Announcement of the Community Initiatives Taking Place in Hawke's Bay This April
We have an exciting couple of weeks coming up in Hawke's Bay with the back-to-back events taking place at the Hawke's Bay Regional Aquatic Centre. Whilst you don't want to miss out on any of the action in the pool across the 2024 Apollo Projects NZ Swimming Championships or 2024 Apollo Projects NZ Age Group Swimming Championships, we are thrilled to be offering a number of opportunities for the community to get involved.
We are partnering with the Hawke's Bay Regional Aquatic Centre and Swimming Hawke's Bay Poverty Bay to provide everyone the opportunity be involved across the two weeks. We have placed an importance upon not only providing a platform for our top swimmers to Unlock Their Greatness, but also support the continual growth of the sport in the Hawke's Bay community alongside our local partners.
Swimming NZ's Head of Participation & Events, Dale Johnson, is proud of the initiatives available for the local community.
"We think it's a great step forward to provide these initiatives to support the growth of swimming in the Hawke's Bay alongside hosting our national championships. A big thank you to both Swimming Hawke's Bay Poverty Bay and Hawke's Bay Regional Aquatic Centre for their assistance in bringing these initiatives to life. We can't wait to see the community get behind everything taking place across the two weeks."
To ensure you don't miss out on the action, learn all about these opportunities below:
Dive Start Clinic - Freestyle Skills
We are hosting a Dive Start Clinic with Aquablacks Carter Swift and Summer Osborne teaching freestyle skills. With both having been to a couple of World Aquatics Championships over the past couple of years, you don't want to miss out on this opportunity limited to 40 participants.
Key Details
Date: Sunday 14 April
Time: 12.30pm - 2.30pm
Aquablack Signing Sessions
We are hosting three signing sessions across the 2024 Apollo Projects NZ Swimming Championships where the local community can get the chance to meet their Aquablack heroes and get a photo and autograph. This is free to attend, so we look forward to seeing you there.
Key Details
Dates: Tuesday 9, Thursday 11 & Saturday 13 April
Time: 4.30pm - 5pm
Location: Pool Foyer, HBRAC
Have A Go Meet
Swimming HBPB are hosting an opportunity for kids to give racing a go. Having already watched some of our top swimmers trying to Unlock Their Greatness, kids will have their own chance to give racing a try as an introduction to see how much fun it can be for themselves.
Key Details
Date: Saturday 13 April
Start Time: 12.30pm
Race Ready Skills Clinics
We are excited to release a new initiative, tailored to those toward the end of Learn to Swim School that are interested in learning the skills needed to start racing, such as diving, turns and swimming fast. Aquablack & local Heretaunga Sundevils coach Willy Benson will be hosting the 1 hour clinics on consecutive days with a limit of 25 participants per day, so get your tickets now so you don't miss out.
Diving Skill Clinic
Date: Tuesday 16 April
Start Time: 12.45pm - 1.45pm
Turns Skill Clinic
Date: Wednesday 17 April
Start Time: 12.45pm - 1.45pm
Speed Skill Clinic
Date: Thursday 18 April
Start Time: 12.45pm - 1.45pm
Aqua Jogging Classes
Hawke's Bay Regional Aquatic Centre are offering the opportunity to be active in the water at the completion of the heats sessions with the local expert Lance leading two Aqua Jogging classes. The classes are limited to 40 participants per class and will be filled on a first in best dressed scenario. Don't forget to watch the heats before Unlocking Your Greatness in the class.
Key Details
Dates: Wednesday 10 & Thursday 11 April
Start Times: 12.30pm & 1.15pm
Parent Information Sessions
We are pleased to offer opportunities for parents to learn about different topics and ask questions of some experts in the field. Aquablack & SNZ Life Member Dr Dave Gerrard will be offering a Q&A on medical topics and Aquablack Natasha Lloyd will be offering a Q&A on College Swimming Opportunities in the USA.
Q&A With Dr Dave - Tips for Swimming Parents
Date: Friday 12 April
Time: 4pm - 5pm
Location: Heretaunga Room, HBRAC
College Swimming Q&A - NZ Champs
Date: Saturday 13 April
Time: 3.45pm - 4.30pm
Location: Heretaunga Room, HBRAC
College Swimming Q&A - NAGS
Date: Wednesday 17 April
Time: 3.15pm - 4pm
Location: Heretaunga Room, HBRAC
Water Safety Lessons
Hawke's Bay Regional Aquatic Centre are delivering some water safety lessons for local schools in between heats and finals as part of their community outreach programme to support the local community.
Basket Handlers
Local swimming clubs will be involved in the action at finals sessions of the 2024 Apollo Projects NZ Swimming Championships. Kids involved will get a t-shirt and potentially some autographs as they are pool side to watch our top swimmers try and qualify for Paris.
Engagement Sessions
Once again, we will be hosting engagement sessions for officials and coaches respectively on the evening prior to racing commencing for both weeks. This is a great chance to connect, discuss and share updates from across the sport.
Officials
Dates: Monday 8 & Sunday 14 April
Time: 6pm
Location: Marshalling Room, HBRAC
Coaches
Dates: Monday 8 & Sunday 14 April
Time: 6pm
Location: Ahuriri Room, HBRAC
