The World short-course Championships are to move to a permanent December home every two even years. The move, a step in the right direction in terms of moulding a clearer identity for swimming and its seasons, paves the way for the creation of a cleaner, more comprehensible calendar for swimming that will include more shuffling of events later this year.

Dubai in 2010 will be the first event to witness a December world s/c meet. LEN, the European body, is already contemplating the news and will hold discussions about what to do with its winter showcase short-course championships, which have taken place in December every year for the past 11 years. 

The FINA Strategic Plan for 2009-2013 was presented to those gathered at the first FINA World Coaches Conference in Singapore last week. "It was agreed to move the FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) from its traditional April spot on even years to December (starting with the 2010 edition in Dubai). Moreover, the FINA World Junior Swimming Championships (held every two years) will now be organised in odd years (in August), starting with the 2011 edition (Lima, in Peru, initially scheduled for 2010 will be the city hosting these championships). This agreement must now be confirmed by the FINA Bureau at its meeting in Dubai next March," says FINA.

The next edition of the LEN Magazine, out soon, presents an overview of calendar chaos and the issues that need to be resolved. Meanwhile, for more news regarding events in Singapore, FINA has a post from Pedro Adrega, editor of the International Federation's Aquatics Magazine.