Sport Manawatu snippets

An overview of Sport Manawatu’s activities throughout the coming month.

Inspiring young athletes

Anyone can achieve their dream if you are willing to chase it. Work hard, believe in yourself, enjoy the journey and success will follow. That’s the simple message that home town Olympians Kris Gemmell (Triathlon) and Jesse Sergent (Cycling) want to get across to the youth of the Manawatu.
With the help of Sport Manawatu, Gemmell and Sergent have been undertaking a whirlwind tour of the regions schools. Meeting kids, sharing their experiences, and answering their questions. Something both the athletes and Sport Manawatu are eager to see more of.

Gemmell believes such interaction with role models is vital. “Kids need to see that there is a pathway, and that it is possible to achieve. Manawatu is a great place to grow up, and to be a sportsperson. There are a heap of opportunities. Jesse is only 20 and has an Olympic medal. How cool is that?! The least we can do is get out, and be ambassadors for the region. The next Olympians are right there in our schools. They just need that inspiration.”

Stuck for Xmas gifts.....why not go active?

We may not want to admit it but it is time to head to the shops and start the Christmas shopping!

For some this may be an easy task and for others it can be downright difficult. There are so many things on the market now that it can be hard to choose.

Why not get a gift for your loved ones that will help them get active. Here at some ideas to get you started:

A bike
Gym membership
Sporting equipment for a chosen sport such as a tennis racquet
Fishing rod
Camping gear
Running shoes
Voucher for a sport shop
Roller blades
Skateboard
Stationary netball/basketball hoop
Skipping rope
Active toys such as skipit, swing ball, slip n slide
Trampoline
Swing set
Skim board/boogie board
Frisbee
Moon hoppers
For more ideas on how to get active check out www.sportmanawatu.org.nz

How active are New Zealander's?

Results from Sport and Recreation New Zealand (SPARC) latest Active NZ survey, released today, show since 2001 the number of people participating in sport and recreation in New Zealand is holding steady, while internationally participation is declining.

The key findings of the survey show;

Over 12 months, 96 percent of adults participated in one or more sport or recreation activities.
High participation levels were found for a mixture of sport and recreation activities, with walking, gardening and swimming being the most popular activities in which adults participated each year.
On average, adults participated in 4.6 sport and recreation activities per year.
Over 12 months:

- 25.3 percent of adults volunteered in sport and recreation;

- 36.9 percent of adults participated in at least one event or organised competition; and

- 39.9 percent of adults received instruction from a coach, instructor, teacher or trainer.

During any month, 34.9 percent of adults were members of clubs or centres to do a sport or recreation activity.
48.2 percent (women, 44%; men, 52%) of adults achieved New Zealand's national physical activity guideline, that is they participated in at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity on five or more days of the week.

A full report of the survey is available from the SPARC website. SPARC will be releasing further information in December on the survey including a profile for Sport Manawatu which will allow them to compare high level results to other regions.

Great Forest Event 09

It is time to dust off those running shoes and get training for the Great Forest Event 2009. The event will be held on 4 April at Waitarere Forest, Levin. Hosted by the Great Forest Events committee, the event provides the ideal opportunity to get out and get active. The event consists of a marathon run and walk, a half marathon run and walk, a 10km fun run and walk, and a 5km fun run and walk. There is a race to suit every fitness and age level. So it’s a great way for the whole family to get active and “Push Play”.

The event is growing in popularity each year with the total number of participants reaching 2,250 in 2008. It is a great event to aim for if you have never done a marathon or half marathon before. As it is all off road it is safe and the course is well marshalled with volunteers and drinks along the way.

The Great Forest Events committee pride itself on having a safe and enjoyable course for all participants. Many of the participants stated that the 2008 course was the best course they have ever been on. Brendan Duffy, Horowhenua’s Mayor has run in the event a number of times he says “where else in the world can you gather in a beautiful scenic rural setting close to the sea and looking up to the ranges, and then refocus your mind on running a marathon in a sand dune forest?”

Ethkick 09

The 7-aside ethnic football tournament will be at Skoglund Park on March 28-29, with teams based on country of origin or ethnic group.

Ethkick09 will be run along World Cup lines with pool play, quarters, semi and finals.

There's is room for 16 teams each in the serious and social leagues; Teams can be men's, women's or mixed, with goals scored by female players worth double; up to three subs are allowed. Players must be 14 years or older as at January 1st 2009.

Ethkick09 will have a festival air, with entertainment between matches, food stalls and a police dog display. Police Officers will also take on Firefighters in an exhibition football match.

Ethkick09 is about promoting a positive image of friendship through football and social cohesion. With more than 100 different ethnic groups within Manawatu, there's plenty of scope for teams.Registration of Interest closes on December 14th 2008.

Any queries about the tournament please contact The Manawatu Manager of Central Football, David Lawrie 06 3575349

Need a challenge to kick start 2009? Start training for the Infracon Challenge

The Infracon Challenge was first run in 1992 and is held in the Tararua District. This challenge is a unique multisport event that covers a gruelling 55km Cycle, a 13km run and a 12km kayak course.

The event starts in Dannevirke and takes you out to the coastal community of Akitio. It is open to individual and team entries and has up to 18 different categories for competitors to enter including: veterans, juniors, business house and a biathlon option.

The Challenge meets the needs of a wide range of competitors from the novice participation focussed entrant to the elite athlete using it as a springboard for the Speights Coast to Coast. We maintain that the event is participation focussed and promote it as a ‘challenge' rather than a ‘race' to include every one, of all abilities.

This event is unique to the Tararua District and is considered a major and iconic event for the district and for the wider Manawatu and Hawkes Bay region as there are very few multisport events like this currently being run on the east coast and lower north island.

The competitors come from a variety of backgrounds and occupations. We have a strong following from the local community but people also come from all over New Zealand to compete in the Challenge.

A subsidiary committee of the Dannevirke Multisport and Triathalon Club runs the Infracon Challenge. The success of the event is all based around the committee, our loyal local sponsors and the ever growing number of competitors.

Motivation and support through the holiday season

Green Prescription weekly classes will be taking a break over the Christmas/New Year holiday. However, this doesn’t mean participants will be taking a holiday from physical activity. We will still be offering support and motivation throughout the holiday season and there are a number of community exercise classes still running as well as gyms, pools and club activities.

Last classes for the year are:

Monday 24 November – Levin

Tuesday 25 November – Otaki, Pahiatua, Palmerston North

Thursday 27 November – Dannevirke, Feilding, Palmerston North Evening

Wednesday 10 December – Foxton

All classes will resume again in the first week of February 2009. For more information on Green Prescription or physical activity classes and options, contact the Green Prescription team at Sport Manawatu on (06) 357 5349.

Website: www.sportmanawatu.org.nz