Aquatic festival makes splash in city

Youngsters will be making a big splash at the annual Community Aquatic Festival at Newport International Sports Village today (Friday 28 August).

The event is the culmination of the free swim activities that have taken place in swimming pools in council leisure centres across Newport.

For the past six years the Welsh Assembly Government has provided funds to each unitary authority in Wales for the Under 17 Free Swim Initiative.

Newport uses these funds to provide an extensive holiday programme of open free swimming sessions, but also a range of very popular structured sessions such as mini waterpolo, underwater hockey, snorkelling with reef riders, aqua blast and many more.

A total of 16 teams have been training hard this Summer in preparation for the Aquatic Festival and will participate in a variety of pool based activities that suit all ages and abilities, from a mini water polo tournament, lifesaving challenge and team obstacle tournament to raft race and relay races with Woggles!

This year’s event is sponsored by Newport City Council and Uskmouth Power Station, with kind donations from Going for Gold, British Car Auctions Ltd, Advanced Elastomer Ltd, EnerSys Newport, WAG Free Swim Initiative and City of Newport Swimming & Water Polo Club.

The event was officially opened by the Deputy Mayor of Newport, Cllr Val Delahaye.

Newport is the only authority in Wales to host a local event of this kind this is due to the strong sports development unit and the range of alternative aquatics and structured free swimming programmes that the city has to offer.

For more information contact Barrie Swift, Swimming Development Officer on 01633 656 757.