The Council is getting behind New Zealand’s world champion Black Sox team for this, the 11th International Softball Federation championships, which open with a match between the Black Sox and Samoa at Smokefree Ballpark, off Pages Road, on 29 January.

Come along and watch as the world’s top softballers try to wrest the title from the New Zealanders. For information about ticket prices and timetables for this and other events, look online under Upcoming Events on the Council’s sports website — www.sportsdestination. christchurch.org.nz/ — or at www.2004worldsoftball.com/ The Invacare World Team Cup for wheelchair tennis (article at left) is another international event in the city this summer.

The best of national bowls talent will be on display at greens all over Christchurch from 28 December to 11 January. It is the first time that the national open women’s and men’s championships have been held together.

The top Council-supported event in February is the New Zealand PGA Championship of golf, on at the Clearwater Resort from 26-29 February. The City Council is the major sponsor of this international tournament and its support means everyone can go and watch for free. The event has a $1.125 million purse and will features the rising stars of American and Australasian golf — sportsmen who one day soon could be striding the fairways of Augusta or St Andrews alongside champions like Tiger Woods, Michael Campbell or Vijay Singh. More information at www.pgachampionship.co.nz/

Also on in February is the Great New Zealand Bike Ride (7-19 February), which starts and ends in Christchurch. Travelling about 880km, the organisers are expecting up to 1000 Australian riders to take part. Information about this event is on the web, look under Events at www.bv.com.au

Free entry for spectators to the New Zealand PGA Championship at Clearwater Resort in February was a condition of Council support for the event.