The city of Huntsville this week will host more than 71 swim teams from across the Southeast competing in the prestigious USA Swimming 2018 Southern Zone Long Course Senior Championship at the Huntsville Aquatics Center.

This is the first time the Rocket City and the Huntsville Swim Association has been able to host a meet of this size and caliber, and it sets a precedent for future high-level meets.

More than 600 swimmers are registered to participate in the five-day event. The swimmers — male and female — range from 11 to 18 years old and swim 50 to 1500 meters.

Participants must have a specific qualifying time to enter the Southern Zone Long Course Championship and can use this meet as a qualifying event for the USA Swimming National Team, World Championships and Olympics. The Huntsville Swim Association has 29 swimmers participating.

The meet includes swimmers, plus their coaches and families, from Alabama, Texas, Louisiana, Tennessee, Mississippi, Kentucky and Florida. The Huntsville Sports Commission estimates an economic impact to the city of about $1 million.

The Huntsville Aquatics Center is located at 2213 Drake Ave. Parking is available at Milton Frank Stadium, with public shuttles to and from the facility.