The More Unusual Sports of the 2015 Masters Games

The More Unusual Sports of the 2015 Masters Games

With 57 sports at this years Southern Trust New Zealand Masters Games, there’s bound to be several that are not as well known as the more mainstream like Football, Petanque and Swimming. Introducing; Blokart, Sports Accuracy and the Twilight 400.

A Blokart is a type of compact land yacht designed and developed in 1999 by inventor Paul Beckett in Papamoa. Think sailing, but on land. At this years Masters Games the sport is being held once more at the Ohakea Air Base but unfortunately due to the nature of the location, the closest spectators can get is the boundary fence on SH 3. The Blokarts are raced in two classes – production and performance. The production class is based on the basic blokart design. In the performance class additional parts from the manufacturer are allowed such as carbon fibre mast sections and an aerodynamic shell, adjustable downhaul and modification of the sail battens to alter the shape of the sail.

The Sports Accuracy Challenge is back for 2015 and is a social event where teams of eight play or attempt the skills associated with Petanque, Darts, Speed Pool & Snooker Bowls. Sports Accuracy is a fun way to meet people who love to have just as much fun. Don’t let this fool you completely though because it can also be as competitive as you like and each night one lucky person will be awarded the prize for the best dressed Wild West competitor.

Twilight 400 is very much a social event with prizes for just about anything the organisers can think and of course medals for those who excel in their sports. Participants, either individual or team, rotate around four sports over two nights – Archery, Smallbore Rifle Shooting, Darts and Target Bowls. Participants will board one of two buses – each bus goes to a different sport venue and you will not know where the buses are going until everyone is seated and the doors are closed. This is the perfect opportunity to try a sport you have never tried before in an easy and fun environment.

Remember for all enquiries concerning registration, results, sports and merchandise, the NZCT Games Village will be open every day from 8am to 6pm. Visit the website nzmg.com or download the phone app for NZMG to stay up to date.

Background Information on New Zealand Masters Games:

Since its inception in 1989, the NZ Masters Games has grown from humble beginnings of 1500 entrants competing across 29 sports to the heady heights of over 8,000 entrants and 67 sports, making it the biggest Masters Games event in New Zealand by far.
The 2015 New Zealand Masters Games is the 26th Games held in conjunction with our partners in Dunedin. The Games is a 10 day event comprising 55+ different sports and over 2,400 individual events. Minimum qualifying age starts from 20 years of age. Located conveniently close to the sport venues and commercial heart of the city, the NZCT Games Village provides a unique and unforgettable focal point to the Southern Trust New Zealand Masters Games.

The philosophy of the Games is inclusive, focusing on participation and achievement where

competition is important but not all important and where there is literally no minimum

requirement for skill or experience. People return year after year to re-kindle friendships and

re-unite as team-mates in a place that celebrates fair competition and spirit. Competitors

recapture the thrill and emotion of their youth through participation and achievement over the

huge range of sports on offer. Some accomplish more as a ‘Master’ than ever before in their

lifetime. The energy and atmosphere of “the Games” is infectious amongst the young at

heart – it’s about “letting your hair down for a while” and enjoying sporting success, whether

you’re thirty-five or seventy-five.

“There are very few sporting events which offer people of all ages, shapes, sizes, abilities

and levels of experience an opportunity to participate, achieve and have a truly memorable

time doing it!” says Games Manager Judy Doyle

NZMG attracts five to six thousand participants, plus their supporters, to each event. For many of the competitors, the event is a highlight on their sporting calendar. A whopping 85% have indicated an intention to return to the next event, and every year new converts are welcomed to the “Masters” culture. Many visitors are from overseas representing over 22 countries to date including Australia, United Kingdom, Ireland, USA, Canada, Turkey, Sri Lanka, France, Denmark, Italy, Brazil, India, Hong Kong and the Pacific Nations.

Former sporting greats such as Sir Brian Lochore, Andy Haden, Peter Snell, Dick Tayler,

Yvette Corlette (Williams), Aaron Slight, Peter Bellis, Gary Anderson,

Frank van Hattum and Simon Owen (to name only a few) have competed alongside our

other competitors in the spirit of the masters movement. Apart from the minimum age

designated by each sport, there is virtually no other criteria for entry. Most sports start at 35

years of age, with some (such as swimming) offering a minimum age of 20. By far, the

largest segment of competitors (in fact, almost 57% of our competitors) are the “baby

boomers” - the generation of “ageing hipsters” born between 1946 and 1964. Following

close behind (at just over 16% of competitors) is “generation x”, young and vibrant at around

20 to 40 years of age, and now proudly qualifying to compete as a ‘Master’. Our veteran

competitors, at “60 years young” or more, make up a healthy 25% of our competitors.

Overall, participants are fairly evenly split between male and female.

ENDS

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