International swimming will return to Canada in 2026, as Vancouver is set to play host to some of the fastest young swimmers in the world for a high-profile championship meet.
 
The University of British Columbia Aquatic Centre will be the home of the Junior Pan Pacific Swimming Championships from Aug. 17-20, 2026. The event, held every two years, brings together the best junior swimmers from Charter nations Australia, USA, Canada and Japan. Invitations are also extended to other non-European nations, with regular participants including Singapore and New Zealand.
 
“This is the first time that Canada will host this event or any high-level international junior pool competition,” said Swimming Canada Associate High Performance Director Iain McDonald. “It’s an excellent opportunity for the best young swimmers in Canada to race at home in one of the premier junior swimming events in the world.”
 
McDonald, who also serves as the Chairperson of the Pan Pacific Charter Nations, said Vancouver’s reputation as a top-tier international host city was a major factor in the decision. The event will also dovetail nicely with the senior Pan Pacific Championships set for Southern California Aug. 12-16, making it a great preparation opportunity for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
 
“The Pan Pacific Charter Nations have expressed their excitement at hosting this event in a world class city like Vancouver,” McDonald said. “In addition, with the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships scheduled the week prior in California, each nation will have their current and future international swimmers all racing on the west coast of North America two years ahead of the Los Angeles Olympics.”
 
The event will be supported by Vancouver Pacific Swim Club, which also organized the 2022 Ken Demchuk International Invitational at UBC in 2022. The pool will then remain set up for the Speedo Canadian Short Course (25m) Championships, hosted by VPSC Aug. 21-24.
 
“We are excited about hosting the Junior Pan Pacs for the first time coming to Canada,” said Jocelyn Jay, Acting Associate Director, Sport Development. “A big thank you to VPSC and Swim BC for embracing both the Junior Pan Pacs and the Speedo Canadian Short Course Championships. We look forward to continuing to build our hosting relationship with VPSC at UBC.”
 
Swim BC Executive Director Ken Radford also thanked VPSC and UBC, and hopes the meet will inspire the next generation of swimmers.
 
“Swim BC is thrilled to support Swimming Canada in the hosting of the 2026 Junior Pan Pacific Championships and Speedo Canadian Short Course Championships,” added Swim BC Executive Director Ken Radford.
 
“We’re excited to showcase one of the premium world-class junior events in B.C. and provide an opportunity for our swimming community to witness firsthand this level of swimming. We’re proud of the commitment VPSC and the UBC Aquatic Centre have made to support these competitions. Without their volunteerism and can-do attitude we’d not be able to benefit from these opportunities”