NEW ZEALAND is counting down to a golden era of sporting history when the world's mature athletes gather in the South Island city of Christchurch for the first-ever combined Golden Oldies Sports Celebration.
The event, from April 1-29, will attract thousands of international visitors. It’s the first time all Golden Oldies world events have been held in the same place at the same time.
Athletes will compete in 10 sports – rugby, soccer, softball, hockey, netball, golf, cricket, basketball, lawn bowls and squash.
The Golden Oldies movement had its origins in New Zealand in 1979 and has captured a special niche on the sporting scene with its accent on fun, friendship and fraternity.
All levels of sporting interest are catered for, from enthusiasts to retired international players looking for a way to wind down from full involvement in their chosen sport.
To date athletes from Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, the US, UK, Germany, Japan, Hong Kong, South Africa, Russia and the Pacific Islands have registered.
Competition will be based at some well-known venues including Hagley Park, in the centre of Christchurch and the hub for much of the city’s sporting activity. The park is within easy walking distance of entertainment and accommodation hubs.
Golfers taking part in the Golden Oldies World Golf Festival’s Four Course Challenge can expect to enjoy play at four very different and challenging courses in the Canterbury region. Terrace Downs, Pegasus, Harewood and Christchurch golf clubs will host competition and every participant has the chance to compete in a Million Dollar Hole in One Challenge.
Ambassadors for the Golden Oldies Sports Celebration 2018 include one of New Zealand’s best known golfers, Sir Bob Charles, five-times world champion squash player Australian Sarah Fitz-Gerard and NZ rugby coach Sir Graham Henry.
Christchurch is New Zealand’s oldest city but is emerging as the country’s newest destination having reinvented itself in the wake of the 2011 earthquake. The constantly evolving urban landscape is taking form with glistening new buildings, like the new transport centre, and stylishly restored heritage precincts such as the Isaac Theatre Royal and 1930s New Regent Street, sitting among refreshed open spaces and edgy “gap filler” installations.
Exceptional projects like the Transitional “Cardboard” Cathedral, creative street art, clever retail spaces and a raft of quality cafes, bars and restaurants are creating a potent vibe in this once conservatively-minded city.
Although parts of the central business district that bore the brunt of the damage are still a work in progress, visitors will find plenty to see and do.
