Law Enforcement Torch Relay For Special Olympics National Summer Games Kicks Off In Whangarei

The Law Enforcement Torch run to raise awareness for Special Olympics National Summer Games in Christchurch will kick off in Northland on Saturday, October 4, when local Special Olympics athletes and local police officers will carry the Flame of Hope around Whangarei.

The National Summer Games, on December 10-14, is the four-yearly pinnacle event for over 1200 Special Olympics athletes with an intellectual disability who will represent 42 clubs and compete in 10 sports at six venues across the city, supported by over 500 coaches and thousands of families and supporters.

The Flame of Hope was lit in Christchurch on September 1 and will be taken around the country in collaboration with the New Zealand Police to get local communities excited about the country’s largest inclusive sports event.

The Law Enforcement Torch Run is the traditional lead-in event for every National Summer Games event around the world, where local police officers and local athletes carry the Flame of Hope through their cities to allow the community to show their support.

Special Olympics Whangarei is proud to initiate the Torch Run as both their club and the Law Enforcement Torch run celebrate their 40th anniversary.

The Whangarei event, in combination with the Far North club from the Bay Of Islands, will start at 10am, at the canopy bridge and move along the town basin, culminating with an official welcome by Whangarei Mayor Vince Corrullo.

The New Zealand Law Enforcement Torch Run will then travel across the country, all the way down to Southland, before it ends up in Christchurch in the week before the games kick off.

Over the coming weeks, the Torch Run will also make stops in Auckland, Rotorua, Hamilton, Palmerston North, Napier, Wellington, Nelson, Invercargill and Dunedin.

“New Zealand Police are proud to be involved with the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics and we encourage local communities to come out and show their support when the Torch Run comes through your town,” said Inspector Rupert Friend.

Special Olympics Chief Executive Fran Scholey says the Torch Run is an integral part of Special Olympics tradition and allows each town to cheer on their athletes.

“Most athletes travel without their families to the National Summer Games, in many cases for the first time ever, so the Torch Run is a wonderful opportunity for families and friends to feel involved in the National Summer Games, even if they can’t make the trip to Christchurch to support their family member in person,” said Scholey.

Scholey wants to thank Christchurch people for getting involved in the games, with 750 volunteers from around Canterbury, the rest of New Zealand and overseas putting their hands up to help out.

“But if you can’t get involved as a volunteer, we encourage the local community not to miss one of the most exciting and unique sports events in the country,” says Scholey.

The events will be free to attend and the free tickets for the Opening Ceremony at Wolfbrook Arena will be available on the National Summer Games website soon.

“It is the biggest party in town and we hope people will come along to experience unforgettable memories and support our athletes,” says the chief executive.

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