SBS Bank on board with Winter Games NZ

MEDIA RELEASE

3 August 2009

SBS Bank on board with Winter Games NZ

The thrills and action of two of the Winter Games NZ ice events will be broadcast courtesy of SBS Bank following a new sponsorship agreement with SBS Bank for this month’s games.

SBS Bank general manager corporate performance Lana Winders said SBS Bank was excited to be able to announce the partnership, which would contribute to providing televised coverage of the ice hockey and curling events during the New Zealand Winter Games being held in various locations around the South Island.

“As New Zealand’s only bank to be 100 percent customer-owned, commitment to supporting New Zealand events within our local communities is an integral part of who we are as an organisation.

“This is a home-grown, world class event, attracting around 800 of the world’s finest winter sport athletes and we’re delighted to be able to demonstrate our support for the Winter Games through televised coverage of two of its major events,” Mrs Winders said.

“As the biggest winter sports event outside of the Winter Olympics, the significance of the social and economic benefits that the Winter Games could generate for Central Otago and the wider community is immense.”

Maniototo Curling International Naseby Indoor Ice Rink manager Fred Newman said the opportunity to host the Winter Games NZ curling events at their indoor rink was a fantastic coup for the district.

Teams had just been finalised and it was evident that there would be a very strong level of competition, Mr Newman said.

“The excitement and momentum is certainly building. We’ve had the odd international here before but this really is the big one!

“Eight men’s teams and five women’s teams have entered and, of these, the Chinese men’s and women’s teams have both qualified to curl at the Olympics, along with the Japanese women’s team, so there will certainly be some closely contested battles on the ice,” he said.

Mrs Winders said, as a community bank that is committed to its people and their communities, the team at SBS Bank was “certainly looking forward to the real community atmosphere of the curling and some class action in the curling rink.”

The ice hockey will be held at the Dunedin Ice Rink and the two exhibition match face-offs are destined to be a battle of Trans-Tasman rivalry between the Ice Blacks and Team Australia.

New Zealand Ice Hockey Federation president Grant Hay said with the marked improvement of New Zealand’s level of play in ice hockey in recent years, it was hoped the two matches would be closely contested.

“Australia has always had the upper-hand over New Zealand in past years but the gap has been closing. We were actually winning with just 15 minutes of play left at the 2008 Division II World Championships in Newcastle but they came back and won 4 – 2.

“We’ve worked hard on improving our game over the past five years and we plan to make a real contest out of the two matches.”

Mr Hay said due to some Australian players not being available because of a national league round being held the same weekend, the games were exhibition level. They would however, still be a very strong Australian line up.

“We’re very pleased to have SBS Bank on board with the Winter Games and providing support to help televise our matches nationally and internationally.”

The Winter Games will showcase New Zealand to 350 million television screens around the world and is forecasted to pump $50 million into New Zealand’s economy during its first year alone. It is anticipated that the biennial event will grow into a hugely valuable asset for New Zealand.

SBS Bank’s sponsorship will provide televised coverage of the two ice hockey games between New Zealand and Australia, being held in Dunedin on 22 and 23 August, and a week’s coverage of the curling, which is being held in Naseby from 23 to 29 August.

The coverage will run live via SKY Sports channels and CUE TV and also via delayed coverage, repeats and in special highlights packages.

ENDS

Confirmed Curling entries for NZ Winter Games in Naseby

Men’s Teams World Ranking (Out of 41 Nations)

Canada 1 (Non Olympic Team Attending)

USA 4 (Non Olympic Team Attending)

China 11 (Qualified to Compete at 2010 Olympics)

Australia 12

New Zealand 14

Czech Republic 15

Japan 16

Korea 22

Women’s Teams World Ranking (Out of 35 Nations)

China 5 (Qualified to Compete at 2010 Olympics)

Japan 10 (Qualified to Compete at 2010 Olympics)

Korea 13

New Zealand 20

Australia 26

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