The Ballarat Aquatic and Lifestyle Centre (BALC) is set to host an array of up-and-coming swimming stars this week as part of an intense training camp and competition.
Swimming Victoria will host the 2025 Tri Series from 8-12 July at BALC, attracting competitors from Victoria, Western Australia and New Zealand.
About 100 young and aspiring athletes will call Ballarat home for a week, in what is a major coup for BALC as a sports events destination.
The event will use the 50-metre pool and follow the success of previous successful events at the centre, including the 2024 Victorian Relay Championships.
Although there will be some changes to normal swimming pool configuration, lap swimming options will remain available at all regular times for existing users.
Designed to expose high-performance athletes to a competitive environment, the Tri Series aims to stretch swimmers beyond their comfort zones and promote a competitive mindset.
Following the initial high-performance training camp, the week will culminate with five sessions of racing over three days, providing multiple opportunities for swimmers to refine their race strategies, test their limits, and build resilience in a high-performance environment.
There will be five sessions of racing over three days. Four sessions will be with a 25-metre setup and one with a unique 20-metre setup designed to refine their race strategies and skills.
Hosting the event follows hot on the heels of BALC recording its highest-ever patronage.
The centre attracted more than 700,000 people through its doors in the 2024/25 financial year, an average of almost 2000 people per day. This figure is 125,000 higher than pre-pandemic levels.
City of Ballarat Mayor, Cr Tracey Hargreaves said securing the event on the back of record patronage at BALC highlighted the considerable efforts that had gone into improving service levels and providing quality experiences for the community at BALC.
"The 2025 Tri Series is a fantastic opportunity to showcase Ballarat as a city that embraces elite sport and can deliver world-class facilities," she said.
"This reinforces our reputation as a sports event destination and highlights BALC as a premier venue to host quality events like this."
Manager of Aquatic and Leisure Services, Gerald Dixon believes the increased usage of the centre is not just down to population growth.
"Since emerging from COVID, there has been a deliberate and concentrated effort to raise our game and enhance customer service levels, for members, visitors and events," he said.
"This has resulted in achieving our highest levels of membership and engagement in all our programs and services, as well as attracting high profile swim sport events not seen in Ballarat or regional Victoria."
Swimming Victoria Performance Pathways Manager Nic Baker said the event was extremely beneficial for the swimmers.
"This event is more than just a competition," he said.
"The Tri Series is about developing competitive racing skills, building resilience, and fostering team camaraderie."
The event is open for the public to watch, with racing events to be held on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
