As seems to be a habit, the ``beautiful game'' of football seems to have aroused very early interest in the entries for the 2013 New Zealand Masters Games, and 93 names are already on the list, including a bundle from Wanganui's sister city of Toowomba, Queensland.
A chap with an English-sounding accent called Gordon Mills captains a team called the ToowoombaSupaOldiesFC, with 12 players in all, who are coming with the backing of the Toowoomba Regional Council.
The council, though, wants other Toowoomba people to compete in Wanganui as well, so we expect more from our Sister City.
At present they're entered in the over-45s.
Why are they coming?
``We're just a bunch of over-35s who get together on a Monday night to kick a ball around. We were looking for somewhere to go, so we decided to go to our sister city,'' Mills told Toowoomba radio identity, Crazy Kev.
Crazy Kev asked him where Wanganui was:
``Wanganui's in the North Island, down a little bay (Taranaki Bight), so I'll enjoy the oceanside and the fishing ...''
The Toowoomba boys are still seeking sponsors for their trip, the biggest problem of which is apparently how to travel from Wellington to Wanganui _ and vice versa.
Any takers?
Last games' winning football club, ICPP, is returning from Auckland, although they only have seven names listed at this point, including one Dave Wrathall, who may just be a former All White.
Other clubs are locals Cosmos 50-plus, Roosters and Turkeys (Auckland), Red Sox Wrinklies (PN), Rapa Renegades (Wairarapa), Cambridge Town, Western Springs Evergreens (Auckland), RSM United (PN), and Wanganui East Athletic and Wanganui Marist.
A busy time will be had by all, especially by the Cosmos. Russell Burney reports the Athletic Football Club will probably be fielding three men's masters' teams _ one in the over 35s, one in the over 45s and one in the over 50s.
``Most of the Cosmos over 50s were playing this last football season in the Local League as Cosmos Classics. At the last New Zealand Masters Games in Wanganui Cosmos won the gold in the over 45s. At the start of this year Cosmos went to Dunedin to compete against South Island opposition in the men's over 45s division, and won gold in the Forsyth Barr covered stadium.
``Now we have enough numbers to field a reasonably competitive squad in the over 50s division. If there aren't enough numbers of teams competing at this age group, we will compete in the over 45s again,'' said Burney.
In other sports, they'll continue to come from far and wide _ and the ones that have come before are coming again.
She's been a regular visitor for many years to both Wanganui and Dunedin, and Sheffield (England) swimmer/athlete Naomi Crowder will be here again.
She might be getting older, but her work rate is undiminished. This time, 76-year-old Naomi has entered the 70-plus 25m, 200m and 400m freestyle, the 25m breaststroke and the 25m and 200m backstroke in the pool, the 2km open water swim, and the women's doubles, mixed doubles and carnival doubles in the tennis.
In 2011 she won seven swim titles, was second in the tennis doubles B2 70 with Tauranga's Barbara Glover and added the 5km run to her list of wins.
A former local who will also be in the pool is 72-year-old John Gray, a former member of the Gonville Swimming Club who has been living in the highly picturesque city of Victoria, off the coast of British Columbia, for quite a while now _ and he makes a habit of visiting his old home town during Masters Games.
Gray is in the 50m and 400m freestyle, then takes to the land for the 5km, 10km and 3000m walks.
And the Wanganui Masters will have its own little taste of Olympic glamour as well.
Max Pendleton (Shefford, Bedfordshire), father of British cycling great Victoria Pendleton, is returning for another Masters.
Victoria has been one of the glamour girls of UK sport in recent years, won the kierin gold at the London Olympics and accumulated a bundle of world, Olympic and Commonwealth medals before retiring.
Pendleton is well-known in Wanganui cycling circles and was very successful in the 2011 Games.
Unfortunately he's not bringing his world champion daughter with him! He's accompanied by Sandra Harper, who will also compete on the racing bike.
For those interested in becoming part of the Masters Games, without competing, a full meeting of the River City Volunteers group will be held tonight (Wednesday) at Cooks Gardens at 7pm to discuss, among other things, the work needed to be covered by volunteers during the games. Games manger Mike Cronin will address the meeting.
If you're interested in helping, come along.-->-->-->-->-->
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.
Latest from Sport
Racing: Glimmer shines at Waverley on debut
The victory was bittersweet for owner and trainer Rosie Gibbs.