30,000 at Sportarama

Press, 20 September 1982, Page 3

30,000 at Sportarama

The success of Christchurch’s second Sportarama. held during the. week-end. has delighted the organisers. The Sportarama filled the Queen Elizabeth II Park and pool complex with many stalls and exhibitions promoting most sports. "It has gone extremely well, we are delighted with the results." said Mr Harry Blazey, chairman of the Canterbury Sports Foundation, yesterday. “The Q.E. II stadium has tons of room, and activities have gone on all over the place. It has been terrific — the sports teams and sponsors have really pitched in.

“I think we will do it again in 18 months or two years." Mr Blazey said. He estimated that more than 30,000 people passed through the stadium on Sat-

urday and Sunday, and that there were at least 50 types of sport represented. One of the highlights yesterday was the triumphant holding aloft of the newly won Ranfurly Shield. The shield was paraded around the athletic ring to much cheering and clapping, and was on display throughout the day.

Among the more novel displays were the hang-glid-ing. frizbee. and Jazzercise demonstrations. In the pool complex, people tried scuba diving, and browsed along the manv water sport stalls. Children and adults queued to try shooting goals with netball, and many stood in line to view the marksmanship of the Christchurch Smallbore Rifle Association, through a telescope. The association's members shot at targets down a long concrete pipe whilst lying on the ground. Among the sporting display stalls were exotic food stalls run by Cambodian. Vietnamese. and Indian groups. The weather was perfect, and everyone appeared to be "having a go." which was the sports foundation’s aim.