A Year of Growth and Achievement: SLSC President’s Report

August 2025 – Paul Jaquin

As we look back on another remarkable year for the Southern Lakes Swimming Club, I’m proud to share the highlights, challenges, and achievements that have shaped our community. From icy winter swims to epic distance challenges, our members have continued to push boundaries while fostering the safe, supportive environment that makes SLSC special.

Here’s a comprehensive look at what we’ve accomplished together and where we’re heading next.

Membership

We currently have 82 paid members. While our overall membership numbers have dropped slightly this year, we’ve maintained a strong core of active swimmers who regularly participate in club activities. It’s a familiar pattern we see each year – some members join with enthusiasm but don’t stay for the full season. We’re always working on ways to better engage and retain our swimming community.

Regular Swimming Sessions

Saturday Swims

Our Saturday sessions remain the heart of club activity, with around 25 swimmers joining us through the summer months. As winter sets in, numbers naturally drop to about 15 regular participants at the start of the season, eventually settling at around 5 dedicated souls who brave the depths of our Southern Lakes winter.

Monday Sessions

We’ve maintained our informal Monday group at Homestead Bay, providing another opportunity for members to connect and swim together.

Masters Swimming

We’ve secured lane bookings at QEC (Queenstown Events Centre) and successfully run our masters swim group on Tuesday and Thursday mornings, giving members access to structured pool training.

Club Activities and Adventures

This year brought a mix of successes and learning opportunities:

Learn the Lake didn’t quite hit the mark this year, possibly due to timing and lake temperature. We’re committed to reinvigorating this important program in the coming season.

Pigeon Island swim provided another great training opportunity for our members.

Mou Waho was a standout success with 16 swimmers having an absolutely fantastic time. This adventure is definitely one we’ll be running again.

Skinny Dip saw 8 brave swimmers take on the chilly waters of Lake Hayes – a testament to our members’ adventurous spirit!

New Year’s Day Lake Alta kicked off 2025 in style with 18 members making the trek up on January 1st.

Winter Solstice Swim drew 25 hardy participants, celebrating the shortest day in true SLSC fashion.

Longest Day Swim was our biggest single-day event, with 13 swimmers completing the full 6km distance, 7 swimmers at Queenstown Beach, and 13 swimmers taking on the lane challenge.

Major Events

We had an exceptional run of events this year, with all our major competitions going off without a hitch:

• Winter Legend
• Ruby Island Swim
• Ruataniwha Challenge
• Lake Te Anau Crossing

Several of our members also participated as a team in Challenge Wanaka, representing SLSC with pride.

We also hosted a special event at Patagonia in partnership with Wai Wanaka, focusing on their important analysis of microplastics in Lake Whakatipu.

Outstanding Athletic Achievements

Our members continue to make waves on the national and international stage:

Anneke and Bethany represented New Zealand at the World Ice Swimming Championships in Molveno, Italy. Thanks to their efforts, both New Zealand and Queenstown are now well-recognized names in the international ice swimming community.

Anneke, Bethany, and Liana competed at the Ice Swimming Nationals in St Bathans, flying the SLSC flag with distinction.

The summer season was filled with impressive distance attempts, highlighted by Liana’s epic swim from Glenorchy to Queenstown. Not to be outdone, Rachel conquered the entire length of Lake Hawea – an incredible achievement that showcases the calibre of athletes in our club.

Club Development

Branding

We’ve been working diligently behind the scenes on a logo and branding refresh. Keep an eye out for exciting updates coming soon!

Funding and Grants

While our application to the airport for a defibrillator grant was unsuccessful, we’re exploring other funding sources this year. We continue to receive valuable support from QLDC for our Scout Hut rental, which helps keep our operational costs manageable.

Community Relationships

We’ve significantly strengthened our relationship with Coastguard, who have become regular supporters of our events. This partnership will be highlighted in a joint event we’re planning for September.

Our interaction with the Scouts has been limited this year, but we’re looking at ways to re-engage with this important community partner.

Environmental Challenges

Unfortunately, we faced several effluent leaks into the lake during the summer months. We’re still often hearing about these incidents from third parties rather than official channels, and we continue to work with QLDC, ORC, and Veolia to ensure timely communication about water quality and safety.

On a positive note, we’ve collaborated with ORC to establish regular water testing at the swim lane. While effluent leaks made it challenging to identify other pollution patterns (such as post-rainfall impacts), the testing program provided valuable data and we’re committed to continuing this important safety initiative.

Communication and Outreach

Our digital presence continues to grow:

• Facebook: 1,200 followers
• Instagram: 300 followers
• Chat group: 160 active members
• Newsletter: Approximately 250 subscribers, primarily club members
• Website: While we don’t have visitor counters, we’re steadily increasing our content. The beauty of annual events is that we can efficiently update information from year to year, making our website an increasingly valuable resource.

Bethany, Anneke, and Liana shared their swimming experiences in talks at World Bar, helping spread awareness about our sport and club.

Club Resources and Equipment

This year we made some strategic purchases:

• 15 second-hand wetsuits for use by members and visitors, making the sport more accessible
• Binoculars to help safety observers better monitor swimmers down the lane

Media Coverage

SLSC has maintained strong visibility in local and national media:

• Featured in Mountain Scene for every event we held
• Regular event promotion on More FM
• Our ice swimmers were showcased in a Seven Sharp documentary
• Multiple ODT features covering our ice swimming events and achievements

Looking Forward

As we move into the new season, safety will be our primary focus. We’ve arranged an educational session with Coastguard and hypothermia experts, which will guide our approach to swimmer safety going forward.

We’re also committed to relaunching our ‘Learn the Lake’ programme, incorporating lessons learned from this year’s experience.

The Southern Lakes Swimming Club continues to be a club for safe, adventurous, and community-minded open water swimming. Thank you to all our members, supporters, and partners who make this incredible community possible.

Here’s to another year of pushing boundaries, staying safe, and celebrating the joy of swimming in our spectacular Southern Lakes.

Paul Jaquin
President, Southern Lakes Swimming Club