Banana Boat NZ Ocean Swim Series Legend of the Lake – 16 March 2024

The blue waters and native forest of Lake Tikitapu (Blue Lake) makes the  Legend of the Lake, Te Purakau O Te Roto a very special experience for swimmers and spectators at our only fresh water event in the Series. Maximise your day and circumnavigate the lake in our long swim or perhaps take on a swim plus the Amphibian to really challenge yourself and tick the ‘double-header’ box on your goal list.

We’ve condensed all the action into one day with the biggest line-up of swim challenges in the Series, so you’ve got plenty of extra time to explore the geothermal and adventure wonderland of Rotorua.

Swims on offer:

  • Round the Lake – 3.5km
  • RotoVegas – 1000m
  • RotoVegas – 500m
  • Amphibian – Swim 1.7km/Forest Run 3.5km/Swim 500m
  • Banana Boat OceanKids 100m and 200m (7-12 years)

Key Event Information

Course Maps

Banana Boat NZ Ocean Swim Series
Legend of the Lake

Amphibian Swim/Run/Swim

Distance: 1.7km swim / 3.5km run / 500m swim Start Location: Blue Lake
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Swimming 2 - 3.5km? You will need 2-3 swim sessions per week
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Amphibian Swim/Run/Swim

Banana Boat NZ Ocean Swim Series
Legend of the Lake

Banana Boat OceanKids

Distance: 100m Start Location: Blue Lake
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Banana Boat OceanKids

Banana Boat NZ Ocean Swim Series
Legend of the Lake

Banana Boat OceanKids

Distance: 200m Start Location: Blue Lake
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Banana Boat OceanKids

Pricing & Benefits

Start Times & Event Timetable

Event Day General Info

Event location

The event headquarters is located at Lake Tikitapu in Rotorua.

Swim pack pickup

ALL Registered Swimmers

You can pick up your swim pack on Friday 15 March between 1:00-5:00 pm from the main event site at Lake Tikitapu. If you can not collect your pack on Friday please see the times below for each swim pick-up time.

Swim Pack Pickup & On the Day Registrations

Round the Lake 3.5km: 7:00 -8:45 am

RotoVegas 1000m & RotoVegas 500m: 9:00 – 10:15 am

RotoVegas Amphibian: 10:15 am – 11:45 pm – Bag drop closes at 12:oo pm sharp.

Banana Boat OceanKids 100m & 200m: 11:15 am – 13:30 pm

Cut-off times

For safety reasons and to ensure the day runs to schedule, our swims have a cut-off time. The times vary for each swim distance.

Round the Lake 3.5k: 2hrs

RotoVegas 1000m- 40mins

RotoVegas 500m- 20mins

Amphibian: 1700m Swim: 1hr 3.5km Run: 30mins 500m Swim: 20mins  Total Time: 1hr 50mins

Banana Boat OceanKids 100m- 5mins,  Banana Boat OceanKids 200m- 10mins

Age limits

Round the Lake 3.5k: 12 years and above

RotoVegas 1000m- 10 years and above

RotoVegas 500m- 8 years and above

Amphibian: 1700m Swim: 12 years and above

Banana Boat OceanKids 100m & 200m 7 – 12 year olds.

Swim caps & start groups

As part of your swim pack you will receive a silicon swim cap. Each start group has a different coloured cap. Start groups are determined by the speed group you selected in the entry form. If you have swum with us already this season please bring your cap to minimise the number of caps you collect and reduce our environmental footprint.

The start groups are calculated by our operations team and are organised by speed groups & entry numbers. These can vary from event to event, unless you are a Multi Event pass swimmer, and we are reluctant to change these as it can affect results.

Speed 1 & 2 – Fastest swimmers

Mid 1 & 2 – Competitive but like a little bit more space on the start line

Comp 1 & 2 – Out there to challenge yourself and swim with friends and family

Results

Live results will be available as soon as you have crossed the finish line. If you can not see your result or think there is an error please come and see the team in registration as soon as possible and definately BEFORE prizegiving.  You can find the results here. 

Post-event nutrition

Once you have crossed the finish line one of our awesome crew will be there to meet you with water and a Banana.

BYO drink bottle

As part of our goal to have a greener footprint, we will no longer be offering drinking cups so please remember to bring your own drink bottle. Thanks to the awesome team at the hydration station, you can fill your bottle with  water. Look out for our water station and stay hydrated!

Amphibian details

The Amphibian is back for 2024!  This event gives you a new perspective of the beautiful Lake Tikitapu.
Collect your event pack from registration, & bring a small bag to place your running shoes, small towel and running shirt (if needed) for the first transition. There will be a designated area at the main event site to place your bag, then these will be taken to the first transition area at the top of the lake.

We recommend that you wear a swim/run suit so that you can complete the entire Amphibian wearing it saving you valuable time. You can wear a full wetsuit if you wish. All belongings will be brought back to the event site, once the transition area is cleared of all participants. Note: this will not be in time for your second transition.

The event sees you starting from the main event site with a 1.7km swim, straight up to the top of the lake. There you will exit the water to the transition area where you can put your running shoes on and head up the steps to begin the run. You will need to keep your cap and goggles with you. The course will take you around the lake, on a 3.5km run back to the main event site to a second transition. There you can ditch the shoes and run back in for another quick splash of 500m and then head through the finish line archway to the cheers of your friends and family.

Safety

All Banana Boat New Zealand Ocean Swim Series events are patrolled by trained lifeguards and first aid qualified personnel who are present to assist you at all times.

So that the events are safe and enjoyable for all swimmers, there are some rules for the event. Find out more here.

Bag Storage

Bag storage area

An area designated to store gear bags will be available for all participants while you swim (or run!). This will be situated at the main event site at Lake Tikitapu (Blue Lake). You will need to bring your own small bag. Please remember, this is an ‘all care, no responsibility service’, please do not pack valuable items.

Parking

Car parking

Parking on the reserve areas at Lake Tikitapu can be interesting if there has been rain in the lead up to the event. We urge you to take care and please drive slowly when entering these car parks. Always follow the directions of the event crew, they are there to assist you!

Please do not park down the drive near the toilet block. These parks will be used for emergency vehicles and disability parking.

NZ Secondary Schools Open Water Swimming Championships

The Generation Homes Legend of the Lake is proud to host the 2023 NZ Secondary School Open Water Swimming Championships. All swimmers enrolled in a Secondary School (Year 9-13) within New Zealand on the date of this event can opt to compete in these championships by selecting their school in the entry form. Championship swim distances include the 3.5km, 1000m & 500m. Swimmers will be eligible for both Secondary School and Banana Boat Ocean Swim Series prizes and medals. Entries close Monday 11 March at 11:59pm

For more information visit the Swimming New Zealand website.

2023 NZSSOWS – Event Information Booklet coming soon

Enter by hitting the big yellow button top right!