CANTERBURY CENTENNIAL GAMES OPENING TODAY

Wanganui Chronicle, 26 December 1950, Page 4

CANTERBURY CENTENNIAL GAMES OPENING TODAY

Cycling And Swimming

CHRISTCHURCH, Last Night (PA). —Two years’ preparations reach their climax tomorrow afternoon with the opening ol the Canterbury Centennial Games.

In the time since the British Empire Games were allotted to Auckland, enthusiasts in Christchurch have organised the biggest festival of sport ever held in the South Island. For the 10 days athletes from many parts of the world have been arriving m Christchurch, until there is now assembled a galaxy of talent claimed to be the finest gathered outside the Olympic and Empire Games festivals.

Rain during the week-end was not sufficiently heavy to interfere with the training of the ath'etes, most of whom have expressed their satisfaction with the preliminary arrangements made for them.

■The Games will be opened by the Governor-General, Sir Bernard Freyberg, at 1.33 p.m. tomorrow. From then until January 5, Christchurch will have two daily sessions of international sport. The opening ceremony v. ill bo similar to the colourful ceremony performed at the British Empire ..es. The Governor-General will arrive at English Park at 1.25 pm., when he will be met by the Mayor and Mayoress of Christchurch, Mr ard Mrs R. M. Macfarlane. The Ensign will be broken at the masthead and the various national teams, headed by a standard bearer, will parade on to the ground. The teams will halt before the grandstand while His Excellency declares the Games open. There will be be a fanfare of trumpets and 1203 pigeons will be released. Some of the birds will carry messages for the mayors of Timaru and Ashburton. The festival will open with a programme of both amateur and professional cycling events.