Banana Boat NZ Ocean Swim Series The Mount Swim – 19 April 2025
Dive into the Kiwi Summer at The Mount Swim!
Celebrate the stunning natural beauty of Mt Maunganui with an epic day of swimming, sun, and adventure!
Conquer the Waves and Explore the Islands
Whether you’re an experienced swimmer or just looking for a fun challenge, The Mount Swim has something for everyone. Take on the 2.8km swim around Rabbit Island, the 1250m loop around Leisure Island, or the 500m Main Beach course – each offering a unique way to immerse yourself in the breathtaking coastal scenery.
Thrill the Little Ones with the OceanKids Races
Get the whole family involved with the Banana Boat OceanKids races, where 7-12 year olds can showcase their swimming skills in the 100m and 200m courses. It’s the perfect way to inspire the next generation of water enthusiasts!
Explore the Vibrant Bay of Plenty
Make a weekend of it and discover all that the beautiful Bay of Plenty has to offer. From the stunning beaches and hiking trails to the bustling dining scene and endless outdoor adventures, there’s something to delight every member of your crew. This is the ultimate Kiwi summer experience you won’t want to miss!
Swims on offer:
- Around Rabbit Island – 2.8km
- Around Leisure Island – 1250m
- The Main Beach – 500m
- Banana Boat OceanKids – 100m & 200m (7-12 year olds)
COURSE MAPS
THE MOUNT SWIM 2.8KM
AROUND LEISURE ISLAND 1.2KM
BEACH BLAST 500M
BANANA BOAT OCEANKIDS 100M & 200M
Date | Time | Event |
---|---|---|
Friday, 18th April 2025 | 3:00 PM - 6:00 PM | Registration series pack pick up at Main Beach, The Mount (The Finish line) |
Saturday, 19th April 2025 | 7:30 AM | Around Rabbit Island 2.8km and 1250m around Leisure Island registrations open & swim pack pick up at Main Beach (The Finish line) |
Saturday, 19th April 2025 | 9:05 AM | Around Rabbit Island 2.8km compulsory safety briefing at Main Beach (The Finish line) |
Saturday, 19th April 2025 | 9:15 AM | Around Rabbit Island 2.8km walk to start line |
Saturday, 19th April 2025 | 9:30 AM | START - The Mount Swim Around Rabbit Island |
Saturday, 19th April 2025 | 9:20 AM | Beach Blast 500m registrations open & swim pack pick up at Main Beach (The Finish line) |
Saturday, 19th April 2025 | 10:00 AM | OceanKids registrations open & swim pack pick up at Main Beach (The Finish line) |
Saturday, 19th April 2025 | 10:10 AM | Around Leisure Island 1250m walk to start line |
Saturday, 19th April 2025 | 10:20 AM | Around Leisure Island 1250m compulsory safety briefing at Main Beach (The Start line) |
Saturday, 19th April 2025 | 10:30 AM | START - Around Leisure Island 1250m |
Saturday, 19th April 2025 | 10:30 AM | High Tide |
Saturday, 19th April 2025 | 10:55 AM | Beach Blast 500m walk to start line |
Saturday, 19th April 2025 | 11:00 AM | Beach Blast 500m compulsory safety briefing at Main Beach (The Start line) |
Saturday, 19th April 2025 | 11:05 AM | START - Beach Blast 500m |
Saturday, 19th April 2025 | 11:15 AM | OceanKids compulsory safety briefing at Main Beach (The Start line) |
Saturday, 19th April 2025 | 11:20 AM | START - OceanKids 100m & 200m |
Saturday, 19th April 2025 | 11:20 AM | Around Rabbit Island event cutoff 1 hour 50 min |
Saturday, 19th April 2025 | 11:40 AM | Around Leisure Island cutoff 50 min |
Saturday, 19th April 2025 | 12:00 PM | Prizegiving for Around Rabbit Island 2.8km event |
Saturday, 19th April 2025 | 1:00 PM | Crew pack up |
Saturday, 19th April 2025 | 5:00 PM | Meet and mingle at Brew Co, 109 Maunganui Road, Mount Maunganui 3116 |
Event | Age | Super Earlybird Price (16 June - 13 July) |
Earlybird Price (14 July - 10 Aug) |
Standard Price (11 Aug - 12 Apr) |
Late Entries (13 Apr - 18 Apr) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Around Rabbit Island 2.8km | 12 yrs + | $99 | $109 | $114 | $124 |
Around Leisure Island 1250m | 10 yrs + | $70 | $80 | $85 | $95 |
The Main Beach 500m | 10 yrs + | $55 | $65 | $70 | $80 |
Banana Boat OceanKids 100m & 200m | 7-12 yrs |
Key Event Information
Event Day General Information
Event location
The event headquarters are located at the Mount Main Beach.
Free with your swim entry
- Silicon swimming cap (you wear on event day)
- Branded finish line photo (digital sharing quality)
- Electronic timing device
- Sports drink, and a banana and more to refuel post event
- Trained lifeguards to watch over you while you swim and advanced medical personnel on site
Cut-off Times
For safety reasons and to ensure the day runs to schedule, our swims have a cut-off time. The times vary for each swim distance.
Around Rabbit Island 2.8km Cut-off: 1hr 45mins
Around Leisure Island 1250m Cut-off: 50mins
The Main Beach 500m Cut-off: 20mins
Banana Boat OceanKids Cut-off: 5mins - 100m / 10mins - 200m
Age limits
Around Rabbit Island 2.8km Age: 12 years and older
Around Leisure Island 1250m Age: 10 years and older
The Main Beach 500m Age: 8 years and older
Banana Boat OceanKids 100m & 200m Age: 7 – 12 year olds
Swim caps & start groups
As part of your swim pack, you will receive a silicon swim cap. Each start group has a different coloured cap. Start groups are determined by the speed group you selected in the entry form. If you have swum with us already this season please bring your cap to minimise the number of caps you collect and reduce our environmental footprint.
The start groups are calculated by our operations team and are organised by speed groups & entry numbers. These can vary from event to event, unless you are a Multi Event pass swimmer, and we are reluctant to change these as it can affect results.
Speed 1 & 2 – Fastest swimmers
Mid 1 & 2 – Competitive but like a little bit more space on the start line
Comp 1 & 2 – Out there to challenge yourself and swim with friends and family
Results
Live results will be available as soon as you have crossed the finish line. If you can not see your result or think there is an error please come and see the team in registration as soon as possible and definitely BEFORE prizegiving. You can find the results here.
Post-event nutrition
Once you have crossed the finish line one of our awesome crew will be there to meet you with water and a banana.
BYO drink bottle
As part of our goal to have a greener footprint, we will no longer be offering drinking cups so please remember to bring your own drink bottle. Thanks to the awesome team at the hydration station, you can fill your bottle with water. Look out for our water station and stay hydrated!
Safety
All Banana Boat New Zealand Ocean Swim Series events are patrolled by trained lifeguards and first aid qualified personnel who are present to assist you at all times.
So that the events are safe and enjoyable for all swimmers, there are some rules for the event. Find out more here.
Parking
Car parking
There is plenty of car parking on the streets surrounding the main beach at Mount Maunganui, however these can go pretty quickly so be prepared for a short walk to get to the event site.
Aquaknights Zonal Secondary School Open Water Swimming Championships
The Mount Swim is proud to host the 2025 Central Zone Secondary School Open Water Swimming Championships. All swimmers enrolled in a Secondary School (Year 9-13) within the Aquaknights Zone on the date of this event can opt to compete in these Championships by selecting their school in the entry form. Championship swim distances include the 2.8km & 1250m. Swimmers will be eligible for both Secondary School and Banana Boat Ocean Swim Series prizes and medals. Entries close TBC
For more information visit the Swimming New Zealand website.
2025 Aquaknights ZSSOWS – Event Information Booklet coming soon
Enter by hitting the big yellow button top right!