Aims Games: 'Bigger than the Commonwealth Games'

Lauren Boyle will help open the championship. Photo / Greg Bowker

A record 20 Northland schools will take part in the Aims Games in Tauranga from September 7-12, with four of them competing for the first time.

The week-long championship is New Zealand's largest junior sporting festival, attracting more than 7500 intermediate-aged students across 17 sporting codes this year.

The Northland contingent will be among 228 schools nationwide, a sharp jump from last year's 10th anniversary of the Games which boasted 193 schools and 6500 athletes.

"We're already bigger than the Commonwealth Games and we're on track to haul in the Olympics at this rate," tournament director Vicki Semple said.

Together with supporters and team management, it means more than 10,000 people will be arriving in Tauranga for the first day's cross country championship and opening ceremony on September 7.

Netball star Irene Van Dyk and Commonwealth Games gold medallists Sam Webster (track cycling) and Lauren Boyle (swimming) will help open the championship, while an impressive role call of former sporting stars will be on the sidelines during the week helping coach and manage teams.

They include former All Blacks Rico Gear and Rhys Duggan, former Silver Fern Tania Dalton and Tall Black Dillon Boucher, acclaimed league coach Kevin Tamati and middle distance legend Dick Quax - a silver medallist at the 1976 Montreal Olympics.

Among the 17 sporting codes represented will be 90 netball teams, 62 hockey teams, 79 football teams and more than 500 cross country runners. Table tennis also makes a debut this year, attracting 59 entries from 15 schools.

Parents and supporters can follow the event at www.nzaimsgames.co.nz or on Facebook.

Northland schools competing: Dargaville Intermediate; St Joseph's Dargaville; Whangaroa College; Kaikohe Intermediate; Ahipara School; Kaingaroa School; Kaitaia Intermediate; Pamapuria School; TKKM Pukemiro; Matarau School; Kerikeri High School; Oruaiti Primary School*; Otamatea High School; Opua School; Ruawai College*; Kamo Intermediate; Manaia View School*; Pompallier Catholic College; Purua School; Whangarei Intermediate (*competing for the first time).