Event Details

Dates

Monday 7 – Friday 11 September 2026

Venue

Tauranga Racecourse, 1383 Cameron Road, Tauranga

Entry Fee

NZ$80.00 per player 

RegistrATION TIMELINE 

Entries Open

Friday 20 March 2026 at 9:00 AM

Entries Close

Wednesday 3 June 2026 at 7:59 PM

All registrations must be submitted online by each school’s designated Zespri AIMS Games Coordinator using their unique login code.

CONTACT

Email: info@nzaimsgames.co.nz

PLANNING INFORMATION

Entry Fees

• NZ$80.00 per player (non-refundable)

• Payment is due within 7 days of invoice receipt

• Invoices will be issued to school accounts managers after entries close

Eligibility

Students must be aged over 10 and under 13 years as of 31 December 2025. For the 2026 Games, eligible birth years are 2013, 2014, and 2015. Birthdates must be provided during registration.

Competition Divisions

• Boys Singles

• Girls Singles

• Adapted Sports Athletes Singles (Mixed Gender)

• Boys Doubles

• Girls Doubles

• Mixed Doubles

• Girls Teams

• Mixed Teams

There is no restriction on the number of Table Tennis players a school may register. If entries exceed capacity, priority will be given to recognised TTNZ graded players. Unsuccessful entries will be refunded.

Adapted Sports Athletes

Zespri AIMS Games offers a dedicated Adapted Sports Athletes Division in Table Tennis.

There are no qualifying or eligibility requirements; however, participation is intended for athletes whose disability creates a disadvantage when competing alongside non‑disabled peers in the open event. Schools are responsible for ensuring that students have appropriate caregiver support throughout the competition.

The Adapted Sports Athletes event will be held on Friday 11 September 2026.

If your school has students with disabilities interested in taking part in the 2026 Zespri AIMS Games, we invite you to get in touch. Our team will work closely with you to answer questions and ensure that each athlete’s needs are integrated into the wider planning of the event.

Multi-Code Participation

Students may enter more than one sporting code, provided they meet permitted code crossover eligibility.

Please note: No timetable adjustments will be made to accommodate scheduling conflicts between sporting codes. It is the responsibility of each school and the parents/caregivers to ensure that students’ chosen events do not overlap.​​​​​​​

PROGRAMME

RULES

1.  The tournament will run under Table Tennis New Zealand (TTNZ) rules and regulations.
2. Singles matches will be eligible for TTNZ ratings points.
3. All pool and championship matches will be best of five games, unless the referee rules otherwise. All pool matches and consolation matches will be played as ‘golden point’, with the point after 10-10 counting double.
4. The tournament referee reserves the right to shorten matches to best of three games if required to complete schedules in a timely manner.
5. Players cannot be replaced once the draw has been published.
6. Players arriving late for matches will be defaulted at the tournament controller’s discretion.
7. The tournament referee and his/her/their delegate for the purpose shall reserve the right to levy point penalties and disqualifications in the event of serious breaches of behaviour and etiquette, but shall endeavour try to firstly provide guidance, and secondly warnings, where practical.
8. The tournament referee has the final say on all rules of play, and any disputes and penalties which may arise during the competition.

Umpires

1. All players are expected to umpire matches at their assigned table during team’s events, and during singles and doubles pool play.
2. The tournament committee reserves the right to replace umpires at any stage, and to assign umpiring responsibilities for knockout matches up to quarter-finals stage.
3. Suitably qualified umpires will be appointed by the tournament committee for all bronze medal play-offs, semi-finals and finals.​​​​​

Competition Format

Singles Competition Format

1. Players will be drawn into pools of three or four, with the seedings determined as per the latest published TTNZ ratings list and OTTF list for overseas entrants, at the time of making the draw.
2. Matches will be the best of five games to 11 points with advantage in main draw knockouts, unless specified otherwise by the tournament referee.
3. The top two players will progress to the main knockout draw and others to the consolation draw.
4. Placing will be determined firstly on matches won, then on ratio of sets won and lost, then on ratio of points for and against for all pool matches.

Doubles and Mixed Doubles Competition Format

1. Schools must request specific doubles pairings at entry time, from their own school only.
2. Players can be entered for both mixed doubles and boys or girl’s doubles.
3. The tournament organisers reserve the right to add or amend nominated pairings to provide match play for those without a partner from the same school available. However, no mixed school pairing will be eligible for medals.
4. Pairings will be drawn into pools of three or four where practical, with the seeding determined as per the latest published TTNZ ratings list and OTTF list for overseas entrants, at the time of making the draw.
5. Matches will be the best of three games to 11 points with golden point for pool play and consolation but may be amended to best of five games to 11 points with advantage for main draw knockouts by the tournament referee.
6. The top two pairs will progress to the main knockout draw and others to the consolation draw.
7. Placing will be determined firstly on matches won, then on ratio of sets won and lost, then on ratio of points for and against for all pool matches.

Teams Event Format

1. Teams consist of three or four players, with names of players specified for each team at entry time when the school enters them.
2. There is a section for Girls only, and another for Mixed, meaning that girls can play in a team with Boys if required by their school.
3. Each contest will consist of a five-match format, with three singles followed by two doubles.
4. Three singles players must be nominated in order of play prior to the contest, with a fourth player able to be used for either or both doubles matches.
5. Both doubles pairings may be named after singles are completed, and must comprise three or four players, but not the same pair for each contest.
6. If only two eligible players are present, they must play the first two singles, with the third singles and second doubles defaulted.
7. Contests must be fully played out.​​​​​​​

Medal PresentATION

The top three place getters in the Singles, Doubles and Teams events will receive medals and certificates at the conclusion of the Finals.