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| Uni Games hailed a success |
The 2010 Uni Games in Southland have been hailed a success with organisers confident more high profile sporting events will head south as a result.
The three-day fixture attracted nearly 800 student athletes from throughout New Zealand, along with a large contingent of officials, volunteers and supporters.
Games Director Dene Lynch summed it up as “awesome”.
“There was a really good spirit and vibe among the students. They came here for a good time and I'm confident they left with great memories of an awesome experience in Southland,” she said.
“We've had excellent feedback from the local volunteers and sports managers involved and people in the community really embraced the Uni Games and were excited to be part of it.”
University Sport New Zealand executive director Louise Burns said the decision to bring New Zealand's second largest multi sport event to Southland had paid dividends.
“We are pleasantly surprised. You always worry about how the community is going to engage, particularly if there's not a strong student culture in the town,” she said.
“I'm sure the well-behaved nature of our students contributed and it's great to know we will be welcomed back in the future.”
The student athletes returned home buzzing about their Uni Games experience in the deep south.
“This is where your university memories are made – not from sitting in a lecture theatre.”
Showcasing Invercargill's world-class sporting facilities, Burns was confident more elite events would venture south in the future.
“We took a chance and went down there and it is going to make other sports sit up and take notice,” she said.
“Within the sporting sector, the word is getting out there that Southland is the place to go. You've got the capacity to deliver great sporting events and Uni Games is testament to that.” |
Published: Tue, 20 Apr 2010 12:00 a.m.
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| Minority codes prove popular at Uni Games |
Minority sports are outshining the traditional codes to the surprise of organisers finalising registrations for the Southland Uni Games.
The pinnacle of university sport in New Zealand, the annual event will be staged at venues throughout Invercargill from April 13-16 – the first time is has been hosted in the deep south.
Games director Dene Lynch said registrations were in the process of being finalised, with three major university campuses still to confirm student athlete numbers.
“Many university sports do rely on funding from outside sources to compete and we have several competitors awaiting the outcome of funding applications this week, so that has forced us to accept a slight delay,” she said.
“It is disappointing we haven't been able to finalise registrations yet but we certainly don't want to exclude talented athletes from competing at the Southland Uni Games.”
Based on the registrations received from 13 tertiary campuses so far, touch, badminton, ultimate frisbee and lawn bowls have proved popular, while the addition of track cycling to the programme has sparked considerable excitement.
“I think it's a reflection of the incredible facilities you have in Southland – you've got an awesome badminton venue down there and the ILT velodrome is simply world-class,” Lynch said.
“Stadium Southland is the hub of the Uni Games and it's a fantastic facility to play in and work from.”
Around 100 competitors will take to the touch field, 70 will soar in ultimate frisbee and in the badminton ranks 41 competitors will battle it out, with numbers expected to increase further with the addition of the three remaining campuses.
Even lawn bowls has nearly 30 entrants to date, including the Southern Institute of Technology's pairing of Invercargill Mayor Tim Shadbolt and champion Southland cyclist Tom Scully.
“Everyone is keen to challenge themselves against Mayor Tim,” Lynch said.
The SIT's 79 athletes will go down in history as the first to represent the organisation at the Uni Games.
Team manager Tracy Simpson said she was confident the SIT would perform strongly.
“We have representatives in 16 events from cricket and volleyball to aquathon and golf – it's going to be fantastic to see the SIT colours compete proudly alongside our tertiary counterparts from throughout New Zealand for the first time,” she said.
In total 24 sports will be contested at the Southland Uni Games, where New Zealand's 10 universities are invited to challenge for the prestigious Games Shield.
The Uni Games was secured for Southland by a dedicated local consortium comprising the Invercargill Licensing Trust, ILT Foundation, Community Trust of Southland, Invercargill City Council, SIT, Stadium Southland, Venture Southland and Sport Southland, together with long time supporters of University Sport New Zealand, the Radio Network and the New Zealand Community Trust. |
Published: Wed, 31 Mar 2010 12:00 a.m.
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| Organisers ‘bowled over’ by local talent |
Invercargill Mayor Tim Shadbolt is teaming up with international cycling star Tom Scully to compete at the 2010 Southland Uni Games.
But there won't be any lycra in sight – the pair are gunning for the indoor bowls title as members of the Southern Institute of Technology team.
Mr Shadbolt said he was looking forward to being part of the action.
"Now that I'm 63, my old rugby injuries are catching up with me, so I decided to engage in the more sedate sport of bowls,” he said.
“I was once the Under-12 champion of my local Baptist Church Youth Club so I'm hoping muscle memory will kick in.”
Scully has certainly taken the cycling world by storm recently, but bowls also features on his sporting resume. A keen bowler throughout high school, he's confident the partnership with Mr Shadbolt will prove successful.
While Scully's immediate focus is on the looming World Cycling Championships in Denmark, he plans to resume practice with Mr Shadbolt on his return to ensure they are a formidable duo ready to tackle opponents from other tertiary institutes around the country at the Uni Games, to be staged in Invercargill from April 13-16.
SIT team manager Tracy Simpson said it was the first time the institute had been represented at the Uni Games and its southern-most competitors were shaping up well.
“SIT is looking forward to having a strong team of over 100 at the Games, including the likes of Eddie Dawkins, Tom Scully and, of course, Mayor Tim,” she said.
“I’m confident this will be the first year of plenty to come.”
Scully and Mr Shadbolt both study via the SIT2LRN distance learning programme, allowing them to study online around their hectic schedules.
Southland is nationally recognised for hosting a high standard of sporting events with its world-class facilities. Stadium Southland will be the hub of the 2010 Games, housing the Games HQ as well as hosting components of the social programme and several sporting events, including track cycling in the ILT Velodrome.
Other key venues being utilised include Bluff Hill, ILT Hockey Turf, Rugby Park, Splash Palace, Turnbull Thompson Park, Queens Park, and the Waihopai Tennis Club.
For more information about the Southland Uni Games, check out www.southlandunigames.co.nz.
For further information, contact:
Haley Hughes
Southern Institute of Technology
03 2112699
Tracy Simpson
Sport Southland
03 2112150 |
Published: Mon, 22 Mar 2010 12:00 a.m.
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| Urban Auckland meets rural Southland |
Urban Auckland meets rural Southland during action-
packed week
Urban Auckland comes to rural Southland as world hip hop dance champions Prestige throw themselves into a frenzied week of local activities from sheep shearing to manning up against the Southern Steel, culminating in an all-in free concert at Stadium Southland on Sunday 31 May.
Seventeen activities in seven days – that’s a scorching pace even for a group known for their high octane stage act, and it will all be captured on camera, right down to the synchronised swimming at Splash Palace.
The Southland experience will be the final episode in a Maori TV destined series produced by award winning company Omnicron to capture the spark and magic when urban Auckland meets rural New Zealand.
The group of young Auckland dancers will be “farm jamming” with Dan Frew on his rural bike jumps course, cod fishing off Stewart Island and singing with Breathless, an accapella quartet – all great exposure for the region, according to Southland Spirit of a Nation brand manager, Gerry Forde, who is co-ordinating the concert.
“We’re always saying to Aucklanders you’d love what the region has to offer if you would just come down and get a taste of Southland life – well these boys are getting the full three courses!” Mr Forde said.
There was every chance a major network would run with the programme after Maori TV with overseas exposure a possibility, he said.
Prestige always end their stay in a region with a dance concert but the Stadium show on 31 May would be the biggest of their NZ tour, according to Saskia Nieulands, Youth Development Manager with the YMCA, who is partnering in the coordination of the concert.
“Once we heard the boys were in town, we went all out, booking the Stadium, full on sound courtesy of Sono Sound, lighting effects and best of all with community support we’ve been able to make it all free – what a way to finish Youth Week!” Ms Nieulands said.
Much of the community support has flowed because the Prestige performers are such high profile role models for young people, according to Jillian Boniface from Invercargill Primary Health Organisation.
“Organisations such as ourselves and Public Health South are keen to be involved because Prestige are a group who have propelled themselves from dancing in a garage to the world stage – they promote smoke free, they’re physically fit and self-determined – just what our young people need to see,” said Ms Boniface.
The concert will give a boost to a group of young Southland performers, chosen as support acts to Prestige, headed by Hip Hop and Dub group Rhythmonyx, and including hip hop dancers from Jazz Time, Pacific Island cultural group, Tufaatasi, and a singing group from Southland Boys High School called Cheayah Records.
“It’s likely to be the biggest contemporary youth event since Scribe packed Stadium Southland a few years ago,” Mr Forde said.
Security for the Community Trust of Southland sponsored concert would be well organised but “low key” with police uniforms, Blue Light members and volunteers, according to community constable, Martin Lohrey.
“For younger students, we recommend they come in a group with an adult watching from the Ray Harper Stand,” Constable Lohrey said.
Prestige and local support acts perform a free concert on Sunday 31 May, 2pm – 3:30pm at Stadium Southland, Invercargill.
For more information contact:
Gerry Forde
Regional Identity brand Manager
DDI: 03 211 1421
Mobile: 021 516 393
gerry@venturesouthland.co.nz |
Published: Tue, 26 May 2009 12:00 a.m.
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