Due to the cancellation of all ESSA events for 2020, which includes the 2020 Herts Primary Schools Inter-District Championships planned to be held on Friday 5th June 2020, the Herts Schools Association committee and District representatives have been discussing the implications and looking at what potential changes to the Inter-District Galas in 2021 could be made to accommodate those swimmers missing out on the 2020 Herts Primary Schools Inter-District Championships.

The Herts Schools Association are planning on the following for the 2021 Inter-District Champs (subject to change):

1. The 2021 Herts Primary Schools Inter-District Championships will go ahead as normal (May 2021 tbc) and thus any 2021 District Primary Schools Trials galas will will go ahead as normal (April 2021 tbc).

2. The 2021 Herts Secondary Schools Inter-District Championships (Mar 2021) will have a modified structure for 2021.
- The Junior category (years 7&8) will be split into Year 7 and Year 8 with each comprising at least 6 swimmers (Boys and Girls). This is to accommodate the years 7's specifically as they will have missed the Primary champs as year 6's this year.
- The Year 7 group (which are year 6's for this year), will swim the same events as usual for the Junior category ie. 100m IM, 50m in each stroke and Free and Medley relays. In addition there maybe a squadron covering Year 7, year 8 (Junior) + Inters ( years 9, 10) + Seniors (years 11, 12, 13) but this has not been confirmed yet.
- The year 7's will be selected from attendance at District secondary schools and may be based on submitted/Swim England times, 
- The year 7 & 8's results will be combined for the winners of the Junior category.
- Note that the above will lengthen the Secondary gala from normal so we hope that you will understand in the circumstances.

We apologise for the cancellation of this year's galas and hope that the changes we plan to make for the 2021 Secondary gala will go some way to provide the year 6's in 2020 with some additional opportunity to swim for their District in 2021. 

As per the ESSA statements below, the remaining 2020 (calendar year) Herts galas are now cancelled. This includes:
- 5th June 2020 - Herts Primary Inter-District champs
- 25th Sep 2020 - ESSA Second. Boys Team E/SE qualification
- 9th Oct 2020 - ESSA Secondary Girls Team E/SE qualification
- Nov 2020 - E&SE Primary Individual Champs (PIC)

At this stage all 2021 (calendar year) galas are still scheduled to occur.

The Herts Schools Swimming Association has looked at the implications of the cancellation of the 2020 ​Herts Primary Inter-District champs and details are above.

The ESSA management board have reviewed the current situation and taken into account a number of factors including availability of pools for qualification events and national championship competitions, and the delay in resumption of operation of schools/clubs to provide training for swimmers. It has been concluded that no further ESSA championships will be held in 2020. It is anticipated that ESSA events will be run as normal in 2021, though we will continue to monitor the situation and adjust plans as required. This has the following effects on the usual ESSA events:

The 26th ESSA Primary Schools' Team Championships (was due to be held in June 2020)
It is with regret that the ESSA announce the cancellation of the ESSA Primary Teams Championships for 2019-20.

The 63rd ESSA Secondary Schools' Team Championships (due to be held in November 2020)
It is with regret that the ESSA announce the cancellation of the ESSA Secondary Teams Championships, including qualification events, for 2020-21.

The 2020 Diving Championships (due to be held in December 2020)
It is with regret that the ESSA announce the cancellation of the ESSA Diving Championships, including qualification events, for 2020-21.

The ESSA U13 Water Polo Championships and Cadet Water Polo Competition (due to have been held in May 2020)
The regional under 11 and under 13 Cadet and national under 13 championship finals are postponed until further notice. 

The 2nd Summer Open (Individual) Championships (due to be held in July 2020)
 It has been decided not to hold this event in 2020.

ISF Gymnasiade School Summer Games 2020 (due to be held in August 2020)
This event will not go ahead on the original dates. The timeframe for this is uncertain at the moment, but further announcements will be made here when known.

ESSA events due to be held in 2021
We are planning on the assumption that we will be able to hold normal competitions in 2021, starting with the Water Polo competitions and Primary Teams Championships.

Stewart Nicklin
ESSA Hon. Championship Secretary.