Masters Games entries hit 4000 mark

Entries for the New Zealand Masters Games reached the 4000 mark on Friday lunchtime as competitors got their registrations in before the cost goes up for latecomers.

Press officer David Ogilvie expected the figure to top 4500 by today.

The 2011 Games recorded a final figure of 6004 entries, but there are fewer sports this time.

The games start at Wanganui's Springvale Park on February 1 and finish on February 10.

The total as of last Monday morning was 3395 and registration manager Fiona Pickering says the entries had been coming in around or over 100 per day since then.

Friday's cheaper registration deadline saw an increase in entries, including a number of paper entries.

The cost of registering after Friday went up $20, and Pickering was anticipating a spike in entering activity that afternoon when workers finished their shifts.

Sports to head the list were (last Monday's figure in parentheses) football 518 (478), netball 330 (310), road run/walk 347 (310), tennis 174 (158), touch 124 (92), bowls 105 (96), swimming 124 (95).

Entries for all sports are still open with the exception of basketball.

Another competitor country of origin was added to the list with Laurel Dryden entering tennis, listing herself as being from Switzerland.

That makes nine countries so far, with Australia leading the way with 159, ahead of its 2011 Games figure of 140.

For entries look at www.nzmg.com.