The aims of the present study were to assess critical velocity using the swimmer curriculum in front crawl events and to compare critical velocity to the velocity corresponding to a 4 mmol·l^-1 of blood lactate concentration and to the velocity of a 30 min test. The sample included 24 high level male swimmers ranged between 14 and 16 years old. For each subject the critical velocity, the velocity corresponding to a 4 mmol·l^-1 of blood lactate concentration and the mean velocity of a 30 min test were determined. The critical velocity was also estimated by considering the best performance of a swimmer over several distances based on the swimmer curriculum. Critical velocity including 100, 200 and 400 m events was not different from the velocity of 4 mmol·l^-1 of blood lactate concentration. Critical velocity including all the swimmer events was not different from the velocity of a 30 min test. The assessment of critical velocity based upon the swimmer curriculum would therefore seem to be a good approach to determine the aerobic ability of a swimmer. The selection of the events to be included in critical velocity assessment must be a main concern in the evaluation of the swimmer.

• Critical velocity using 100, 200 and 400 m events was not different from the velocity of 4 mmol·l of blood lactate concentration.

• Critical velocity using all the swimmer events was not different from the velocity of a 30 min test.

• The assessment of critical velocity based upon the swimmer seemed to be a good approach to determine the aerobic capacity of a swimmer.

• The decision on the events to be analysed must be a main concern in the evaluation of the swimmer critical velocity.