2025 18U National Championships set to ignite Hawke’s Bay & Auckland

The 2025 18U National Water Polo Club Championships are primed to make a splash in Hawke’s Bay and Auckland over the next week, with teams from across the nation coming together to compete for national honours.

Division 1 Championships

The 2025 18U Division 1 National Water Polo Club Championships are primed to make a splash in Hawke’s Bay, with 17 teams from 10 clubs converging on the Hawke’s Bay Regional Aquatic Centre from Saturday, 5 July. The tournament promises an exciting week of top-tier water polo as New Zealand’s rising stars compete for national glory.

This year’s championship features a diverse and competitive field of 17 teams, including a barbarian team and an U16 national squad team. All matches will be held at the Hawke’s Bay Regional Aquatic Centre, with games starting on Saturday, July 5. For those who can't be in Hawke's Bay, we are stoked to be offering live streaming on our YouTube channel.

Several teams stand out ahead of the opening whistle:

• Marist Red U18M, the reigning 2024 Boys Champions, will look to defend their title.

• Sea Wolf Black U18W, the 2024 Girls Champions, aim to repeat their success.

• Brisbane Vikings, featuring a strong female roster, will bring international flair to the pool.

• WPNZ Orcas, a barbarian-style composite team, could cause upsets with their unique blend of players.

• WPNZ U16 Boys, representing New Zealand’s national pathway, will be closely watched for their development potential.

Division 2 Championships

The 2025 18U Division 2 National Water Polo Club Championships are set to make a splash in Auckland, with teams from across the country diving into action from Thursday, 10 July. Hosted at Auckland’s Diocesan Aquatic Centre and National Aquatic Centre venues, the tournament promises four days of intense competition as emerging players vie for national honours.

In the women’s competition, player availability has influenced team entries this year, with both Atlantis and North Harbour fielding just two teams across Divisions 1 and 2 instead of the usual three. Atlantis Aqua and North Harbour Black will be ones to watch in Division 2. Meanwhile, Tauranga, the 2024 silver medalists, return with their eyes firmly set on going one better in 2025.

On the men’s side, the Atlantis Tridents will be looking to carry strong momentum from a competitive Auckland WP Division 2 league. North Harbour Black, stepping down from Division 1, bring valuable top-tier experience that could tip the balance. Also in the mix is a new combined team from Waitakere and Hawke’s Bay, ready to shake things up and make their mark.

Stay connected

• Division 1:  Live stream: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLl8iBvu3DL2IwPtD0Bvb2aatru0HsutOh&si=1iSgIqqmtatBEmC0
• Division 1: Draw / Results: https://nzwaterpolo.org.nz/draws-and-results/18u-division-1-national-championships-2025
  
  
• Division 2: Draw / Results: https://nzwaterpolo.org.nz/draws-and-results/18u-national-championships-division-2-2025
  
  
• Official Website: https://nzwaterpolo.org.nz/18u-national-championships

• WPNZ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nzwaterpolo

• WPNZ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/waterpolonz/