Wānaka Recreation Centre’s (WRC) activity programmes are busier than ever.

Its aqua programmes - which include Aqua Fit and Aqua HiiT - are going particularly well, QLDC recreation programmes coordinator Penny Batchelor told the Wānaka App.

Aqua Fit (Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays at 8am) is a water-based low-impact, full body workout while Aqua HiiT (Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 6.30pm) incorporates high intensity interval training techniques.

Both are popular with WRC users of a wide range of ages and abilities, Penny said.

“One of the great things is you can adjust them to whatever intensity you want.”

The WRC also offers an Aqua Boards class (Mondays at 7.15pm), which combines high intensity interval training and yoga-style workouts, done on top of a paddleboard in the pool.

Aqua Boards is a great workout, and one that “we’d love to get going more”, Penny said.

The WRC also hosts social sports sessions and volleyball is one of the most popular; meanwhile Walking Netball (Thursdays at 10am) is picking up steam.

There are a range of other offerings, however nothing can compare with the popularity of pickleball, which is “just massive”, Penny said.

The sport has exploded in popularity in the past 18 months.

Read more: Pickleball ‘absolutely pumping’

A year ago there were six programmed pickleball sessions each week and that has now increased to eight - and it’s not uncommon for all eight courts to be full of players.

“Lots of people also book in their own times for group sessions on the courts,” Penny said.

Players range in age all the way from kids to people in their eighties.

She put its popularity down to a handful of things: “There’s the social side; the court size [which is smaller than most sports courts]; the rules are easy to learn and they all make sense.”

There’s also a lot of strategy to it: “It’s a bit like a big game of chess”.

Some of the pickleball games now take place at Paetara Aspiring Central, which has helped QLDC keep up with demand.

Paetara Aspiring Central also offers yoga, badminton, table tennis, among other classes.

“The two services are complementing each other really well,” Penny said.

Learn more about the full range of offerings at the WRC and Paetara here and here.

PHOTO: Wānaka App