Geelong Marlins to host Tri-State Championships

THE Geelong Water Polo Club will host the Tri-State Championships later this month at Kardinia Aquatic Centre.

More than 600 junior competitors aged 11-16 from across Victoria, New South Wales and Tasmania will come together to compete.

The February 16-17 event is run entirely by the Geelong Amateur Water Polo Association.

Tournament director Darcy Brice said the event had expanded significantly since it was first held three years ago.

“It has grown quite a bit. We’ve had about 45 teams the past two years and we only had 28 the first year.”

The competition is now the largest regional junior water polo competition in Australia.

Brice said it took a lot of work from club volunteers to run the event.

“It takes a lot of work. It’s all pretty much run by a part of the senior group and then the rest is all pretty much done by the junior parents.

“It’s a big weekend, it’s a lot of work, but it’s all worth it.”

The aquatic centre is home of the Geelong Marlins, who will have four of their own teams in the event.

The Geelong Marlins Under 12 Blue won gold in their category in 2019. While several of the players have since moved up to Under 14, the side continues to have success, winning gold at the Ballarat Invitational Water Polo Tournament.