Regional titles on offer

Media release
9 June 2014

Regional titles on offer

Talented boccia players from all over the Upper North Island are currently honing their skills in preparation for the second major boccia tournament of 2014.

Hosted by Boccia New Zealand, with support from Parafed Waikato, the Upper North Island Boccia Championships are due to be held at Fraser High School in Hamilton on June 28-29.

Currently ranked number 1 in New Zealand, Hamilton’s Maurice Toon looks to retain his number one ranking in the BC2 grade after claiming the national title in 2013.

“Boccia is a highly skilled and strategic Paralympic sport that tests each competitor’s degree of muscle control and accuracy and can be played almost anywhere,” Boccia New Zealand Director Luke Morriss says.

Seated, athletes throw, kick or use a ramp to propel six leather balls as close as possible to a white target ball, the jack.

Other highly ranked players to feature at this years’ Championships include Palmerston North’s Greig ‘the surgeon’ Jackson, Auckland’s Khi Chung Chen and Wellington’s Matthew Henderson who all medalled at the Lower North Island Championships in April, as well as a bunch of other rising players who look to push for higher honours this year.

“For some players our regional Championships are a great sporting and social opportunity and serve as their first step into competitive boccia, whilst others such as Maurice use these events as a chance to track their progress towards success at our bigger tournaments later in the year“, said Morriss.

For a sport that relies heavily on volunteers, Morriss says “the tournament is also highly beneficial for family members, friends, significant others and volunteers who are interested in becoming mentors / coaches or referees”.

Contact Boccia New Zealand or visit www.boccia.org.nz for further information.

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