Marlborough Home to the Best Pool Store in New Zealand

On Friday August 12 Aquanort Pools was awarded the Best Pool Store and the Best Single Location Pool Store at the New Zealand 2022 SPASA Awards of Excellence. Held at the Grand Millennium in Auckland nearly 150 guests come together and celebrated the Swimming Pool and Spa industry and the best it has to offer.

The SPASA Awards of Excellence are the swimming pool and spa industry’s most prestigious awards, attracting entries to showcase achievements in construction, design, manufacturing, supply, products, retail and service.

This annual awards program is to acknowledge the best, boldest and most creative in the swimming pool and spa industry. Award winners from across the country compete for New Zealand’s top prize of national winner in each category: the ultimate recognition as leaders in their field.

Aquanort Pools joined SPASA last year and it is the first time they have entered the awards. Three times Aquanort Pools Owner Greg Norton was called up on stage to receive awards, also receiving an award for Acknowledgement of Industry Service. This was awarded for hard work, dedication, and valuable contribution to the industry. “It was pretty cool to be called up on stage in front of your industry peers and to recognised. It feels like a slow burner after all that time, it was very humbling.” Said Greg Norton, Owner of Aquanort Pools.

“As a business we wanted to become a member of SPASA as it gives the industry a real collectiveness.” said Greg. He has been in the industry for over 30 years and the awards evening was a great opportunity to meet people he has spoken to on the phone many times, sometimes for years but some of whom he has never meet in person. “SPASA is great for the industry, it is working to create a recognised trade for the pool industry which we have never had before, assisting with pool building contracts/Terms and conditions and working with MBIE and district councils regarding pool permits and regulations. We are stronger in numbers.” Said Greg.


Single Location Pool Store Open to any single location retail/service business that operates from a retail premises. Nominations must include written examples of the members excellence.
Judging criteria were based on a business’s Achievements, Marketing, Business Presentation, Staff Presentation, Range, Service and Support, New Technology, Industry knowledge and Compliance.

Best Pool Store Chosen from the gold winners of the four categories
(Online Pool Store, Multi-Location Pool Store, Single Location Pool Store, New Pool Store)

Awards received:

Single Location Pool Store
Gold: Aquanort Pools
Highly Commended: Poolside Christchurch
Highly Commended: Poolside North Shore

Best Pool Store
Gold: Aquanort Pools

Acknowledgement of Industry Service
Greg Norton, Aquanort Pools