Wednesday, 10 March 2010
AN influx of competitors and supporters for the New Zealand Surf Life Saving Championships at Ohope is putting pressure on the Whakatane and Ohope accommodation industry.
Fifteen hundred and eighteen competitors have signed up for the four-day event, which starts tomorrow. More than 1000 supporters are also expected.
The Whakatane Information Centre said most Whakatane accommodation had been booked out but some motel rooms had become available from late cancellations. Private billets had also been arranged for some competitors and supporters.
Team leader Naomi Freeman said the centre had a list of private “overflow accommodation” that had been organised for the event.
Ohope Beach Holiday Rentals, which provides listing of homes and units for rent, has just one listing left out of 25.
Some surf club teams booked well in advance. For example the Mairangi Bay Surf Life Saving Club, which will be staying at Karibu Backpackers at Landing Road and at other providers, made its bookings two years ago immediately after the last championships at Ohope in 2008.
That event attracted more than 3000 people and injected about $1.5 million into the Eastern Bay economy - after a mere $7000 outlay by the Whakatane District Council to secure the event. Eastern Bay economic development agency Toi-EDA events manager Mike Van der Boom said they had this year contributed $7500 towards the costs of the event and it had also received support from a $2500 contribution by the Whakatane District Council.
“We have a few more costs time, but I would expect the revenue to be substantially larger with the increased number of athletes,” he said.
In a special innovation for the event this year, busses sponsored by Opus International will run free of charge during the weekend between Mahy Reserve at Ohope and Rex Morpeth Park in Whakatane, and at Ohope between Bluett Park between and Mahy Reserve.
The Ohope service is for competitors only but the Whakatane and Ohope service is also open to people who want to watch the competitions.
The Whakatane to Ohope service will run hourly between 9.30am and 4.30pm while the Ohope to Whakatane bus will run hourly from 9.15am to 4.45pm
A big question on the minds of the organisers this year is not so much about the weather but whether Moko the bottle-nosed dolphin will poke his nose into proceedings.
Moko is generally welcomed, but not for the championships due to his potentially disruptive influence. He has a habit of stealing surf and boogie boards and nudging and playing with their riders.
Whakatane Surf Life Saving Club spokeswoman Christine Tulloch said the club was hoping Moko would be kept busy elsewhere.
The Whakatane harbour superintendent Peter Cavanagh has been asked by the club to try to distract Moko’s attention to keep him away from the event.
One of Moko’s minders, Kirsty Carrington, said they would do whatever they could to keep Moko out of harm’s way.
She said Moko had been successfully contained to certain areas before and it was hoped he could be encouraged to stick to the Whakatane River. She said he tended to go to where people went and the plan was to find and attract him away before the championships started.