How wide is the Aquarena pool in St. John's?

The tank is 65 by 18 metres, with two bulkheads that allow it to run as a 50 metre eight-lane section plus a diving well, or as two 25 metre eight-lane sections.

Do bulkheads change where backstroke flags go?

Yes. The flags sit 5.0 metres from the wall swimmers turn at, and a bulkhead acts as that wall. When the bulkhead moves, the flag line has to move with it.

Newfoundland and Labrador

Backstroke Flags in Newfoundland and Labrador

In short

Swim Newfoundland and Labrador governs club competition in the province. The Aquarena in St. John's is the only 50 metre pool in Newfoundland and Labrador and one of just three competitive pools in Atlantic Canada — a 65 by 18 metre tank with two bulkheads that reconfigure it entirely.

65 × 18 m
Aquarena tank: 2
Bulkheads: 3
Competitive pools in Atlantic Canada

SourcesGovernment of Newfoundland and Labrador, Sports Centre and PoolsSwimming Canada, Facility Rules & Guidelines

Who governs swimming in Newfoundland and Labrador

Swim Newfoundland and Labrador is headquartered in Paradise and oversees registered club competition throughout the province.

The Aquarena, and what bulkheads do to a flag line

The Aquarena in St. John's is the only 50 metre pool in the province and one of only three competitive pools in Atlantic Canada. The tank measures 65 by 18 metres and carries two bulkheads, allowing it to run as a 15 by 18 metre diving well plus a 50 metre eight-lane racing section, or as two separate 25 metre eight-lane sections.

The 18 metre width is also worth noting. It is narrower than a standard 25 metre competition tank, so a flag line built for the Aquarena is not interchangeable with one built for a mainland facility of the same lane count.

Common questions

How wide is the Aquarena pool in St. John's?: The tank is 65 by 18 metres, with two bulkheads that allow it to run as a 50 metre eight-lane section plus a diving well, or as two 25 metre eight-lane sections.
Do bulkheads change where backstroke flags go?: Yes. The flags sit 5.0 metres from the wall swimmers turn at, and a bulkhead acts as that wall. When the bulkhead moves, the flag line has to move with it.