The inaugural National Maori Basketball Tournament will be held in Rotorua's Energy Events Centre in February.
The inaugural National Maori Basketball Tournament will be held in Rotorua's Energy Events Centre in February.
Basketball teams representing iwi from throughout New Zealand will be converging on Rotorua for Waitangi Weekend in what is another major event for the city.
Rotorua is to host the inaugural National Maori Basketball Tournament at the Energy Events Centre from February 6 to 8 next year.
The New ZealandMaori Basketball Aotearoa competition will feature age group sections from Under 11 to Under 21, as well as mens', womens', mixed and wheelchair sections.
Rotorua District Council Events & Venues operations manager Joelene Elliott said the council was working with the Rotorua Basketball Association to organise the event which was expected to attract upwards of 1000 players, officials and supporters.
"Rotorua Basketball Association has a strong reputation for delivering quality events so it's been fantastic working alongside them to pull this tournament together. "Interest so far has been awesome with 60 teams already registered, however we'd like to get around 100 teams taking part."
"It's always exciting to be part of an inaugural event and we hope to see this one achieve success and then grow to become an annual fixture on our calendars. "It's certainly timely that so many Maori will be coming together over Waitangi Weekend - a historically important period for all New Zealanders."
Miss Elliott said anyone who was not involved with a team but keen to participate could email Rotorua Basketball at rotoruabball@xtra.co.nz.
For more information visit www.rotoruabasketball.org.nz.
