely on meet results available in the Swim Standards database at the time of publication. Because additional meet results or corrections may become available, rankings may change over time. The official ORCA Award finalists and winners are selected by ISCA using its complete review process, which includes both performance data and non-scoring criteria.

I recently started looking for the best tummy control swimsuit because I wanted something that offers good support, feels comfortable, and helps me feel more confident at the beach or pool. After reading reviews from trusted fashion websites, Reddit, and several shopping forums, I narrowed my search down to these two options that were recommended over and over again: Summer Mae Blouson Tummy Swimsuit https://www.amazon.com/Summer-Mae-Blouson-Tankini-Swimsuits/dp/B0F6TL4JW2/?th=1&psc=1 SHAPELLX Tummy Control Swimsuits https://www.amazon.com/SHAPELLX-Control-Swimsuits-Slimming-Swimwear/dp/B0DNP3SYK4/?th=1&psc=1 I'm having a hard time deciding between these two.Has anyone here tried either of these swimsuits? I'd love to hear your experience, or if you have another favorite tummy control swimsuit that you would recommend, I'm open to suggestions. Thanks in advance for your advice!

The 2026 TYR Futures Championships split the country into five regional meets this week — Austin, Greensboro, Knoxville, Madison, and Sacramento — all racing the same dates (July 29–August 1) and the same 34 individual events. The meets haven't started yet, but the psych sheets are already out — and they point to some sites being a lot harder to make an A-final at than others. How We Measured It For each of the 34 individual events, we compared the 8th-place seed time — the projected cutoff to make an A-final — across all five sites, and tracked which site has the fastest cutoff. More wins means a deeper, more competitive field going in. The Projected Ranking Rank Site Fastest Seeded Cutoff In (out of 34 events) 1 Madison, WI 13 2 Austin, TX 9 3 Knoxville, TN 7 4 Greensboro, NC 5 5 Sacramento, CA 0 Based on seed times, Madison has the fastest cutoff in more events than any other site — more than a third of the entire program. Sacramento doesn't have the fastest cutoff in a single event. A Real Example: Men's 100 Fly Here's the seeded 8th-place time in the men's 100 fly at each site: Site 8th Place Seed Time Madison 54.91 Austin 55.66 Greensboro 55.76 Knoxville 56.26 Sacramento 57.11 Going into the meet, a swimmer seeded at 55.5 projects to make the A-final in Sacramento, Knoxville, or Greensboro — but misses it entirely in Madison. Not Just Wins — Consistency Madison isn't seeded to win all 34 events, and no site is. But in the events where Madison doesn't have the fastest cutoff, its seed times are still typically within a fraction of a second of whoever does. Sacramento's gaps are bigger — its seed cutoffs often trail the leader by several seconds, not fractions of one. That's the real gap between #1 and #5 heading in: Madison projects to win often and stay close everywhere else. Sacramento projects to rarely win and fall well behind when it doesn't. Field Size Backs It Up Site Total Entries Knoxville 2,744 Madison 2,701 Austin 2,644 Greensboro 2,257 Sacramento 1,928 Sacramento's field is roughly 800 swimmers smaller than Knoxville's — nearly 30% — consistent with also projecting as the shallowest field. Who to Watch at Each Site Looking at who tops the psych sheets in the marquee individual events (50/100 free, 100 back, 100 breast, 100 fly, 200 IM), a few names stand out at each site: Sacramento — Olivia Detter (PASA, 20) is seeded #1 in three events: the 50 free (26.05), 100 free (57.46), and 100 fly (1:01.30). Knoxville — Josh Toothman (Blazing Barracudas, 20) tops both sprint frees, seeded 22.65/50.70. Lainy Kruger (Gator Swim Club, 21) leads the women's 100 and 200 free. Austin — Carter Wright (Bolles School Sharks, 19) is the top seed in both the men's 100 free and 100 back. Greensboro — The clear headliner: Reina Liu (TAC, 16) is seeded #1 in five different events — the 100 free, 100 back, 100 fly, 200 IM, and 50 free. Madison — Stuart Seymour (Northwestern University, 21) tops three men's events, while Molly Sweeney (Carmel Swim Club, 18) tops three on the women's side. The Takeaway If you're swimming Futures in Madison this summer, you're facing a tougher projected road to the A-final than swimmers at any of the other four sites. If you're swimming in Sacramento, the field — while still a legitimate championship meet — projects as the least competitive of the five. This isn't a knock on any athlete. Futures assigns swimmers to sites by home region, not competitive balance, so nobody chose their field. But it's a useful reality check when comparing results across sites once the meets wrap: an A-final finish at Madison and an A-final finish at Sacramento won't have required the same time. Psych Sheets Austin Greensboro Knoxville Madison Sacramento Data based on official 2026 Futures Championship psych sheets as of publication, all five sites, meets held July 29–August 1. This is a pre-meet projection based on seed times, not final results — seed times reflect entries at time of export and are subject to change with scratches, add-ons, or updates ahead of competition.

Re: Simulating the 2026 Junior Pan Pacs Roster: An Unofficial Look at Who the Priority Rules Point To The official 2026 Junior Pan Pacific Championships roster is out, so it's a good time to check our projection against it — where we got it right, where we didn't, and why. The Scorecard Women: 14 of 20 projected selections matched the official roster. Projected but not official: Rylee Erisman, Brinkleigh Hansen, Sydney Schoeck, Charlotte Crush, Alex Siegel, Emily Wolf Official but missed by projection: Paige Downey, Ellie Clarke, Kennedi Southern, Vivienne Zangaro, Lane Francis, Mia Buff Men: 19 of 20 matched. Projected but not official: Cullen Kahl Official but missed by projection: Ellis Crisci The Known Issue Our model builds projections from final time rankings, filtered by age eligibility — it doesn't currently know which heat a swimmer actually competed in. That's a meaningful gap, because selection isn't purely time-based: only athletes who actually swim in the 18-U final are eligible for consideration in that event. A swimmer can be fast enough on paper and still be ineligible, for reasons our current data doesn't capture. We've traced most of the women's misses back to two variants of that same root cause: 1. Already on a Senior Pan Pacs Team. Rylee Erisman (Pan Pacs) and Brinkleigh Hansen (open water) were both already on senior rosters heading into this meet, which makes them ineligible for Junior Pan Pacs regardless of how fast they swam here. Our model has no way to check senior-team status yet, so it projected them anyway. 2. Opted out of the 18-U final entirely. Charlotte Crush swam directly in the Open final in every event we checked, with no record of racing an 18-U final all week — meaning she was never actually in consideration for a Junior Pan Pacs spot, whatever her time-only ranking suggested. Sydney Schoeck's results follow the same pattern in the events we've checked so far, though we haven't confirmed it across her full event list yet. The Boys' Side: Fully Resolved The one men's miss came down to a head-to-head Priority-3 comparison, not a data gap: Ellis Crisci, 400 Free: 3:50.89 vs. 3:42.43 Medal Standard = +3.806% Cullen Kahl, 200 IM: 2:00.28 vs. 1:55.80 Medal Standard = +3.869% Luka Mijatovic opted out of the 400 Free 18-U final, and Crisci was actually 2nd place in that final. Crisci ended up marginally closer to the Medal Standard than Kahl, which gave him the last Priority-3 spot. Straightforward once you have the actual final results — our projection just didn't know about Mijatovic's opt-out. Still Open After the known-issue cases above, the remaining women's differences are: Projected: Alex Siegel, Sydney Schoeck, Kayla Han, Mena Boardman Official: Kennedi Southern, Vivienne Zangaro, Grace Koenig-Song, Mia Buff We haven't traced these back to a specific cause yet. We'll follow up once we've worked through them. In the meantime, this is exactly the kind of gap that tells us where to improve the model — tracking actual 18-U vs. Open final participation, and senior-team status, instead of relying on time rankings alone. Official 2026 Junior Pan Pacs Roster Women First Name Last Name Club Events Gabi Brito Beach Cities Alpha 100 FR, 50 FL, 100 FL, 50 BK Sadie Buckley Nations Capital Swim Club 200 IM, 400 IM Mia Buff Greater Toledo Aquatic Club 50 FL Abi Burke T2 Aquatics 200 FR, 400 FR Ellie Clarke Carmel Swim Club 200 BK Audrey Derivaux Jersey Wahoos 100 FL, 200 FL, 200 BK, 200 IM, 400 IM Paige Downey Gold Medal Swim Club 800 FR, 1500 FR Lane Francis NOVA of Virginia 100 BK Kayda Geyer Mecklenberg Swim Association 200 BR Aria Grossenbach Patriot Aquatic Club 100 FR Sydney Hardy Sarasota Sharks 200 FR Zara Kocak Excel Aquatics 200 FL Grace Koenig-Song NASA Wildcat Aquatics 50 BR, 100 BR Kate McKinnon Aquawolves Swim Team 50 FR Zayda Miehl Corvallis Aquatic Team 800 FR, 1500 FR Maddie Moreth Valparaiso Swim Club 50 BR, 100 BR Alyssa Sagle Nations Capital Swim Club 50 BK, 100 BK Kennedi Southern Lakeside Aquatic Club 50 FL Kaidy Stout Greensboro Swimming Association 200 BR Vivienn Zangaro Long Island Aquatic Club 400 FR Men First Name Last Name Club Events Jordan Ragland Life Time Northern California 100 FR Mike Rice Mecklenberg Swim Association 100 FR Kai Joyner Rochester Swim Club 200 FR Luka Mijatovic Pleasanton Seahawks 200 FR, 800 FR, 1500 FR Ewan Dalrymple Columbia Swimming 200 FL Wilson York Lakeside Swim Team 200 BR Davis Jackson TAC Titans 50 BK, 100 BK Jake Lloyd Central Ohio Aquatics 50 FL Yi Zheng Carmel Swim Club 400 IM Charlie Cancelmo Seattle Metropolitan Aquatic Club 100 FL Ian Call Nashville Aquatic Club 50 BR, 100 BR Ethan Bathala Bolles School Sharks 50 BK Trent Allen Carmel Swim Club 400 FR Ty Thomas River City Aquatics 100 BK Jackson Hartzler Cypress Fairbanks Swim Club 200 IM Brody Chandler Sierra Marlins Swim Team 50 FR Andrew Eubanks The Dolphins Swim Team 50 BR, 100 BR Anthony Dornoff La Mirada Armada Swim Team 400 IM David Sammons SwimMAC Carolina 200 FL Ellis Crisci Tsunami Swim Team of Kansas City 400 FR, 1500 FR

The USA Swimming Western Zone runs two top-tier Zone Championship meets each summer, backed by a tier of regional Speedo Sectional meets that funnel qualifiers up. The structure looks complicated at first glance, but it breaks down cleanly once you separate "Zone Championships" from "Sectionals." The Two Core Zone Championships These are the marquee events — one for the youngest age-group swimmers, one for the older/open group. Western Zone Senior Championships Open to athletes 19 and under. The 2026 meet runs July 28–August 1 at Clovis West High School Pool in Fresno, CA. Western Zone Age Group Championships A four-day meet for roughly 700 athletes 14 and under, representing 17 "all-star" teams drawn from the Zone's LSCs. The 2026 meet returns to Boise, with competition at the Idaho Central Aquatic Center, running August 5–8, 2026. How the Zone Is Organized The Western Zone is made up of two official Sections: California–Nevada Section Western Region Section The Western Region Section is further divided into two spring regions: Four Corners — Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah Northwest — Alaska, Hawaii, Inland Empire, Montana, Oregon, Pacific Northwest, Snake River, Wyoming (Note: this list defines which LSCs belong to each region — it doesn't necessarily determine where the meet is physically held. In 2026, for example, Four Corners' Spring Sectional is being hosted in Carmel, IN, outside the region's home states.) The Sectional Tier Sectionals sit below Zone Championships and are split by region. As covered in the earlier breakdown, the Western Zone has two official Sections — California–Nevada (CA–NV) and Western Region — with Western Region further dividing into Four Corners and Northwest for Spring meets, then combining for Summer. Where it gets more nuanced: CA–NV doesn't run just one Summer Sectional. The 2026 CA–NV Summer Sectionals are being held July 16–19 in Walnut, CA, hosted by Brea Aquatics and the Southern California LSC, and July 23–26 in Novato, CA, hosted by Thunder Coast Aquatics and Pacific Swimming. Two meets, same section, same season — swimmers from across the CA–NV LSCs are split between them. 2026 Meet Reference Table Meet Dates Location Western Zone Senior Championships Jul 28–Aug 1 Fresno, CA Western Zone Age Group Championships Aug 5–8 Boise, ID CA–NV Summer Sectionals (Walnut) Jul 16–19 Walnut, CA CA–NV Summer Sectionals (Novato) Jul 23–26 Novato, CA Western Region Summer Sectional Jul 16–19 Gresham, OR Four Corners Spring Sectional Mar 26–29 Carmel, IN Pacific Northwest (Northwest) Spring Sectional Mar 12–15 Federal Way, WA CA–NV Winter Sectional dates TBD/unconfirmed for 2026 — A note on that last row: We weren't able to confirm firm December 2026 CA–NV Winter Sectional dates in this search — last year's edition ran mid-to-late December in the Brea/Walnut area, so a similar timing is likely, but I'd treat that one as unconfirmed until the Western Zone posts it. Where to Find Time Standards Every meet listed above has a corresponding qualifying-times page — these are the ones currently live on Swim Standards: Western Zone Senior Championships Time Standards Western Zone Age Group Championships Time Standards CA/NV Speedo Sectionals Time Standards Western Region Summer Speedo Sectional Time Standards Four Corners Spring Speedo Sectional Time Standards Pacific Northwest Spring Speedo Sectional Time Standards Spring/Summer Far Western Championships Time Standards (adjacent championship, not a Sectional) Northwest Age Group Regionals Time Standards (Age Group tier, not Sectional) Key Takeaways Two Zone Championships: Senior (Fresno, Jul 28–Aug 1) and Age Group (Boise, Aug 5–8). CA–NV runs two Summer Sectional meets in 2026 — Walnut and Novato — not one combined event. Western Region splits in Spring (Four Corners + Northwest/Pacific Northwest) and recombines in Summer. Winter CA–NV Sectional is likely but not yet confirmed for 2026 — worth checking the Western Zone site as the date approaches. Full time-standards pages for every meet above are on Swim Standards.

Are you tired of carrying around a bulky waterproof phone pouch every time you head to the pool or beach? While waterproof pouches do a great job protecting your phone, they can be awkward to carry, take extra time to seal, and often make your phone feel bulky. If you own a Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, a waterproof phone case may be a more convenient option for everyday adventures. 💦 Built for Water Adventures This case is IP68 waterproof certified, helping protect your phone from water, dust, and sand. According to the manufacturer, it's designed for water activities such as: Pool days Swimming Snorkeling Beach trips Rainy weather Boating Always make sure the case is properly sealed before exposing it to water, and follow the manufacturer's depth and usage recommendations. 🛡️ More Than Just Waterproof Even when you're nowhere near the water, this case offers everyday protection. Features include: Military-grade drop protection Reinforced corners Non-slip textured grip Scratch-resistant built-in screen protector Built-in camera lens protection Whether you accidentally drop your phone on the pool deck or while walking around a meet, it's built to help absorb impacts. 📲 Use Your Phone Normally Unlike many waterproof pouches, this case stays on your phone all the time. That means you can: Text friends Record races Check heat sheets Browse social media Take photos and videos ...without removing your phone from a pouch every time. ⚡ Wireless Charging Compatible The built-in magnetic design supports many magnetic accessories, including: Wireless chargers Magnetic power banks Car mounts Magnetic wallets No need to remove the case every time your battery gets low. 🏊 Perfect for Swim Season Whether you're spending the afternoon at a swim meet, relaxing by the pool, or heading to the beach, this case lets you keep your phone protected without carrying an extra waterproof pouch. It's a convenient solution for anyone who spends lots of time around water. Price at the time of writing: $22.99 (Prices may change over time.) 🛒 Check It Out If you own a Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra and want waterproof protection without the bulk of a separate phone pouch, this case is worth checking out. 👉 View the Waterproof Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra Case on Amazon

Summer swim season means early mornings, long days at the pool, and spending hours cheering on your teammates. Whether you're racing one event or five, having a quick snack between events can help keep your energy up throughout the day. If you're looking for an easy snack to throw in your swim bag, this Frito-Lay Fun Times Mix Variety Pack is a great option. With 40 individually wrapped bags and 8 different snacks, there's something everyone on the team will enjoy. 🥨 What's Inside? 🧀 Doritos Nacho Cheese (8 bags) 🌮 Doritos Cool Ranch (6 bags) 🥔 Lay's Sour Cream & Onion (4 bags) 🥨 Rold Gold Tiny Twists Pretzels (4 bags) 🧀 Smartfood White Cheddar Popcorn (4 bags) 🐆 Cheetos Crunchy (6 bags) ☁️ Cheetos Puffs (4 bags) 🌾 SunChips Harvest Cheddar (4 bags) That's 40 single-serve bags that are perfect for: 🏊 Swim meets 💪 After practice 🚗 Road trips 🎉 Team parties 📚 School lunches 🏕️ Summer adventures ✅ Why Swimmers Love It Individually wrapped so they're easy to pack in your swim bag. A variety of snacks means everyone can find a favorite. Great for sharing with teammates and family. Perfect for long days at the pool. Tip: These are a convenient snack for busy meet days. Pair them with water, fruit, and a protein-rich meal to stay fueled throughout the competition. 🛒 Grab Yours Here Price: $23.79 👉 Shop the Frito-Lay Fun Times Mix Variety Pack on Amazon

@Shiny_Walrus408 Thank you for the explanation. Your club name has been corrected to CAC Boulder Riptide

Thank you for reaching out. The CA/NV Sectional standards were inadvertently missed, but we’ve now added them, including the 50s. https://swimstandards.com/times/2026-ca-nv-speedo-sectionals-time-standards