$10,000 prize offered for scenic rugby field photo

Christchurch Airport is offering a $10,000 prize for a photo of the most scenic rugby field in the South Island, in a competition as part of the lead up to the world’s biggest rugby event next year.

The competition officially opened on 4 June, and photography competition packs have been sent to rugby clubs throughout the South Island this week.

“The aim is to celebrate the range of rugby fields in extraordinary South Island locations,” said Christchurch Airport’s General Manager Marketing and Business Development, Gareth Owen. “We know the South Island has rugby fields set beneath mountains, beside rivers, above gorges, and next to the ocean, so this is a great way to shwcase our fabulous scenery and celebrate our national game at the same time. We™re going t display the best entries t Christchurch Airport next year, so our visitors can admire them ad be inspired to visit them. 

Entrants will photograph a scene at their ‘iconic’ South Island rugby field and upload them to the Christchurch Airport website, www.christchurchairport.co.nz/RugbysBEST, where they will be posted online. Anyone can view the photos and vote for their favourite. The ten photos with the most votes will be judged in November and a prize awarded in December for the best photo

The judges will include former Rugby All Black captain and Crusaders coach Todd Blackadder, Tourism New Zealand Chief Executive Kevin Bowler, and Press Illustrations Editor Richard Cosgrove. Winning photos will portray characteristic Kiwi grass-roots rugby in a unique South Island landscape.

“The photos can be anything from golden oldies playing in a muddy field in a valley, to a children’s game with the mountains in the background, or supporters enjoying a sausage sizzle on the sidelines next to a river, or a team playing in the snow,” explained Owen. “The key thing is that it expresses the essence of the game, and hat it includes some great South Island landscape. We™ve received strong interest already, and we’re really looking forward to seeing the range of rugby fields in our part of the world.

Each photograph submitted will be in with a chance to win $7000 for their rugby union, $2000 for the featured club, and $1000 for the photographer.*

The winning image will be displayed at the airport in full view of the world’s most committed rugby fans arriving at Christchurch Airport in September and October 2011.

“Christchurch Airport is part of a Canterbury Committee which is determined that our region will give visitors the best experience of New Zealand during this great rugby event,” said Owen. “The rugby field photo competition is just the start of our airport campaign to celebrate rugby, Canterbury, and the South Island.”

Details on how to enter are on the Christchurch Airport website, www.christchurchairport.co.nz/RugbysBEST.

*Conditions apply.

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