Dimensions Of Short Course Pool

Swimming pools are basically intended as a form of water-based recreation or for athletic competitions. Swimming pools come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. There are standard pool sizes for sporting events and swimming competitions, natural pools, ocean pools, and pools that will fit any nook and cranny of free space that would be available. One type of competition size pool is known as the short course pool.

Measuring Competition Pools

Unlike the private pools and the pools that you will find in resorts, competition type pools are not given as much leeway when it comes to their shape and their dimensions. The dimensions of competition type pools are strictly regulated with the height, depth, and width usually specified for each independent swimming division. Depending on the purpose of each competition size pool, the dimensions will be pretty much standard for all pools of the same type and design.

For example, all Olympic size pools should have an equal length, depth, and height no matter which country or territory you go. There will always be international standards as to these dimensions. In the case of an Olympic sized pool, its length will be at 50 meters by 25 meters of width and two meters in depth. Each lane in a pool of this size will be about 2.5 meters wide.

Dimensions of a Short Course Pool

The name of short course pool in swimming is often abbreviated to SC, which is basically its acronym. This type of swimming pool is classed as a competition type swimming pool. Its dimensions are also regulated by a governing body, FINA or Federation Internationale de la Natation or simply the International Swimming Federation.

You can say that these SC pools are about half the size of the standard Olympic size swimming pools. According to FINA, a standard size SC pool should be about 25 meters in length. This would be the main difference between a standard Olympic size swimming pool and a short course pool.

Since an SC pool is designed specifically for swimming then its depth will follow competition standards, which is at least 1.35 meters. Like other competition pools, SC pools are usually indoors so that they can be used all throughout the year. The water that is used for this type of competition pool is heated, just like other swimming pools of this variety.

Every couple of years, FINA holds the Short Course Worlds both for men's events and women's. Participants usually hail from different parts of the world. Swimmers compete in events engaging in all the different strokes. There are individual and relay competitions as well.