Latest news with #NZOC
Scoop
4 hours ago
- Sport
- Scoop
One Year To Go
Today marks 'One Year to Go' until the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, with the New Zealand Team honouring the milestone with the official launch of its'The Fern is all of Us'campaign. 'One Year to Go' will be celebrated this evening at a cocktail event at Auckland War Memorial Museum, attended by athletes, dignitaries including Her Excellency Dame Cindy Kiro, Governor General and the New Zealand Team Patron, as well as donors and sponsors. The event will feature a musical collaboration between Te Whare Haka o Waititi and the City of Sails Pipe Band, honouring both the Māori and Scottish cultures while Her Excellency Dame Cindy Kiro will also present the official King's Baton to the New Zealand Team on the night. 'Marking 'One Year to Go' is a significant moment for our team and our nation,' said NZOC CEO, Nicki Nicol. 'It's a chance to reflect on the journey ahead and the values that unite us as the New Zealand Team. The Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games is shaping up to be a superb Games and tonight's milestone will be a great warm-up,' she said. As well as celebrating 'One Year to Go', the New Zealand Team today launched a campaign that will guide the New Zealand Team's wider journey in 2026, including the Milano Cortina Winter Olympic Games in February and the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar in October. The campaign builds on the idea that the New Zealand Team brings the whole country together under one fern, one takahi, the foundation of our Pou Tangata haka. 'It speaks to the unity and strength of the New Zealand Team together with the communities who support them,' said Head of Brand and Marketing, Alex Cooper-Cuthbert. 'We wanted a really emotive piece that encapsulated the idea 'when you face one of us, you face all of us,' she said. The Commonwealth Games 'King's Baton Relay' Baton will also be on display at the event in its pre-designed state. Spanning all 74 Commonwealth nations and territories, the King's Baton Relay celebrates communities and marks the countdown to the Games. The Glasgow 2026 Baton has been reimagined with a 'Baton for Every Nation' concept, each baton is decorated to reflect its country's cultural heritage and identity. A fully designed and crafted New Zealand Baton will be unveiled during the New Zealand leg of the relay, from March 15-20 2026. As the countdown begins, 2026 is set to be an exciting year for the New Zealand Team. The Milano Cortina Winter Olympic Games run from February 6 to February 22 2026. The Glasgow Commonwealth Games run from July 23 to August 2 2026. The Dakar Youth Olympic Games run from October 31 to November 13, 2026 About the NZOC The New Zealand Olympic Committee was established in 1911. Since then, we have used our unique mandate to select and lead more than 60 teams to Olympic and Commonwealth Games across the globe. Our athletes and teams are at the heart of our organisation and their stories have become integral to our national identity. They represent Aotearoa New Zealand with honour and pride and the silver fern is a symbol of their sporting success. For decades our teams and athletes have showcased our unique culture and values on the world stage as well as promoting excellence and innovation through their stories and success. We are a charity and rely heavily on commercial and other funding partnerships as we promote sport and the Olympic values and help create New Zealand history. We are engaged in education programmes for young New Zealanders and, through Olympic Solidarity and other partnerships, help fund athlete and sport development. We work in partnership with High Performance Sport New Zealand, which invests significant funding and specialist resources in NSOs, coaches and athletes to support performance on the world stage in New Zealand's targeted sports. We are proud to represent the Olympic and Commonwealth sporting movements in New Zealand.
NZ Herald
14-07-2025
- Business
- NZ Herald
Auckland must boost transport, housing to stay competitive: Report
'We also are more car-dependent because we don't provide other transport options. So that's an example of one of the big consequences of our inability to solve this land-use planning challenge.' Thomas said the report mentioned that Brisbane had managed to snare hosting rights for the Olympic Games. Auckland's strengths are its quality of life and diversity, a new report has found, but these aren't enough to keep the city competitive. Photo / RNZ 'We won't have the Olympic Games in Auckland, but a Commonwealth Games, for example, is an example of a catalytic event that peer cities are doing and we can't even work out where to build a stadium.' Interest in hosting the 2034 Commonwealth Games was first floated by the New Zealand Olympic Committee (NZOC) in April 2023. The NZOC says its expression of interest still stands and work around a potential bid is ongoing. At the time, the Government said if a bid was to go ahead, the event would be nationwide – not confined to one city. Auckland risks 'falling further behind' The third annual State of the City benchmarking report identified strengths in sustainability, resilience and culture but also highlighted disadvantages in opportunity, experience and location. 'Weak economic performance, inadequate skills and innovation development and disjointed and delayed planning are causing Auckland to lose ground, with the risk of falling further behind,' Committee for Auckland's Thomas said in a statement. 'We must fix the productivity problem, back high-growth industries and innovation, actually deliver better transport and housing, and rebuild Auckland's reputation.' He endorsed an 'Auckland deal' under the Government's City and Regional Deals programme. Auckland's strengths were its quality of life and diversity, the report found, but these were not enough to keep the city competitive. 'This latest report shows Auckland isn't keeping up in key areas, but the green shoots of innovation and growth are a sign of what's possible if the city can drive higher productivity and create business conditions for sustained success,' Deloitte chief executive Mike Horne said. 'Auckland's productivity sets the pace for the rest of the country, so it has an opportunity - and a responsibility - to be bolder in lifting it.' The report recommends that the Government and local councils address land-use, housing, transport and regulatory settings which hinder productivity. It also recommended the council strengthen Auckland's international brand and 'develop a compelling story about Auckland's past, present and future that communicates its values, culture, and ambitions to the world'. Eden Park must be competitive with Australian cities, CEO says Eden Park chief executive Nick Sautner said Auckland was a great city but there was a need to align and prioritise. There was also a need to adapt and reuse existing infrastructure, such as converting offices into apartment buildings, while for the Eden Park 2.1 stadium upgrade, his organisation was looking to reuse the north stand, Sautner said. 'The CRL [City Rail Link] project is a $6 billion project, we need to intensify housing around [that] but also infrastructure in that area. 'Eden Park's going to be seven minutes from the CBD, there's no point in having a connection to the CBD if we don't have events, and we're advocating to ensure that we have event levies to ensure that we can compete with other cities like Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney for major content.' New Zealand's size meant there was only one option for a national stadium, Sautner said. 'We want to see that work and that investment done, that creates jobs but it also makes us competitive with cities like Brisbane who are spending $6.5 billion on their stadium infrastructure.' There were a number of reasons why big acts such as AC/DC, Oasis and Lady Gaga failed to come to New Zealand, Sautner said. 'The exchange rate, the freight costs but then also seed funding, at the moment there's no seed funding available, whether it be through MBIE [the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment] or local council.' The introduction of a bed-night visitor levy on short-term accommodation would enable a fund to attract major events, but without that, New Zealand would not get major concerts or sporting events, Sautner said. – RNZ
Otago Daily Times
09-05-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
Sowry's new Olympic gig
Glen Sowry Outgoing Queenstown Airport boss Glen Sowry has just been elected as the new New Zealand Olympic Committee (NZOC) chair. A former sailor, Sowry, 63, is Olympian #848. He was first appointed to the NZOC board in 2023, ahead of the Paris Olympics, and will replace Diana Puketapu-Lyndon. Sowry, who finishes as airport CEO next month, says he's "honoured" to take on the job and build on the work Puketapu-Lyndon has done. "I look forward to working collaboratively with the board, athletes and our diverse range of stakeholders of the NZOC to support our athletes to achieve continued success at the Olympic and Commonwealth Games, and to continue to promote the Olympic values and instil pride and excellence in all New Zealanders," he says. Sowry, who competed in the Tornado event at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, was earlier selected for Sir Peter Blake's 1985-'86 Whitbread Round the World Yacht Race campaign, onboard Lion New Zealand. He went on to sail onboard Steinlager 2, helm the back-up boat for the NZ challenge for the America's Cup in '91-'92, and was then selected by Grant Dalton was watch captain for the '93-'94 Whitbread onboard NZ Endeavour. He's previously served on the Yachting NZ high performance committee, and was a Yachting NZ Olympic selector for the 2004 Athens Olympics.
RNZ News
07-05-2025
- Sport
- RNZ News
2025 Pacific Mini Games: Weightlifters to represent New Zealand in Palau
Two-time Olympian and two-time Commonwealth Games medallist, David Liti, will lead the New Zealand Team in the Men's +110kg category. Photo: New Zealand Olympic Committee A nine-member weightlifting team will represent Team New Zealand at the 2025 Pacific Mini Games in Palau. The New Zealand Olympic Committee (NZOC) confirmed this in a news release on Wednesday. Weightlifting New Zealand President Simon Kent said he is looking forward to a strong showing from the group at the event from 29 June to 9 July. Two-time Olympian and two-time Commonwealth Games medallist David Liti will lead the New Zealand Team in the Men's +110kg category. Kent said Liti's inclusion will be good for the team, which will have some debutants. "With a decade of international experience, David's presence will be a valuable asset to the group as they navigate being part of a multi-sport event," Kent said. "Five athletes will be making their New Zealand debuts at these Games, something we know will be a special time for them and their families. "The Pacific Mini Games are the ideal setting for these athletes to gain international experience, as competing in the Pacific offers its own unique challenges - the travel, foreign conditions and generally being out of their comfort zone are all factors for them to consider and ultimately lean into." Kent said the Palau 2025 Pacific Mini Games are a stepping stone on the journey for athletes hopeful of Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games selection. "Athletes from across the Commonwealth will compete in Palau, India, Norway and Samoa during the next 10 months, aiming to secure their spot on the final ranking list for next July's showpiece event in Glasgow," he added. NZOC chief executive Nicki Nicol also extended her support to Team New Zealand. "We're proud to support this talented group as they represent the New Zealand Team, particularly those who will wear the fern for the first time. "For some, the Pacific Mini Games could be the first step on their journey towards representing New Zealand at a major Games, and we wish them all the best for a successful campaign in Palau." New Zealand Team confirmed for the Palau 2025 Pacific Mini Games (*denotes New Zealand Team debut): Hannah Close* (26 years old, Women's Under-58kg), Holly Drain (26 years old, Women's Under-77kg), Sienna Fesolai (19 years old, Women's Under-69kg ), David Liti (28 years old, Men's +110kg), Tui-Alofa Patolo* (34 years old, Women's +86kg category), Louise Richards* (27 years old, Women's Under-63kg), Monica Saili-Hiakita* (27 years old, Women's Under-77kg), Judy Soloai* (30 years old, Women's +86kg), Vernon Taylor (26 years old, Men's Under-71kg)
Scoop
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Scoop
Nine Athletes Confirmed For Palau 2025 Pacific Mini Games
The New Zealand Olympic Committee (NZOC) has confirmed a nine-strong New Zealand Team to compete at the 2025 Pacific Mini Games held in Palau from June 29 to July 9. The New Zealand Team will be made up exclusively of weightlifters with Weightlifting New Zealand President, Simon Kent looking forward to a strong showing from the group. 'Five athletes will be making their New Zealand debuts at these Games, something we know will be a special time for them and their families,' said Kent. 'The Pacific Mini Games are the ideal setting for these athletes to gain international experience, as competing in the Pacific offers its own unique challenges - the travel, foreign conditions and generally being out of their comfort zone are all factors for them to consider and ultimately lean into,' he said. Two-time Olympian and two-time Commonwealth Games medallist, David Liti, will represent the New Zealand Team in the Men's +110kg category, with Kent noting the benefit of Liti's inclusion. 'With a decade of international experience, David's presence will be a valuable asset to the group as they navigate being part of a multi-sport event,' said Kent. The Palau 2025 Pacific Mini Games are a stepping stone on the journey for athletes hopeful of Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games selection. 'Athletes from across the Commonwealth will compete in Palau, India, Norway and Samoa during the next 10 months, aiming to secure their spot on the final ranking list for next July's showpiece event in Glasgow,' said Kent. New Zealand Olympic Committee CEO, Nicki Nicol also extended her support to the Team. 'We're proud to support this talented group as they represent the New Zealand Team, particularly those who will wear the fern for the first time. For some, the Pacific Mini Games could be the first step on their journey towards representing New Zealand at a major Games, and we wish them all the best for a successful campaign in Palau,' said Nicol. The New Zealand Team confirmed for the Palau 2025 Pacific Mini Games (in alphabetical order, *denotes New Zealand Team debut): Hannah Close* (26 years old, Women's U58kg), Holly Drain (26 years old, Women's U77kg), Sienna Fesolai (19 years old, Women's U69kg), David Liti (28 years old, Men's +110kg), Tui-Alofa Patolo* (34 years old, Women's +86kg category), Louise Richards* (27 years old, Women's U63kg), Monica Saili-Hiakita* (27 years old, Women's U77kg), Judy Soloai* (30 years old, Women's +86kg), Vernon Taylor (26 years old, Men's U71kg)
