2023 Apollo Projects NZ Swimming Championships
Kia ora coaches, managers and swimmers,
Welcome to the 2023 Apollo Projects NZ Swimming Championships this weekend. Swimming New Zealand is excited to be hosting this event in Auckland at the National Aquatic Centre, we can’t wait to welcome you all!
1 - 5 April
Sir Owen G Glenn National Aquatic Centre, Auckland
Our team looks forward to seeing you on pool deck. It's bound to be a great week of racing and connecting, best of luck to everyone!
Nga mihi nui,
Dale Johnson
Head of Participation & Events - Swimming NZ
Team Managers Meeting
There will be a compulsory team manager meeting held on Friday 31 March at 5pm in the Commonwealth Room in the AUT Millennium building (other building across the road to the NAC pool). There will be signs showing the way to the specific room.
Team managers will be given a brief run-down of meet activities, expectations of swimmers and clubs, and general delivery of the event. Each club is asked to have at least one representative at the meeting. If you can’t attend, please have a good understanding of this update.
Programme & Results
Swimming NZ have done a preliminary seeding the programme, which you can view below. This may be updated over the coming days.
Click here to view the programme and results online
We encourage you to download the new Swimify Livetiming app to view the programme and results on your phone.
We have decided to provide one printed session programme per club. This will be available at the Resolutions Desk.
Updated World Aquatics Stroke Rules
As communicated on 23 March, we will be enforcing the updated World Aquatics Rules for strokes from the 1 April 2023 onwards.
Medal Ceremonies
Medals shall be awarded for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd New Zealanders in all events (except exhibition relays). Visitor medals will be awarded to any international competitor who places.
The victory ceremony timetable will be included in the finals programmes and as listed in the event schedule, and we will endeavour to run to this timetable. If for any reason there is a delay in the results being available, the medal presentation for that event will take place as soon as possible.
Dress standard and protocols for victory ceremonies:
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Club or regional t-shirt, jacket or sweatshirt
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No caps or goggles
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Shorts, trousers or skirt must be worn
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Shoes must be worn
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Swimmers can’t run on to the podium late, they need to be present at the start of the announcement for their presentation
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Swimmers must keep their medal on until well away from the podium and cameras
Accred & Access To Pool
Access to the pool is via the competitor’s entrance with your accreditation. An accreditation volunteer will be on hand to ensure that passes are being presented. If you do not have a valid pass – you will be required to pay the appropriate admission fee. Accreditation must be worn, around the neck, to gain access. No accreditation no entry. Lost accreditation can be replaced at a cost of $15.00 each – through cash or invoice to the club.
Please note, no late passes will be issued at the door as per the updated Accreditation Policy 009.
Good Behaviour
Swimming New Zealand is also proud to join the Good Sports movement, and is committed to providing positive swimming experiences for all involved. Across the five days of competition, we trust that all interactions throughout the event will be positive and respectful – please treat others like you would like to be treated.
For more information about Good Sports, please click here.
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Opening Hours
Pre-Meet (Fri 31 March)
9am - 12pm and 3pm - 6pm
Competition Days (Sat 1 - Wed 5 April)
Heats = 7.50am
Finals = 3.20pm
Marshalling
Heats:
Self-marshalling will be employed during all heat sessions. Swimmers are asked to be in the marshalling area 4 heats prior to their event. For all 50m events swimmers need to be in the marshalling area 6 heats prior to their event.
Finals:
Swimmers (including reserves) will need to marshal 6 races prior for 50m events and 4 races prior to their event for all other events and remain in the marshalling area. All swimmers are required to marshal for relays. Swimsuits will be checked at marshalling for legality.
If a swimmer is not present at the time of their event being marshalled, the clerk of course will replace that swimmer with the reserved swimmer.
Seating
Seating will be available on pool deck for swimmers, coaches and team managers. Please note that there will be no allocated seating.
Clubs will not be able to reserve seating on pre-event warm up day or throughout the event. Any signs will be removed.
Opening Ceremony
There will be an opening ceremony on Saturday evening at 5:25pm.
Ticketing
Please encourage your club mates, family and friends to attend the event to cheer you on. Tickets are available online at Humanitix
Parking
Parking is limited at the National Aquatic Centre. The first 90 minutes is free and then the charge is $2/hour thereafter. Please try and limit the number of vehicles you travel in to the meet.
Health & Safety
Please remember to encourage good hygiene practices at this event and use common sense to keep yourself and others safe on pool deck.
Warm-Up Procedure
There will be allocated lanes for fins and paddles during warm up. We ask that you please stick to these lanes as documented on pool deck.
DFSNZ Testing Feedback
Good, bad or neutral, every doping control experience is important. Drug Free Sport New Zealand (DFSNZ) has introduced a new way for you to share feedback about your testing experiences. After every test, your DCO will hand you a card with a QR code on it - just scan the QR code to access the survey. It’s anonymous, and only takes a minute. You can take the survey once you’ve finished doping control, but don’t leave it too long - best to do it while the experience is still fresh in your mind. Giving them feedback on every test helps them improve the testing experience for athletes everywhere.
Merch & Swimwear
Teamline will be present at the event, selling both event merchandise and swimming apparel. Be sure to check out their pop-up store and say g’day to the team poolside (close to the accreditation entrance).
Withdrawals
Withdrawals from events for session one will need to be submitted via email by 5pm or at the Team Managers meeting being held at 5pm on Friday 31 March. Any withdrawals for session one submitted after this will incur a withdrawal fee.
Any further withdrawals for sessions 2 - 10 will not be accepted via email after 5pm Friday 31 March. Withdrawals need to be made via a withdrawals form which can be found at the resolutions desk. Withdrawals via email will be considered late and will occur a late withdrawal fine.
For timed final events the SNZ Policy 008 will apply.
For timed-finals, withdrawals must be advised by the end of the session preceding the session with the timed final event.
Withdrawals from evening final races will be required to be submitted 30 minutes from posting of event results online.
Any withdrawals after this 30-minute period will occur a $50 fine
DQs & Protests
Disqualifications will be announced and a copy of the DQ form will be available at the resolutions desk located near the turn end on the grandstand side of the pool.
Protests must be submitted to the referee, in writing, on the protest form by the team manager only within 30 minutes following the DQ result posting online. This needs to be accompanied in cash by the $100.00 protest fee.
If conditions causing a potential protest are noted prior to the event a protest must be lodged before the signal to start is given.
All protests shall be considered by the referee. If the referee rejects the protest, they must state the reasons for their decision. The Team Manager may appeal the rejection to the Jury of Appeal whose decision shall be final.
If the protest is rejected, the deposit will be forfeited to SNZ. If the protest is upheld the deposit will be returned.
Strapping
Swimmers with strapping must provide documentation from a relevant registered health practitioner or physiotherapist and be reviewed by the Technical Director (Carlrine Gillespie) prior to swimming. Any swimmers without such documentation may not be permitted to swim.
Photography & Videography
Photos and videos will be taken throughout the competition. All athletes and spectators have agreed to allow photographs, videos, audio recordings and audio recording to be taken by accredited SNZ contractors to be used for any legitimate purpose by SNZ. If you have any concerns please contact events@swimming.org.nz.
Spectators agree upon entry that photographic, video or audio recording equipment is prohibited for any purpose which may include, without limitation, video and/or audio recorders, camera tripods, monopods or lenses with a total focal strength of greater than 300mm and commercial digital video equipment. The SNZ Event staff will, at their sole discretion, determine whether or not an item is intended for personal or commercial use.
Team Annoucing
We will be announcing and presenting the New Zealand teams selected for upcoming 2023 international events after the medal ceremony on the final night of racing (Wednesday 5 April). Please stay around to congratulate our NZ teams.
Team to be announced:
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World Aquatics Championships
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World Para Swimming Championships
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USA Tour
Livestream & Session Timelines
This event will be livestreamed live and free on the Swimming NZ YouTube channel. We will provide links on our event webpage.
There will be ad breaks between each event in each session, the reason being to help cover the costs of running the event. These will be shown on the scoreboard and have been scheduled into the session timelines.
2022 SNZ Awards
During the opening ceremony and medal ceremonies of each finals session, there will be these special awards presented in recognition of outstanding performances and services in 2022. Please join us in congratulating these award winners on their achievements each evening.
Keep an eye on our social channels this week as we announce the finalists for these awards leading into the event.
Development Opportunities Outside the Pool
Whilst there is plenty of exciting racing to look forward to, there are opportunities for development and inspiring the next generation throughout the event.
Coach Area
For the first time, Swimming NZ and NZSCTA are proud that there will be a dedicated coach area with a coffee machine. This has been introduced so coaches can mingle and get away from the race pool for a break, and will be located next to the LTS pool.
There is also a designated coaches poolside area overlooking the finish line near the podium. This is a great location to have a final word with an athlete before marshalling, see the start and finish in a prime location and perfect view of the scoreboard.
Development Sessions for Parents, Officials & Coaches
Please read our blog for more details – click here
Community Get Involved
Basket Handlers
There will be basket handlers removing the clothes from pool deck during finals. They will be given shirts which we encourage swimmers to sign after they have swum, there will be a pen available.
Dive Start Clinic
Some of our Aquablacks are hosting a stroke skills clinic on the day after racing finishes – click here
Aquablack Signing & Photo Session
Some of our Aquablacks will be signing autographs and available for photos on Wednesday 5 April between 4pm – 5pm in Wholefoods Café. This is free and available for the public to come along
Club Packs
Packs and passes must be collected from the Team Managers meeting at 4.30pm on Friday. If the packs aren’t collected at the Team Managers meeting then they will be available to collect from the athlete, coach and team manager accreditation entrance for the rest of the week.