AUSTRALIAN COUNTRY & MASTERS UPDATE

As the Gold Coast prepares to host the inaugural Australian Country & Masters Championships, Water Polo Australia (WPA) and event organisers KAP7 Australia wish to provide an update to all clubs, officials and supporters.

The current challenges that continue to be felt across the country due to COVID-19, with travel restrictions still in place, has required WPA to review planning timelines around all marquee events in 2021.

WPA is working closely with venues and local Health Authorities to ensure the events can be delivered in a COVID safe environment.  For the 2021 Australian Country and Masters Championships, this means providing as much leeway as possible for teams to be able to register with certainty that if the event cannot be held, that associations, clubs and individuals will not be out of pocket financially.

Both WPA and KAP7 are currently working towards delivering the Australian Country and Masters Championship at the Gold Coast Aquatic Centre, Qld from 26-30 May 2021. As this will be the first National Masters event in a long time, we realise many masters teams will not be affiliated with only one club, but may be composed of individuals from many clubs, and therefore there is uncertainty for event organisers as to how many teams may be formed to participate in the event.

The health and safety of all event attendees, as well as minimising the travel and financial risk for Clubs and participants, is critical to our planning and decision making around this event.

The current challenges around travel have required us to adjust our planning. The first step we have taken is to add a Team Nomination Expression of Interest (EOI) due by 18th April. This is no commitment, no payment required with the EOI but it will provide WPA and KAP7 further information to assist in our planning to determine the draw, pool requirements, referee requirements and build the event in preparation for it to go ahead

Team nomination fee payments, however, will not be due until 22 April 2021 to give teams and WPA more time to assess the situation before making a financial commitment. 

A decision as to whether the event will proceed will be made on Sunday 18 April. Following this announcement if the event should proceed, teams are required to pay the team fee invoice by the 22 April.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)

What dates are the Australian Country and Masters Championships?

• 26-30 May 2021

When will you decide if it goes ahead?

• By 18 April 2021 WPA and KAP7 will confirm if we intend to prceed with the event. Situations can chance quickly. and the event may still be cancelled after this date if required. Information regarding refunds is outlined below should that occur.

What do we do if we have booked accommodation and flights?

• Flights - most airlines now offer 12 to 24 months credit
• Accommodation - most accommodation providers on the Gold Coast have offered free cancellation if that cancellation happens outside of two weeks of arrival. That is why we have chosen the 18 April to ensure Clubs and officials have enough time to cancel
• We would recommend all Clubs and attendees check the terms and conditions on all bookings with their providers

What about team entry fees, are they refundable?

• Yes, we are delaying teams making a payment for the event until after the decision is made to minimise transactions if the event is cancelled on April 18. 

• In addition to the current WPA Refund Policy (which refers to teams withdrawing of their own volition), please note an additional condition for events in 2021 including the Country and Masters Championships. 

• For events where teams are responsible for their own travel and accommodation costs, if the event is cancelled before any games are played teams are entitled to a full refund of the team nomination fee.

• In the same event, if the event is cancelled after games have commenced, teams will be provided with a pro-rated refund of the team nomination fee based on days played and days lost.

• Please refer to WPA refund policy, click here

If the event cannot proceed in May, will it be postponed to another date in 2021?

• We are currently assessing back up options to run the event on another date in 2021 and will advise as these updates become known

What are the dates and locations for 2022 Australian Country and Masters Championships?

• The 2022 event dates and locations have not been announced yet

How will this event be different to previous tournaments?

• A COVID safe plan will be in place with all competitors, officials and spectators to adhere to the guidelines that will be developed in line with local Health Authorities. 

• Some of the COVID safe plans that will be in place and will include (but not be limited to), QR code sign in and out from venues, use of hand sanitizer, social distancing, reduction in venue capacities and more.

• A number of other State based tournaments have taken place that have successfully mitigated any COVID risks.

How many teams are required for the event to proceed?

• WPA will consider the number of EOI’s when considering whether to proceed with the event or not. As the Country Championships teams are organised by the respective State Organisations, there is a little bit more certainty that enough teams will be eligible. For Masters and the Beach Water Polo Fours tournament, we will communicate as we receive team EOIs how likely the event is to proceed.

What is WPA proceeds with the event but there is an outbreak and borders close during the event?

• The health and safety of all event attendees, as well as minimising the travel and financial risk for Clubs, will form an important part of WPA planning.  WPA will work with all Clubs to ensure local and national travel advice is communicated in a timely manner. 

• For most States, there has been a window of 24 to 48 hours when borders have closed. While responsibility will be on the Clubs to ensure they are across any travel requirements should they need to return home, WPA will be monitoring the situation closely in the lead up to and during the tournament, liaising with local health authorities.

• The risk of the event being abandoned and home borders closing is real and one that Clubs need to consider when nominating to participate.  With Clubs responsible for their own travel and accommodation, the risk will sit with the Club to manage this situation if it occurs. 

• WPA will assist where we can, but this assistance may be limited as we do not manage the travel plans. 

• Clubs must also consider that any quarantine costs would be the responsibility of the individuals involved and will not be covered by WPA or its insurance policy.

• While this is the absolute worst-case scenario, Clubs must be aware of this risk before committing teams to play. 

MASTERS SPECIFIC QUESTIONS

Do teams need to be registered by a club or represent an existing WPA affiliated club?

• No, a team can be registered by individuals comprised of many clubs, however all players need to be a current member of WPA. If anyone intends on playing who is not currently registered, please get in contact with Scott Nicholson (scott@kap7.com.au) so we can arrange a short term membership category for the player.

Can players under 30 participate?

• Yes, however, players under 30 who intend to play need to be cleared by event organisers (WPA/KAP7), and the average age of the entire team cannot go below 30. To apply for dispensation to have a player under 30, send an email to Scott Nicholson (scott@kap7.com.au) to discuss.

How do we calculate the average age of a team?

•  All players' ages are calculated by their age as of the 31st December 2021. WPA will provide a list of all teams average ages and handicaps once player nominations have been finalised.

What else is being organised with the tournament?

• We are currently putting together plans to hold an awards and drinks as part of the presentation on the Saturday night, as well as providing options for venues for dinner/drinks each night. 

How many games will Masters teams play?

• Depending on the number of entered teams, we will provide the maximum number of games that is possible for the duration of the tournament, while factoring in limiters such as fatigue and repeating games against opponents , as well as providing more than ample time for teams to socialise and enjoy the Gold Coast.

Can players play Country Championships and Masters?

• Yes, where possible we will try to avoid clashes between country and masters games, but it is not a guarantee. We have four pools available to us throughout the tournament, where we will try and group rounds by divisions.

Do teams need to provide an accredited referee, coach and table duty person?

• Ideally, yes, however, do not let that be a turn off from entering a team at this stage. For teams that this may be an issue for, we will provide details for alternatives closer to the competition date.

When is the Beach Water Polo Fours event?

• The Beach Water Polo Fours event as part of the tournament is on the Sunday, 30th May. At this stage, there will be no Country or Masters games allocated for the Sunday, to allow teams from both divisions the opportunity to enter a Beach Water Polo Fours team (or split one team into two!). The event is open to all ages and any registered WPA member can enter a team, regardless of having played in the Country or Masters events. Depending on interest and to give teams at least 3 - 4 games on the day, as well as allowing teams time to travel back home, we will need to monitor team entries closely.

Where can I find updates to the tournament?

• We will regularly update the event website (https://www.waterpoloaustralia.com.au/wpal-events/wpacountrymasters/) with information as it comes to light. We will also communicate with teams that have either registered or submitted an EOI via email.