Sun 20 Jun 2010 In: New Zealand Daily News View at Wayback View at NDHA
Wellington AsiaPacific Outgames organisers are advising people to register early and save money, with earlybird fees available until the end of October. Outgames co-chair David Hindley says even for the sports competitions which run over three days and use large venues, none of the earlybird fees is over $100. "This is great value for an event drawing international competitors," he says. "For sports such as tennis, you couldn't do better if you were to book at the tennis venue yourself to play over 3 days." There is also a base registration fee of $59 which sports and conference participants pay, and which covers things like registration costs, but also includes entry to the Opening Ceremony at the capital's harbourside Te Papa museum. "The Opening Ceremony is when participants from all the countries meet for the first time," Hindley says. "It will be a spectacular event. And for the first time at an Outgames event anywhere in the world, there will be some food provided for everyone as part of the welcome." Hindley says people don't have to sign up for a sports event or the conference to take part in the Opening Ceremony; they just need to sign up for the base registration fee. He says that also provides other benefits during the Outgames week. The earlybird fees (available to the end of October) are: badminton, $95, bridge $50, dancesport $90, diving $60, golf $80, hockey $60, lawn bowls $50, mountain biking $75, netball $60, running $45, softball $60, squash $65, swimming $90, ten pin bowling $95, tennis $90, volleyball $60. The conference has its own earlybird fee structure. The conference earlybird period goes through to the end of November, as the full conference programme and speaker list will be published later in the year. The Outgames will be held from Saturday 12 to Saturday 19 March 2011. Information is on the website www.wellingtonoutgames.com
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Sunday, 20th June 2010 - 2:44pm