Media Release
August 27th 2008 - Immediate release.
Christchurch To Host Silver Fern Rally Start
Christchurch will host the ceremonial start to the 2008 NZ Silver Fern International Marathon Rally, with a special
rally show in Cathedral Square on Wednesday October 15th.
The Christchurch City Council’s Recreation and Sports Unit and Events Team, has joined forces with rally organisers to
provide a spectacular rally show in Cathedral Square, which will include trade and Car Club displays, and all the Silver
Fern Rally competitors will be on show for the Christchurch public.
For rally organisers, Christchurch was a logical start point for the eight day event, with easy access for its
international competitors and teams, who require a major shipping port for the delivery of their cars and equipment.
International flights, world class accommodation, dining and tourist activities are also available within the
Christchurch area.
The rally show takes place from midday on Wednesday 15th of October. Between 1.30 and 3.00pm, the event competition cars
and drivers will arrive and be put on display to the public. At 5.30pm an official welcome will take place including a
Kapa Haka group, speeches and the official Mayoral welcome to the city and event.
At 6.15pm the first car will cross over the official start ramp, to tour a circuit of the city before returning
approximately 30 minutes later to be parked overnight, in readiness for the competition stages which begin on Thursday
16th October at 7.30am.
As one of the events sponsors, Christchurch City Council has not only provided the venue for the official welcome and
start, they have also taken care of all the “red tape” required with a show like this including the Resource Management
applications, road closures, overnight security fencing, and are working with the organisers on the events promotion.
While in Christchurch the Silver Fern Rally’s event headquarters and accommodation will be based at the Scenic Circle
Cotswold Hotel on Papanui Road.
After seven of the eight days of high speed competition stages around the gravel back roads of the South Island, the
event again returns to Christchurch for an overnight stop on Wednesday 2nd October at The Palms Shopping Centre, on the
way to its Blenheim finish.
The 2008 NZ Silver Fern International Marathon Rally, held over 8 day’s in New Zealand’s South Island, is the longest
duration motor-sport event currently being held in NZ, and takes its roots from the Silver Fern and Heatway Rallies of
the late 1960’s and early 1970’s.
The October 16th - 23rd 2008 event, will take competitors south from Christchurch to Queenstown, Dunedin, and
Invercargill, back to Dunedin, Timaru and Christchurch before finishing at the new Marlborough Convention Centre in
Blenheim.
ends