Council to host sports code clash between Canterbury and Wellington

12 September 2005

The fourth annual Clash sports challenge between Canterbury and Wellington kicks off on 16 September with netball at the National Netball Championships here in Christchurch and culminates in the NPC match between the provinces’ rugby teams on Friday 23 September at Jade Stadium.

Last year, players representing 25 sports codes clashed in Wellington, with the home side coming out on top 28-20 in the New Zealand Community Trust Clash. This year, more sports and more players are involved. Many of those coming south will do so in a chartered aircraft.

From athletics to yachting, the annual event is organised by Sport Wellington and Sport Canterbury, with this year’s host being the Christchurch City Council. Competing codes include soccer, netball, darts, snooker and billiards, goalball (a sport including vision-impaired sportspeople), chess, bridge, petanque, badminton, squash, tennis, yachting, bowls, swimming, ten pin bowling, underwater hockey and rugby.

Wellington will want to hold onto the trophy, but Mayor Garry Moore relishes the opportunity to turn the tables.

"It's fantastic to see so many Wellingtonians crossing the strait to compete in Christchurch,” he says. “It'll be great to see the mighty Red and Blacks competing against the Yellow and Black. Our Council Team is looking forward to winning, so bring on the challenge. May the better province win. Canterbury's looking forward to prominently displaying the Clash Trophy when our teams win it back."

Sport Canterbury’s chief executive Selwyn Maister says home advantage and fighting spirit will combine. "Stung by being put in the unaccustomed position of losers in The 2004 Clash, the Canterbury sporting machine is gearing up for a fight-back in this year's encounter,” he says. “ Some serious preparation, added to the home advantage, should see the Wellington visitors sent home relieved of the trophy."

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