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Sport in Christchurch

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A cricket match in Beckenham Park

Sport in Christchurch has developed from the time of the initial settlement of Canterbury by British migrants, and remains an important part of community life. Cricket and rugby union have been popular team sports since the early years of settlement, with the first cricket club established in the city in 1851, and the first rugby club in 1863. Interest in organised sports has diversified and now includes a wide range of codes. In 2022, the top five sporting codes in Canterbury based on club membership were netball, touch rugby, rugby union, golf and cricket.

There are around 1,200 sports clubs and associations and in 2022, there were 140,000 affiliated members. Most of the sporting codes remain amateur, and rely upon volunteers as administrators and officials. However, there are some professional teams. Notable teams representing Christchurch or the Canterbury region include the Mainland Tactix (netball), Crusaders (rugby) and the Canterbury Kings (cricket).

The city has hosted many international competitions including championship events. A particularly notable international event held in Christchurch was the 1974 Commonwealth Games.

There are many outdoor sportsgrounds and a variety of indoor venues. Christchurch City Council maintains 110 sportsgrounds across Christchurch City and Banks Peninsula. The sports venues Lancaster Park and Queen Elizabeth II Park were damaged beyond repair in the 2011 Christchurch earthquake, and were demolished. New facilities built to replace those damaged in the earthquake include the Ngā Puna Wai Sports Hub, the Parakiore Recreation and Sport Centre — an aquatic and indoor sports venue scheduled to open in 2025, and a multi–purpose covered stadium Te Kaha seating 30,000 spectators that is expected to be complete by April 2026.

Organisation and participation

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Sport in Christchurch is supported by around 1,200 sports clubs and associations.[1] Almost all of these organisations are run by volunteers, although there are now some professional teams.[2]

Surveys carried out by Sport New Zealand indicate that just over one quarter of adults in Canterbury are members of a sport or recreation club (excluding gym or fitness centre memberships).[3] In 2022, the umbrella organisation Sport Canterbury reported in their annual survey results that there were around 140,000 affiliated members of the sporting codes that responded to the survey. Youth aged 12–18 make up 23% of the membership of Canterbury sports clubs.[4] The top five sporting codes in Canterbury based on club membership in 2022 were netball, touch rugby, rugby union, golf and cricket. Although outside the top ten codes, basketball has shown significant growth since 2011, with participation doubling in ten years.[5]

History

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Christ's College Rugby Team (1940)
Aerial view of Lancaster Park (2011)

Organised sport was becoming established in Britain at about the same time that British settlers emigrated to New Zealand. In 1851, the anniversary of the founding of the Canterbury settlement was celebrated with an organised sports day in North Hagley Park.[6]

Team and individual sports that were popular in Britain soon became established in Christchurch.[2] A cricket club was formed in June 1851, and cricket was included in the sports day celebration later that year. The cricket oval in South Hagley Park was established by the 1860s.[7] A cricket umpires' pavilion built in 1864 was moved to the oval in 1866 and is recognised as the oldest cricket pavilion in New Zealand. It is listed as a Category 2 Historic Place by Heritage New Zealand.[8]

A form of rugby football was played as early as the 1850s by pupils of Christ's College. The Christchurch Football Club, an amateur rugby union club, was founded in 1863, and is believed to be the oldest rugby club in New Zealand.[9] The Canterbury Rugby Football Union was formed in 1879. Lancaster Park was opened in 1881, and was a major focus of organised sports in the city for 130 years until the stadium and grounds were damaged beyond repair in the 2011 Christchurch earthquake.[6]

The New Zealand Cup is a race for thoroughbred horses that has been held annually at Riccarton Racecourse since 1867. The race was known as the Canterbury Jockey Club Handicap until 1882.[10] The New Zealand Trotting Cup for standardbred horses has been held annually at Addington Raceway since 1904.

Tennis became an established sport from 1881 when a lawn tennis club was formed with courts in Cramner Square. Tennis courts were built across the city, including in Hagley Park and at Lancaster Park, where a Davis Cup match was held in 1911.[11]

New Zealand’s first inter-provincial association football match was played in Christchurch in 1890.[11] The match was between Canterbury and Otago and was hosted at Lancaster Park, drawing a crowd of 5,000.[12] Later in the year, the first inter-islander match was played, between Canterbury and Wellington with Canterbury winning 2–0.[13] The first local association league was played between the Canterbury Association Football Club, Christ’s College and local rugby teams, with the first game in April 1882.[14]

New Zealand’s first women's inter-provincial association football match was played in Christchurch in 1921. The match was between Canterbury and Wellington, with Canterbury winning 1–0.[15]

From the 1920s, further venues were established for specific sporting codes, including English Park (association football), Rugby Park (rugby), Wilding Park (tennis), Porritt Park (hockey) and Denton Park (track cycling).[16] Public parks became increasingly used as venues for team sports, including children's sport.[16]

Netball in Christchurch began as "women's basketball", a nine–a–side game introduced to New Zealand in 1906, and played on grass. The first representative match was held in Wellington in 1923, between teams from Wellington and Canterbury. Netball courts were established on a site in South Hagley Park that had originally been granted to the Salvation Army in 1921 for tennis courts. A team representing Canterbury took part in the first national tournament held in Dunedin in 1926. Christchurch hosted the 1929 national tournament.[17]

The 1974 British Commonwealth Games were held in Christchurch from 24 January to 2 February 1974, with the main venue at Queen Elizabeth II Park.[18] The games have been described as the "most important single event in Christchurch's sporting history".[6] Dick Tayler's win in the 10,000m race was described in the early 2000s as "the most memorable television moment in New Zealand sports history".[18]

In 2011, several major sports venues were damaged beyond repair in the 2011 Christchurch earthquake, including Lancaster Park and Queen Elizabeth II Park.[19]

Teams in national competitions

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Sport Gender Team/Association Established National competition Home venue Notes
Rugby union Mens Crusaders 1996 Super Rugby Rugby League Park
(known as Apollo Projects Stadium)
Rugby union Mens Canterbury Rugby Football Union 1879 National Provincial Championship Under construction: Te Kaha
(also known as Canterbury Multi-Use Arena)
Rugby league Mens Canterbury Bulls 1912 NZRL National Competition Rugby League Park
Association football Mens Cashmere Technical 2012 Chatham Cup
New Zealand National League 		Garrick Memorial Park
Association football Mens Coastal Spirit 2007 Chatham Cup
New Zealand National League 		Linfield Park
Association football Womens Canterbury United Pride 2002 New Zealand Women's National League English Park
Cricket Mens Canterbury Kings 1877 Super Smash Hagley Oval
Cricket Womens Canterbury Magicians 1932 Super Smash Hagley Oval
Netball Womens Mainland Tactix 2007 ANZ Premiership Wolfbrook Arena
Basketball Mens Canterbury Rams 1982 National Basketball League Cowles Stadium
Basketball Womens Mainland Pouākai Tauihi Basketball Aotearoa Cowles Stadium
Field hockey Mens Canterbury Cavaliers National Hockey League Ngā Puna Wai Sports Hub
Field hockey Womens Canterbury Cats National Hockey League Ngā Puna Wai Sports Hub
Ice hockey Mens Canterbury Red Devils 2005 New Zealand Ice Hockey League Alpine Ice Sports Centre
Ice hockey Womens Canterbury Inferno 2014 New Zealand Women's Ice Hockey League Alpine Ice Sports Centre

Association football

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Men's association football clubs that play in a regional qualifying league for the New Zealand National League in the South Island, Women's association football clubs that play in a South Island league.

League Clubs Established Home venue Notes
Chatham Cup
Southern League 		Cashmere Technical 2012 Garrick Memorial Park Qualified for 2024 New Zealand National League
Christchurch United 1970 United Sports Centre
Coastal Spirit 2007 Linfield Park Qualified for 2024 New Zealand National League
FC Twenty 11 2011 Avondhead Relegated from 2024 season
Ferrymead Bays 1972 Ferrymead Park
Nomads United 1910 Tulett Park
University of Canterbury 1945 Ilam Fields
Kate Sheppard Cup
South Island League 		Cashmere Technical 2012 Garrick Memorial Park
Coastal Spirit 2007 Linfield Park

International championship events hosted

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Sports venues

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Hagley Park has remained an important venue for sport in Christchurch from the time of the sports day held in 1851 to celebrate the anniversary of the founding of the city. The park has been described as the birthplace of many sporting codes in Christchurch.[20]

Several major sports venues were damaged beyond repair in the 2011 Christchurch earthquake, including Lancaster Park and Queen Elizabeth II Park.[19] The Ngā Puna Wai Sports Hub was developed on a greenfield site in a reserve in Aidanfield adjacent to the Canterbury Agricultural Park. The new venue replaced international–quality sports facilities lost during the Christchurch earthquakes, including athletics from Queen Elizabeth II Park, rugby league fields from Lancaster Park (AMI Stadium), hockey from Porritt Park, and tennis courts from Wilding Park. The sports hub was developed by the Christchurch City Council with contributions from sporting organisations and philanthropic trusts. The initial commitment was made in March 2015, with the intention of developing the facility in stages over 10—30 years.[21] The athletics track was the first stage of the complex to be opened, with the first meet held in October 2018.[22]

By 1938, there were 38 grass courts being used for netball at South Hagley Park.[23] These courts served as the main venue for netball in the city for around 100 years until the move in 2023 to a new Netsal Sports Centre at the Ngā Puna Wai Sports Hub.[24][25] The new venue is owned by the Christchurch Netball Centre and has a floor area of 10,000 m2 (110,000 sq ft) with 10 courts. The venue can also be used for volleyball, futsal, korfball and gymnastics. Most netball games moved from Hagley Park to the new centre as from winter 2024, and the existing netball centre building at South Hagley Park was sold to the city council.[24]

Further new sports facilities were built as part of the reconstruction following the earthquake, including the Parakiore Recreation and Sport Centre that is scheduled to open in 2025 and will be the largest aquatic and indoor sports venue of its kind in New Zealand.[26] The facility includes a 10–lane, 50 m competition pool with seating for 1000 spectators, a competition diving pool, five hydroslides and several indoor courts for codes including netball and basketball. The main court has retractable seating for 2,500.[27][28] Another major new sports facility is a multi-purpose covered stadium Te Kaha seating 30,000 spectators that is expected to be complete by April 2026.[29]

Most of the sportsgrounds in the city are owned and maintained by Christchurch City Council. As of 2024, the council maintains 110 sportsgrounds across Christchurch City and Banks Peninsula.[30] A Sportsfield Network Plan was adopted by the council in 2024 to upgrade sports fields over the following 10 years. The plan responds to the poor state of many sportsgrounds, with 30% having to be closed during winter 2023 because of wet weather, and more than half of fields assessed as below average or poor quality.[31][32]

List of major venues

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Aerial view of Hagley Oval cricket ground: North is the Botanic Gardens end, East is the historic Umpires' Pavilion side, South is the Port Hills end and West is the Christ's College cricket ground end.
Name Established Capacity Sports Notes
Addington Raceway 1899 Harness racing
Alpine Ice Sports Centre 1985 Ice sports
Apollo Projects Stadium 2011 18,600 Rugby Union, Rugby League, Football Temporary venue built after Chch earthquake [33]
Cowles Stadium 1961 1,000 Basketball, Netball, Volleyball
Denton Park 1959 Track cycling Established 1959.[34] Rebuilt for 1974 Commonwealth Games.[35]
English Park 1915 3,000 Association football Artificial football turf
Euromarque Motorsport Park 1963 Motor racing
Hagley Oval 1866 20,000 Cricket [36]
Hagley Park 1856 Cricket, Rugby union, Touch rugby, Football, American football, Gaelic football [37][38]
Kerr's Reach 1913 Rowing, canoeing River course widened 1949-1950[39][40]
Netsal Sports Centre
(Ngā Puna Wai Sports Hub) 		2023 Netball, Volleyball, Futsal, Korfball, Gymnastics [24]
Ngā Puna Wai Sports Hub 2019 Athletics, Hockey, Rugby League, Tennis
Parakiore Recreation and Sport Centre 1,000 (pool spectators)
2,500 (main indoor court) 		Swimming, Diving, Netball, Basketball Under construction, due for completion in 2025[27][28][41]
Riccarton Park Racecourse 1858 Thoroughbred racing
Te Kaha 30,000 Multi-use Under construction, scheduled to open April 2026. To be known as One New Zealand Stadium for sponsorship reasons.[29]
United Sports Centre 2014 1,000 Association football Formerly Christchurch Football Centre
Wilding Park 1920s Tennis
Wolfbrook Arena 1998 7,200 Netball, Basketball

Golf courses

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Christchurch has more than a dozen golf courses within 12 km (7.5 mi) of the city centre,[42] and has hosted the PGA Tour of Australasia/Nationwide Tour co-sanctioned Clearwater Classic/NZ PGA Championship at Clearwater Resort since 2002.

Former venues

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  • Lancaster Park (also known as Jade Stadium & AMI Stadium) was Christchurch's premier outdoor sporting ground. It hosted rugby union in the winter months and cricket in the summer months, and was home to the Crusaders Super Rugby and Canterbury Air New Zealand Cup rugby teams. Lancaster Park was also used by the New Zealand national cricket team and occasionally hosted a New Zealand Warriors rugby league match. It had a capacity of around 40,000 people for sporting fixtures, and around 50,000 for concerts. Damaged during the 2011 February earthquake, the facility was subsequently demolished in 2019 returning it to use as community sports fields.[43][44][45][46]
  • Queen Elizabeth II Park was built for the 1974 British Commonwealth Games, hosted in Christchurch.[47] It was used primarily as an athletics venue, but also included a swimming pool complex. It hosted major concerts from bands such as AC/DC and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. The facility was demolished due to damage sustained in the February 2011 earthquake.[48][49]
  • Porritt Park was an international–standard hockey venue adjacent to Kerr's Reach on the Avon River. It was severely damaged in the February 2011 earthquake and repairs were uneconomic.[50][51]
  • Between 1949 and 2000, Wigram Airfield was used as a temporary venue for the annual Lady Wigram Trophy motor racing event. The annual race was relocated to Ruapuna Park (now the Euromarque Motorsport Park).

Notable people

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Main category: Sportspeople from Christchurch

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Sports associations". Christchurch City Council. Archived from the original on 10 May 2024. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  2. ^ a b Wilson 2013, p. 293.
  3. ^ "Sports and recreational club membership (adults) - Canterbury Wellbeing Index". www.canterburywellbeing.org.nz. Archived from the original on 19 May 2024. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  4. ^ "Rangatahi Insights Pack 2022". Sport Canterbury. Retrieved 13 July 2024.
  5. ^ "2022 Sport Report". Sport Canterbury. Archived from the original on 12 July 2024. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
  6. ^ a b c Wilson, John (6 July 2015). "Canterbury region - Sport and leisure". Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Archived from the original on 15 June 2024. Retrieved 4 July 2024.
  7. ^ Wilson 2013, p. 295.
  8. ^ "Canterbury Cricket Umpires' Association Pavilion". New Zealand Heritage List/Rārangi Kōrero. Heritage New Zealand. Retrieved 4 July 2024.
  9. ^ "Christchurch Park History". Christchurch Park. Archived from the original on 14 October 2008.
  10. ^ "New Zealand Cup Winners". Thoroughbred Heritage. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  11. ^ a b Wilson 2013, p. 296.
  12. ^ "Men's club and provincial football". Te Ara. Retrieved 7 September 2024.
  13. ^ "New Zealand - Brown Shield History". RSSSF. Retrieved 7 September 2024.
  14. ^ "Football in New Zealand". Te Ara. Retrieved 7 September 2024.
  15. ^ "Women's club and provincial football". Te Ara. Retrieved 7 September 2024.
  16. ^ a b Wilson 2013, p. 294.
  17. ^ "History: 1900 - 1929". Netball New Zealand. Archived from the original on 12 July 2024. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
  18. ^ a b "Christchurch 1974". New Zealand Olympic Team. 8 February 2016. Archived from the original on 25 September 2023. Retrieved 4 July 2024.
  19. ^ a b Wilson 2013, p. 305.
  20. ^ Wilson, John (6 July 2015). "Canterbury Region - sport and leisure". Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Archived from the original on 15 June 2024. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
  21. ^ Truebridge, Nick (24 October 2017). "Funding for Nga Puna Wai sports hub $2.1m short". The Press. ProQuest 1953959440.
  22. ^ Lewis, Oliver; Hayward, Michael (21 October 2018). "Athletics track opening a milestone for Ngā Puna Wai sports hub". Stuff. Archived from the original on 2 August 2020. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  23. ^ Wilson 2013, p. 298.
  24. ^ a b c Law, Tina (10 November 2023). "New $16.5m netball centre opens in Christchurch". The Press. Archived from the original on 5 December 2023. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  25. ^ "Opening Day at Ngā Puna Wai". Christchurch Netball Centre. Archived from the original on 12 July 2024. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
  26. ^ "Troubled sports facility slowly taking shape". Otago Daily Times Online News. 24 February 2024. Archived from the original on 10 March 2024. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
  27. ^ a b "Parakiore". Christchurch Recreation and Sport Centres. Archived from the original on 8 July 2024. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
  28. ^ a b Gates, Charlie (7 March 2023). "Delayed by years, over budget - now the ground at Christchurch's metro sports facility has sunk". Stuff. Archived from the original on 28 February 2024. Retrieved 8 July 2024.
  29. ^ a b "One New Zealand gets naming rights for new $683m Christchurch stadium". RNZ. 4 July 2024. Archived from the original on 4 July 2024. Retrieved 4 July 2024.
  30. ^ "Sports grounds and stadiums". Christchurch City Council. Archived from the original on 20 May 2024. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
  31. ^ Lapsley, Sophie; Gill, Sinead (16 May 2024). "Plan to revamp sports fields". The Press. Archived from the original on 9 July 2024. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  32. ^ "Goal scored for future of Christchurch sports fields". Christchurch City Council - Newsline. 15 May 2024. Archived from the original on 22 May 2024. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  33. ^ "Apollo Projects Stadium".
  34. ^ "Denton Park Development". The Press. 30 September 1959. Archived from the original on 12 July 2024. Retrieved 7 July 2024 – via Papers Past.
  35. ^ "Denton Park Velodrome". Archived from the original on 12 July 2024. Retrieved 4 July 2024.
  36. ^ "Hagley Oval". Christchurch City Council. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  37. ^ "Summer sports field map". Christchurch City Council. Archived from the original on 15 June 2024. Retrieved 4 July 2024.
  38. ^ "Winter sports field map". Christchurch City Council. Archived from the original on 11 June 2024. Retrieved 4 July 2024.
  39. ^ "Kerrs Reach". National Library of New Zealand. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  40. ^ Wilson 2013, p. 300.
  41. ^ "Parakiore Recreation and Sport Centre". Christchurch City Council. Archived from the original on 8 July 2024. Retrieved 8 July 2024.
  42. ^ "Golf Courses in Christchurch". www.leadingcourses.com. Archived from the original on 12 July 2024. Retrieved 4 July 2024.
  43. ^ Tolerton, Nick (13 January 2012). "Hadlee Stand to be bowled over". New Zealand Herald. Archived from the original on 16 January 2012.
  44. ^ "Demolition of Christchurch's Lancaster Park approaches end". Stuff. 10 September 2019. Archived from the original on 24 July 2021. Retrieved 24 July 2021.
  45. ^ "Lancaster Park". ccc.govt.nz. Archived from the original on 24 July 2021. Retrieved 24 July 2021.
  46. ^ "Christchurch's Lancaster Park demolition enters final stage". RNZ. 10 September 2019. Archived from the original on 24 July 2021. Retrieved 24 July 2021.
  47. ^ Phillips, Jock (5 September 2013). "Sports venues – Development of the major stadiums, 1920 to 1990". Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Archived from the original on 13 May 2023. Retrieved 23 April 2024.
  48. ^ "Demolition ordered for QEII Park". NZ Herald. 18 April 2012. Archived from the original on 29 April 2024. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
  49. ^ "QEII Park Recreation and Sport Centre" "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 12 January 2012. Retrieved 4 July 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link), CCC Website
  50. ^ "'Millions needed' to fix Porritt Park grounds". Stuff. 15 July 2011. Retrieved 13 July 2024.
  51. ^ "Quake-hit former international hockey centre overgrown and untidy". Stuff. 7 May 2018. Retrieved 13 July 2024.

Sources cited

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