Christchurch Games biggest in years

Media Release 3 April 2007

Christchurch Games biggest in years

The 2007 Uni Games will be among the biggest ever held with 2150 students from across New Zealand taking part.

The Games are being held in Christchurch next week and Canterbury University is making the most of its home-side advantage by fielding a team of nearly 600.

Otago University, which boasts the most Shield wins (35) of any university, is sending a 370-strong team north for the Games while Victoria University, the current Shield holders, are sending a team of 300.

In all, about 1600 students are expected to travel to Christchurch for the Games, which are expected to pump $1.5 million into the local economy.

“We’re delighted with the number of entries we’ve received this year and we’re expecting some really high calibre competition,’’ says games director Jake Wilkins, of University Sport New Zealand.

“The size of the Canterbury team is quite staggering – it’s certainly the biggest ever fielded in the history of the Games.

“To have away universities like Victoria sending such large teams to a South Island games is fantastic and an endorsement of how seriously the universities view this competition,’’ Mr Wilkins says.

The University Games are now the second largest sporting event regularly held in New Zealand after the Masters Games.

Competition gets underway on Tuesday April 10 with the rowing eights from the individual universities competing for New Zealand’s second oldest sporting shield. There will be a formal opening ceremony that night in the University Quad starting at 7pm.

University Sport New Zealand is working in partnership with Canterbury University, the University of Canterbury Students’ Association, the Christchurch City Council, Sport Canterbury and the New Zealand Community Trust in bringing the Games to Christchurch.

“Obviously there is a still a huge social element to the games but a lot of work has gone into raising the standard of competition. There are some very talented athletes among the student population and this is their chance to shine,’’ Mr Wilkins says.
“A lot of people who have performed well at the University Games in the past have gone onto represent their country and no doubt that will continue,’’ Wilkins says.

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