Water Polo Australia (WPA) has today announced that the Australian Youth Water Polo Championships will be postponed until the April school holidays 2021.

Brisbane, Queensland will once again play host of the two-week water polo festival which was originally scheduled to be held from 11-23 January 2021.

Current COVID-19 restrictions in place around the country, impacting travel as well as the delivery of large-scale community events, has made the shift in dates necessary.  The exact dates for each age group are still being considered and will be released by mid-November following consultation process with our member states.

Water Polo Australia CEO, Richard McInnes, said the decision to change the dates was one not taken lightly but designed to give every club and child the best opportunity to take part in the Championships.

“This has been a difficult time for many, including participants, coaches, officials, their Clubs and the State Associations who are all working tireless to get the season underway.  We are also conscious of our friends in Victoria who are still unable to train or play yet and in Western Australia, who are unable to travel interstate. 

“We felt it was important to provide plenty of notice for families and clubs about changing the dates and to give every member the best opportunity to take part in the 2021 Australian Youth Water Polo Championships (AYWPC).

“In the short time since we launched the AYWPC, it has quickly grown to become a hallmark event on our water polo calendar, with so many of our clubs, young competitors, referees and alumni, coming together to celebrate our sport.

“Today’s decision is about giving all competitors the best possible opportunity to compete at the Australian Youth Water Polo Championships.

“It also provides us additional time, should international borders reopen, to invite international teams to be part of an international test series with our Aussie Stingers and KAP7 Aussie Sharks.

“We want to thank all our stakeholders including the State Associations, Tourism and Events Queensland and Brisbane Economic Development Agency, along with all our venues in Brisbane, for working with us to help implement our contingency plans.

“As we continue to live in a COVID-19 world, plans will continue to evolve and change and we thank the membership for being patient while we navigate the uncertainty,” he said.

The exact dates for each age group are still being considered and will be released by mid-November.

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