2026 SCWC Short Course ChampionshipsIt was fantastic to see so much Vikings spirit, with PBs, medals, great racing and plenty of team support throughout the weekend.
Competitive Swim Club in Christchurch
Transitioning from learn-to-swim programmes, or ready to take racing to the next level?
The Vikings Squad pathway offers young athletes an unparalleled opportunity to develop technical excellence and reach their competitive potential.
Training for High Performance, Building Great People
At Vikings Swim Club Christchurch, our focus stretches far beyond winning. We are a close-knit sporting community that deeply values strength, camaraderie, competitiveness, and passion. Our holistic training approach encompasses structured land warm-ups, specialized swim stroke refinement, and dedicated endurance training. We equip our athletes with the physical conditioning and mental resilience needed to excel at regional, national, and international race levels.
Vikings Coaching Team
Head Coach – George Long
George brings 3 years of experience as the Assistant Head Coach at Vikings Swim Club Christchurch, alongside 4 years as a full-time Assistant Head Coach at JASI. He has a proven track record of developing competitive swimmers from junior ranks through to high-performance podium finishes.
Coaching Philosophy: George focuses on a well-rounded programme across all competitive strokes, distances, and abilities. By combining sharp technical development with essential physical and mental skills, George ensures every squad member grows individually while contributing to team success.
Assistant Coach – Hannah Sutherland
We are thrilled to have Hannah working alongside George to ensure elite coaching quality across all squad tiers. Hannah is highly respected globally, being one of only 20 coaches worldwide selected for the prestigious World Aquatics International Swimming Coaches’ Certification Course.
International Experience: Hannah was selected to coach the New Zealand Team at the Oceania Championships in Fiji, bringing invaluable international racing insights straight to our local pool decks.
A Pathway to the International Stage
Global Stages
In 2023, our club flyers proudly represented us at the Youth Commonwealth Games and the World Junior Championships.
Australian Meets
Our swimmers consistently qualify for and travel to race at multiple highly competitive Australian State Championships.
Paralympic Glory
Former member Gaby Smith beautifully represented New Zealand’s incredible talent at the 2024 Paralympics.
Recent Club Highlights
2026 Dragon Clash of the WavesA special shoutout to our new swimmers who stepped up, got on the blocks, and raced hard in their first competitive swim meet with Vikings. Our existing competitive squad swimmers also had a great meet, racing 40 events and achieving 85% PB rate.
Ready to join Vikings Swim Club?
Whether you are moving up from school-age lessons or looking to transfer from another club, we invite you to experience our team culture. We offer a FREE trial session for new members, and a FREE one-week trial for competitive club transfers.