C, B, A, JO, FRW, PRT times, … What does it mean ???

Each year, Pacific Swimming establishes motivational time standards, or "Cuts", to encourage swimmers to step their swimming up to the next level and qualify for championships. From B times through PRTs, swimmers are always striving to make their next cut, whatever it might be.

• C and B standards are the basic developmental and meet entry time standards used in Pacific's age group program. C is the entry-level standard and a B time is everyone's first big goal. At meets, ribbons are generally given to the first eight swimmers of each division: C, B and A.
   
• A times: The A time is the qualifying time standard for the Zone 1 North Championship in January and for the 10/under Championships in April. When a swimmer reaches the A time for the first time in an event, s/he receives an "A" medal.
   
• JO (Junior Olympic):  The JO meet standard is the qualifying time standard for the JO meets that are offered in Pacific in March, July, and December. There is no 8/under JO time standard. To qualify for JO, a 8/under swimmer must make the 10/under cut.
   
• Far Western: The Far Western  (FRW) meet standard, also known as the Q time standard, is the qualifying time standard for the two Far Western Championship meets that Pacific host each year in early April and early August. 8/under swimmers must make the 10/under cut to qualify. All new FRW swimmers, receive an embroidered towel at SUNN's annual team banquet in May.
   
• PRT (Pacific Recognition Time): For 8/unders, PRTs are the time standard used for compiling the top times each year for this age group. For the other age groups, PRTs are a recognition time standard above FRW. New PRT swimmers are awarded a SPEEDO backpack, embroidered with their name and SUNN's logo, at the annual team banquet.
   
• Sectionals: Nickname for the Speedo Championship Series. Open "senior level" meets held in the spring and summer. Qualifying times, sites, dates and meet rules are determined locally. There are no age groups. Sectional Championships are generally held in December and July. Sectionals swimmers receive a SPEEDO duffle bag embroidered with their name and SUNN's logo, at the annual team banquet.
   
• WZCT (Western Zone Consideration Time): a long course (50 m) time standard established by Pacific Swimming which is used in the selection process for the team that represents Pacific Swimming at the annual Western Zone Championships in August.

Qualifying times work on an event-by-event basis, and are keyed to the time level swimmers have achieved in a given event. If a swimmer has a JO time in one event, for example, that means that the swimmer could enter that event, and only that event, at a JO meet.

Time Standards