September's Zespri AIMS Games is destined to be a record-breaker, with 11,733 competitors set to take part in Tauranga's week-long Intermediate-aged sporting showcase.

With 373 schools having registered when entries closed on Wednesday night, the tournament has rebounded to pre-Covid levels, and beyond.

The previous yardstick - in 2019 - saw 361 schools enter and 11,400 athletes attend but a late flurry has both astonished and delighted tournament director Kelly Schischka.

"This time last week, things were relatively mellow but schools used every second of the 11.59pm deadline on Wednesday and our entrants have just exploded," she says.

"We're utterly delighted that so many impressionable rangitahi will be able to create lifelong memories during this year's tournament."

The tournament, which runs from September 2-8 across a range of venues across the Western Bay of Plenty, has also attracted back international competitors for the first time since 2019, with two badminton players from Saint Peter Chanel Community Primary School in Samoa joining tennis and badminton players from the Cook Islands, as well as a rugby sevens team from Gospel Primary in Fiji.

The 2019 tournament drew more than 25,000 athletes, supporters and officials to Tauranga, injecting nearly $6.5million into regional coffers, and contributing 74,787 visitor nights over the week.

There are record entries across a range of codes this year, with basketball in particular exploding - 1583 players are registered, including 155 playing the 3x3 version.

There are 1832 players across football and futsal, 1248 hockey players and a massive increase in mountain biking entries, up to 468.

For the first time, Rip Rugby entries (588 players) have overtaken boys' rugby sevens (540), with 1272 players across all grades, while the netball courts will again be heaving, with 1740 players registered.

As well as the international schools, there are 21 schools from Northland entered, including three schools from Kaitaia and basketball and netball teams from Taipa Area School, the northernmost school, while Southland will be represented by Aparima College in Riverton and Invercargill's Menzies College and Southland Girls' High School.

The tournament is in its 20th year, after starting with 750 competitors in 2004, although this year will be the 18th edition because of the two years lost to Covid-19. It's also a flagship event for Tauranga City Council.