2023 Apollo Projects NZ Short Course Swimming Championships
Kia ora coaches, managers and swimmers,
Welcome to the 2023 Apollo Projects NZ Short Course Swimming Championships next week. Swimming New Zealand is excited to be hosting this event in Hawke's Bay at the Hawke's Bay Regional Aquatic Centre, we can’t wait to welcome you all!
8 - 12 August
Hawke's Bay Regional Aquatic Centre
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.
Programme & Results
Swimming NZ will complete a preliminary seeding the programme shortly, which you will be able to find below. This may be updated in the coming days.
Click here to view the programme and results online this week
We encourage you to download the new Swimify Livetiming app to view the programme and results on your phone.
The session programme will be finalised at the end of the previous session and a printable PDF version will be available under Files on Swimify. We have decided to provide one printed session programme per club. This will be available at the Resolutions Desk.
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.
Team Managers Meeting
There will be a compulsory team manager meeting held on Monday 7 August at 5pm in the Heretaunga 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.
Club Packs
Packs and passes must be collected from the Team Managers meeting at 4.30pm on Monday. 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.
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.
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New Classifications
We are proud to offer more opportunities for swimmers with a disability at this event. We have introduced three new classifications to align with opportunities internationally, in addition to the 14 classifications offered in the Paralympic pathway.
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S15 = hearing impairment of at least 40dB (decibels) or greater in the better ear
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S18 = Down Syndrome or intellectual impairment (S14) combined with a physical impairment
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S19 = Autism diagnosis
Multi-class heats will be swum together, however finals will be swum separate:
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Multi-class S1 – S14
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Multi-class S15 – S19
Top club points will be awarded from both finals and go toward the top multi-class club trophy announced after the final session at Short Course.
Accred & Access To Pool
In the interests of sustainability, we ask that if you have a lanyard from previous events that bring it along to re-use at this event.
Access to the pool is via the main pool 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.
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Opening Hours
Pre-Meet (Mon 7 August)
8am - 12pm and 3pm - 7pm
Competition Days (Tues 8 - Sat 12 August)
Heats = 7am
Finals = 4pm
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 in the grandstand and on pool deck for swimmers, coaches and team managers. There is also plenty of room to leave bags along the wall near the 25m pool, so please only utilise a seat if you're sitting there.
Please note that there will be no allocated seating, except that the first bay overlooking the finish end will be allocated for spectators.
We ask that if you wish to stand along the side of the pool, please stand on the non-grandstand side. Please don't stand in front of the grandstand and block others' view.
We ask clubs to work together and mingle across the week.
Opening Ceremony
There will be an opening ceremony on Tuesday evening at 5:30pm.
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 in the main pool entrance foyer.
Parking
Parking is limited at the Hawke's Bay Regional Aquatic Centre. Please try and limit the number of vehicles you travel in to the meet.
Ticketing
Please encourage your club mates, family and friends to attend the event to cheer you on. Tickets are available online at Humanitix
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.
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 Monday 7 August. 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 (Ron Clarke) 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 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.
Livestream & Session Timelines
We are excited to continue offering a livestream for our events.
To help us continue to deliver this quality product to our community, we will subsidise some of the costs. We are offering two options so you can watch the action, with great value available for the price of a coffee per day.
One day option = $10 per day
Whole event option = $29.99
You can create your account and purchase your pass now below to watch our event before it gets underway, so don’t miss out on any of the action. Please note that you cannot buy the day pass yet as these can't be purchased in advance.
Coach Information
Whilst there is plenty of exciting racing to look forward to, there are opportunities for development and inspiring the next generation throughout the event.
Coaches Room
Swimming NZ and NZSCTA are proud to continue offering 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 in the Ahuriri Room.
Coach Viewing Area
There is also a designated coaches poolside area on the non-grandstand side of the pool.
Coaches Development Session
We are offering a coach engagement session on Monday 7 August from 6pm - 7pm in the Ahuriri Room (Coaches Room). This is a great chance for coaches to catch up together, connect and ask questions before the competition starts with some food available. We look forward to seeing all coaches there
Community Get Involved
Parent Breakfasts
Two parent breakfasts will take place over the week, starting at 7.15am in the Heretaunga Room. The sessions will be focused on the athlete development programme and creating positive swimming experiences respectively. We encourage parents to attend during the warm up period for a group discussion and some food.
Athlete Development Programme - Friday 11 August from 7.15am - 8.15am
Creating Positive Swimming Experiences - Saturday 12 August from 7.15am - 8.15am
Officials Development Session
On Monday 7 August from 6pm - 8pm, we will be offering an officials development session in the marshalling room. We encourage officials to pop in for the session.
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
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 to purchase
Aquablack Signing & Photo Session
Some of our Aquablacks will be signing autographs and available for photos on Saturday 12 August between 4pm – 5pm in the main pool entrance foyer. This is free and available for the public to come along, so please encourage your family and friends to come along.
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 session programmes, and as listed in the event schedule, with age group medals presented during the heats sessions and open age medals in the finals sessions. 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