Fixtures and teams for the 2024 National Aquatics Festival
The annual National Aquatics Festival, which is being hosted by Durban’s Maris Stella this year, gets underway on Friday, 9 February, and culminates in the final of the water polo tournament on Saturday at 12:00.
Three venues, Maris Stella, the Kings Park Pool, and Durban High School (DHS) will host 10 of the best girls’ water polo teams from around South Africa.
St Stithians College have their sights set on a successful defence of the title they won last year, when St Mary’s Waverley hosted the event.
Coach Etienne Le Roux’s charges are expected to progress beyond the pool stages, but they’re drawn in a tough pool side alongside four KZN schools: St Mary’s DSG Kloof, Durban Girls’ High School, Durban Girls’ College and Danville Park Girls’ High.
The second pool is also stacked with some long-time powers, which will mean a place at the upper end of the playoffs is far from guaranteed.
Last year’s runners-up, Clarendon High School will be challenged by Pretoria High School for Girls, and the always tough St Mary’s Waverley. Local interest comes in the form of the hosts, Maris Stella, and Our Lady of Fatima Dominican Convent School.
Recently, at the Brian Baker Tournament in Makhanda, Clarendon defeated St Stithians. They made it to the semi-finals but were then beaten 8-13 by Reddam House Constantia. After going down 7-14 to Roedean in their last playoff contest, they finished in a very credible fourth place.
The hosts, on the other hand, snatched fifth place at the National Aquatics Festival in 2023, but they will enter this year’s event with high hopes of an even more impressive showing, playing in front of their home crowd.
Pretoria High will have their sights set on an improved performance over their 2023 campaign, which was lacklustre and resulted in them finishing at the bottom of the standings.
The festival also includes a swimming gala and a diving competition.
Our Lady of Fatima captured the honours in the gala last year, scoring 409 points to edge out St Mary’s Waverley, who finished in second place, on 406 points, with St Stithians taking third on 387 points.
Saints claimed the overall title in diving, with their u15, u16 and senior divers putting up 181 points.
The gala features 10 schools renowned for their swimming excellence, while seven top schools will compete in the diving competition.
The National Aquatics Festival will be broadcast live on SuperSport Schools.
Swimming Gala Participants
Clarendon High School
C&N Sekondêre Meisieskool Oranje
Durban Girls’ College
Durban Girls’ High School
Eunice High School
Our Lady of Fatima Dominican Convent School
Pretoria High School for Girls
St Mary’s DSG Kloof
St Mary’s Waverley
St Stithians College
Diving Participants
Brescia House School
Maris Stella
Roedean School
St Andrew’s School for Girls
St Mary’s DSG Kloof
St Mary’s Waverley
St Stithians College
Water Polo Fixtures
Pool A
St Stithians College, St Mary’s DSG Kloof, Durban Girls’ High School, Durban Girls’ College, Danville Park Girls’ High.
Pool B
Clarendon High School, Pretoria High School for Girls, St Mary’s Waverley, Maris Stella, Our Lady of Fatima Dominican Convent School.
Fixtures: Day 1
Friday, 9 February – North Pool
14:00 – St Stithians College vs St Mary’s DSG Kloof; 14:40 – Durban Girls’ High vs Danville; 15:20 – St Mary’s DSG Kloof vs Durban Girls’ College; 16:00 – St Stithians vs Danville; 16:40 – Durban Girls’ High vs Durban Girls’ College; 17:20 – St Mary’s DSG Kloof vs Danville; 18:00 – St Stithians College vs Durban Girls’ College; 18:40 – St Mary’s DSG Kloof vs Durban Girls’ High.
South Pool
14:00 – St Mary’s Waverley vs Maris Stella; 14:40 – Clarendon High School vs Pretoria High; 15:20 – Fatima vs St Mary’s Waverley; 16:00 – Pretoria High vs Maris Stella; 16:40 – Clarendon High School vs Fatima; 17:20 – Pretoria High vs St Mary’s Waverley; 18:00 – Fatima vs Maris Stella; 18:40 – Clarendon High School vs St Mary’s Waverley.
Day 2
Saturday, 10 February @ Durban High School
07:00 – Durban Girls’ College vs Danville; 07:40 – St Stithians College vs Durban Girls’ High; 08:30 – 3rd Pool A vs 2nd Pool B; 09:10 – 2nd Pool A vs 3rd Pool B; 09:50 – 1st Pool A vs Winner 21; 10:30 – 1st Pool B vs Winner 22; 11:25 – Loser 25 vs Loser 26; 12:05 – Winner 25 vs Winner 26.
@ Maris Stella
07:00 – Pretoria High vs Fatima; 07:40 – Clarendon High School vs Maris Stella; 08:40 – 4th Pool A vs 5th Pool B; 09:20 – 5th Pool A vs 4th Pool B; 10:00 – Loser 23 vs Loser 24; 10:40 – Winner 23 vs Winner 24; 11:20 – Loser 21 vs Loser 22.
