Key Details Confirmed Ahead of a Massive 2026 Calendar
- dale493
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
Announcement of Competition Information for 2026 SNZ Competitions
We are excited to release the competition information for all of our Swimming NZ competitions, including our national championships, being held in 2026. Within this announcement, we are thrilled to confirm the remainder of the dates and venues for our 2026 calendar.
The Sir Owen G Glenn National Aquatic Centre will host three Swimming NZ competitions in 2026, with today's announcement adding the NZ Secondary School Swimming Championships (30 July - 2 August 2026) and the Junior Festival - Harlequins (28 February - 1 March 2026) to the already announced NZ Swimming Championships at the venue.
This now completes the announcement of the 2026 calendar, with the respective announcements from earlier in the year available to view below.
The information shared today includes the information books, qualifying times (where applicable) and event schedules for the following competitions:
2025-26 Ocean Swim Series (Schools and Club Competitions)
2026 NZ Open Water Swimming Championships
2026 Junior Festivals
2026 NZ Secondary School Open Water Swimming Championships
2026 Division II Swimming Competition
2026 NZ Age Group Swimming Championships
2026 NZ Swimming Championships
2026 NZ Secondary School Swimming Championships
2026 NZ Short Course Swimming Championships
There are a couple of outstanding items we will confirm before the end of the 2025 calendar year:
We have not yet released the event schedule for NZ Short Course Championships, as we are awaiting further details from World Aquatics to best accommodate selection opportunities that align with their schedule. We will add the event schedule to the competition webpage by the end of the 2025 calendar year.
We are currently creating the TM eligibility files, these will be be added to the respective competition webpages by 28 November, noting the NZ Short Course one will be uploaded shortly after the event schedule is confirmed.
Swimming NZ's Competitions Manager, Kate Griffiths, is excited by the calendar ahead.
"It's great to have our entire calendar confirmed and to share the competition information to our membership. Each competition held this year was a massive success and we loved to see our community attending in strong numbers. We had close and fast racing, with a great vibe throughout, and next year promises to be even better."
Swimming NZ's Head of Participation, Competitions & Engagement, Dale Johnson, believed the Competition Review recommendations have been crucial to the successful 2025 calendar.
"We received lots of positive feedback about the new calendar structure this year. We are thrilled with how well the implemented recommendations have improved our competitions, and are excited to work with our host delivery partners to further embed these in 2026."
Now that the calendar and the respective competition information has been released, Griffiths encourages all members to add these dates to their calendar.
"We can't wait to host these competitions and enable our members the opportunity to race against the fastest swimmers. We are looking forward to providing a platform for our swimmers to perform at their best and have an excellent experience at national competitions. If you haven't already, it's time to start planning your trips to be part of our 2026 calendar."
The new year gets underway with the 2026 NZ Open Water Swimming Championships in the stunning Lake Taupo. It's the ideal spot for clubs to enjoy the open water swimming experience with different distances and the team relay on offer providing something for all ages. We hope to see you there.
We also encourage swimmers, coaches and clubs to utilise the Regional Long Course Championships calendar across the summer months, as these are excellent opportunities for racing. Find out more details in our recent announcement.
2026 Swimming NZ Calendar
Please find the key details and direct links to the respective competition webpages below:
2026 NZ Open Water Swimming Championships
Dates: 10 - 11 January 2026
Location: Lake Taupo
2026 Junior Festival - Mako
Dates: 27 February - 1 March 2026
Location: Splash Palace, Invercargill
2026 Junior Festival - All Stars
Dates: 28 February - 1 March 2026
Location: Coastlands Aquatic Centre, Paraparaumu
2026 Junior Festival - Aquaknights
Dates: 28 February - 1 March 2026
Location: Hawke's Bay Regional Aquatic Centre
2026 Junior Festival - Harlequins
Dates: 28 February - 1 March 2026
Location: Sir Owen G Glenn National Aquatic Centre, Auckland
2026 NZ Secondary School Open Water Swimming Championships
Date: 7 March 2026
Location: Blue Lake, Rotorua
2026 Division II Swimming Competition
Dates: 20 - 22 March 2026
Location: Moana Poo, Dunedin
2026 NZ Age Group Swimming Championships
Dates: 8 - 12 April 2026
Location: Hawke's Bay Regional Aquatic Centre
2026 NZ Swimming Championships
Dates: 13 - 17 May 2026
Location: Sir Owen G Glenn National Aquatic Centre, Auckland
2026 NZ Secondary School Swimming Championships
Dates: 30 July - 2 August 2026
Location: Sir Owen G Glenn National Aquatic Centre, Auckland
2026 NZ Short Course Swimming Championships
Dates: 27 September - 1 October 2026
Location: Parakiore Recreation and Sport Centre, Christchurch
We will provide an update on the 2026 NZ Masters Swimming Championships by the end of the 2025 calendar year.
Please note the opportunities available for Secondary School students and swimming clubs across the Ocean Swim Series this summer. The information for the series has been provided on each respective competition webpage.
