Govt supports Winter Games NZ 2013

The Government will invest $1 million from the Major Events Development Fund to support Winter Games New Zealand 2013, Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce announced today.

“The Government investment is designed to provide a platform for the event to step-up in 2013 to become one of the world’s top three snow sports events and to deliver the quality expected of a world-leading event,” Mr Joyce says.

“The funding from the Major Events Development Fund will help the Winter Games build critical mass enabling it to become a recurring biennial event that from 2017 will become self-sustaining and independent of Government support.”

In 2013 the event will include five World Cups, one Super Continental Cup and 12 Continental Cups that will make it one of the biggest winter sports events outside the Winter Olympics. This is expected to increase the number of participants, spectators and international tourists attending the event.

As a biennial flagship event, Winter Games New Zealand will provide the northern hemisphere elite international and recreational snow sport participants with an off-season training option on a regular basis.

The Winter Games take place just six months before the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics in Russia and offers northern hemisphere snow sport champions a unique pre-Olympic training venue.

“In return for this additional $1 million investment, Winter Games New Zealand will provide extensive international television opportunities to promote New Zealand as a premier winter destination across our key tourism and trade markets,” Mr Joyce says.

The Major Events Development Fund has invested a total of $2.75 million in the Winter Games since the inaugural event in 2009.