Mayors Kick Off Challenge In NPC Finals Fashion

MEDIA RELEASE
October 25, 2002

Mayors Kick Off Challenge In
True Air NZ NPC Finals Fashion

There’s more than just team pride at stake in this Saturday’s crucial 2002 Air New Zealand NPC Division One final in Hamilton – the city’s respective mayors have their own honour and dignity to worry about.

Auckland’s Mayor John Banks and the Mayor of Hamilton, David Braithwaite, have struck a gentleman’s pact whereby the loser must don the winning team’s jersey at the final whistle.

Friendly rivalry aside, both mayors want to show their support for Auckland and Waikato and are dusting off their clackers and warming up their chanting voices in preparation for attending the match.

"I am quietly confident I will be giving my Auckland jersey to the Mayor of Hamilton to add some blue and white to his Waikato wardrobe. Auckland is on a roll. We are home to Fashion Week, host to the America's Cup and from Saturday, Air New Zealand NPC champions,” says Auckland Mayor John Banks.

"It's great that the Mayor of Auckland is now a fashion expert, and I'm sure his new Waikato jersey will be a great addition to his wardrobe,” retorts Hamilton Mayor David Braithwaite.

Air New Zealand Vice President Marketing & Alliances Ed Sims says as the long-standing sponsor of this great provincial rugby competition, Air New Zealand has witnessed some exciting final match competition and is delighted the civic leaders are getting in behind their teams at such a pivotal time.

“For nearly a decade Air New Zealand has played a key role in the NPC and is privileged to have helped teams from 27 regions across three divisions to compete by getting them there,” he says. “This weekend’s division one final is set to be a great match not only for the two worthy teams competing but also their respective civic leaders as they battle it out for supremacy.”

This is the first time the mayors of Auckland and Hamilton have sparred at this vital stage in the competition as surprisingly these two great provincial teams have never met in the Air New Zealand NPC Division One final.

In the 2002 season Air New Zealand has proudly carried 1820 First Division players and officials on 70 flights covering a distance of nearly 55,000 kilometers. This reflects Air New Zealand’s commitment to helping the NPC happen for provincial unions thereby ensuring it is a genuinely national championship embracing all parts of the country.

ENDS

© Scoop Media