World Masters Games 2017 commemorates Anzac Day

MEDIA RELEASE

Monday 24 April, 2017

World Masters Games 2017 commemorates Anzac Day

An Anzac Day service at Queens Wharf and a star-studded New Zealand versus Australia exhibition basketball match will be the focus of World Masters Games 2017’s Anzac Day commemorations.

To mark Anzac Day, the sport programme will be shortened tomorrow with no competition before 12noon.

At midday, a host of former New Zealand and Australian basketball stars will take to the court at the North Shore Events Centre when Team Rack City (New Zealand A Grade, 35+) take on the Hasbeens (Australia A Grade, 40+).

Former Tall Blacks Phil Jones, Brendon Pongia and Arthur Trousdell lead the Kiwis and are backed up by a team with plenty of New Zealand NBL experience.

But despite being five years younger on average, the Kiwis will be up against it. The Australian Hasbeens are led by 7-foot-tall former NBA player Chris Anstey and fellow dual Olympic basketballer Sam Mackinnon in a team stacked with former Australian NBL stars, including the likes of championship winners Darren Lucas and Andrew Parkinson.

The Anzac Day commemoration moves to Queens Wharf at 1.45pm with a Seasprite helicopter and fly past and a parade of uniformed New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) and New Zealand Cadet Force (NZCF) personnel.

That leads to an Anzac Day ceremony in The Cloud at 2.00pm which will include brief speeches to mark the occasion from the NZDF, World Masters Games 2017 and the International Masters Games Association. Five wreaths will then be laid and the public will have the opportunity to lay poppies after the ceremony. The ceremony will conclude with the Ode of Remembrance, reveille and national anthems of New Zealand and Australia, before a Warbirds fly past at 2.45pm.

WMG 2017 Chief Executive Jennah Wootten says both WMG2017 participants and the public are invited to attend both events.

“Anzac Day is a very special day of remembrance in this part of the world. These events are a great opportunity not only for our New Zealand and Australian participants, but also for those from around the globe, and the Auckland public, to experience another unique aspect of World Masters Games 2017.”

The WMG2017 sports programme, which features 28 sports across 48 venues, is back in full swing from Wednesday and runs until Sunday, when the Games will conclude with the Closing Ceremony.

Ends

For further information please contact:

Chris Gregory, Media Manager – World Masters Games 2017

Tel: 027 292 3601.

About World Masters Games 2017

The World Masters Games is the largest multi-sport event in the world. In terms of athlete numbers, it is bigger in scale than even the Olympics. Auckland will host the event from 21 to 30 April 2017 during which time more than 28,000 participants will compete in 28 sports across 48 competition venues. The Games are regarded as the largest event New Zealand will host in at least the next decade. For more information visit www.worldmastersgames2017.co.nz.

WMG2017 seeks to deliver $30.8 million GDP and 244,000 visitor nights to Auckland’s economy and $53 million GDP and 266,000 visitor nights to the wider New Zealand economy. The Government ($11 million) and Auckland Tourism Events and Economic Development on behalf of Auckland Council ($11.75 million) have invested approximately two thirds of the $35.85 million required to stage the event with the remainder to come from registration fees ($8.5 million) and commercial sponsorship ($4.6 million).

About Barfoot & Thompson

Barfoot & Thompson is the presenting partner for World Masters Games 2017. It is New Zealand’s largest, privately owned real estate company and is still run by the Barfoot and Thompson families after more than 90 years. Barfoot & Thompson consistently sells around one in three homes in the Auckland region and manages more than 11,000 rental properties, well ahead of competitor brands. For more information visit www.barfoot.co.nz.

About World Masters Games 2017 valued partners

World Masters Games 2017 would like to thank its valued partners: Barfoot & Thompson, Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED) on behalf of Auckland Council, Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), International Masters Games Association (IMGA), Air New Zealand, SKYCITY Auckland, NZCT, Pita Pit, Volvo Cars New Zealand, Mediaworks, QMS, Airbnb, Fusesport, KPMG, Mighway, Hirepool, Ritchies, Brian Perry Charitable Trust, The Trusts Community Foundation and Grassroots Trust.

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