First Winter Games "learning process"

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 9, Issue 408, 15 October 1991, Page 1

First Winter Games "learning process"

An earlier start to the New Zealand Winter Games is a change to the format already made for the 1992 games. The change is to avoid clashes with events of various sporting codes' calendars and to allow more involvement of families in the school holidays. Games director Andreas Hefti said the 1992 games will run from 4-28 September. Mr Hefti said the inaugural games had been a learning process. He said the weather had been the main problem with many competitors put off by the poor conditions, especially the alpine events. Some events were cancelled due to small numbers of entries, he said. Golf, cycling, netball and the multi - sports events were among the more successful according to Mr Hefti. He said they would look at adding seven or eight new events next year, including more team events, mountain relay events, and business house competitions. Promotion Mr Hefti said some sports organisations had done little to promote their sports. Local support for events like squash and basketball was good, said Mr Hefti. He said they were lucky enough to have good support from people from places like Auckland and Hamilton. Mr Hefti said they would like to make changes to the festival programme, involving local restaurants and bars more. Mr Hefti said they would be making some basic changes to the Games organisation. "Basically some people did not really understand what we (would) Turnpage 2

Games "learning"

From page 1 really like to achieve," said Mr Hefti. He said they have set up a company, the New Zealand Winter Games Company. "That basically was done to protect the name but not (to create) a huge profit making company." He said it was to protect the

name and idea so that someone else could not take it away. "We look definitely to a much closer contact with the local people and local businesses," he said. A report on the Games has been called by the Ruapehu South Business Association (see separate story).