World Games coming to NZ TV

In keeping with its reputation for delivering New Zealanders significant international events they would not see on other New Zealand channels, Triangle and Stratos Television have secured the rights to screen the World Games starting July 17.

New Zealanders will be among nearly 5,000 athletes from around the world who will take part in 26 official sports and five invitational sports that are not included in the Olympic Games.

New Zealanders have qualified to compete in orienteering, surf life saving, canoe polo, surfing, karate, artistic skating and power lifting.

Other sports include parachute jumping, artistic roller skating, sumo wrestling, orienteering, beach handball, dragon boating and rugby sevens (NZ is not listed as competing in either of the last two).

The Games were first held in 1981 under the umbrella of the International Olympic Committee and, like the Olympics, occur every four years. This time they will take place over 11 days in Kaohsiung City, Taiwan.

Triangle will screen the opening ceremony on Friday July 17 at 7:30pm. Stratos will screen a repeat of the ceremony on Saturday July 18 at 3pm.

Half hour daily highlights of the main events will screen on Triangle in the weekends at 6:30pm and weekdays at 7:30pm, except on Mondays when it will be at 9:30pm. On Stratos Television the highlights will screen daily at 8pm.

For more information about The World Games 2009 go to: http://www.worldgames-iwga.org/

Triangle Auckland is on UHF Channels 41, 42 and 52 and in Christchurch via TelstraClear cable (Channel 50). Triangle’s sister channel, Stratos Television, broadcasts nationwide via Sky Digital (Channel 89), Freeview (Channel 21) and TelstraClear cable.