MEDIA RELEASE
October 25, 2002
Mayors Kick Off Challenge In
True Air NZ NPC Finals Fashion
There’s more than just team pride at stake in this Saturday’s crucial 2002 Air New Zealand NPC Division One final in
Hamilton – the city’s respective mayors have their own honour and dignity to worry about.
Auckland’s Mayor John Banks and the Mayor of Hamilton, David Braithwaite, have struck a gentleman’s pact whereby the
loser must don the winning team’s jersey at the final whistle.
Friendly rivalry aside, both mayors want to show their support for Auckland and Waikato and are dusting off their
clackers and warming up their chanting voices in preparation for attending the match.
"I am quietly confident I will be giving my Auckland jersey to the Mayor of Hamilton to add some blue and white to his
Waikato wardrobe. Auckland is on a roll. We are home to Fashion Week, host to the America's Cup and from Saturday, Air
New Zealand NPC champions,” says Auckland Mayor John Banks.
"It's great that the Mayor of Auckland is now a fashion expert, and I'm sure his new Waikato jersey will be a great
addition to his wardrobe,” retorts Hamilton Mayor David Braithwaite.
Air New Zealand Vice President Marketing & Alliances Ed Sims says as the long-standing sponsor of this great provincial rugby competition, Air New Zealand has
witnessed some exciting final match competition and is delighted the civic leaders are getting in behind their teams at
such a pivotal time.
“For nearly a decade Air New Zealand has played a key role in the NPC and is privileged to have helped teams from 27
regions across three divisions to compete by getting them there,” he says. “This weekend’s division one final is set to
be a great match not only for the two worthy teams competing but also their respective civic leaders as they battle it
out for supremacy.”
This is the first time the mayors of Auckland and Hamilton have sparred at this vital stage in the competition as
surprisingly these two great provincial teams have never met in the Air New Zealand NPC Division One final.
In the 2002 season Air New Zealand has proudly carried 1820 First Division players and officials on 70 flights covering
a distance of nearly 55,000 kilometers. This reflects Air New Zealand’s commitment to helping the NPC happen for
provincial unions thereby ensuring it is a genuinely national championship embracing all parts of the country.
ENDS