Touch nationals to return to Palmy in 09

Touch New Zealand have confirmed that Palmerston North’s Ongley Park will host their Secondary Schools Nationals for the third year running in 2009.

After having a variety of regions to choose from, TouchNZ announced that the host region would be the Manawatu due to having; ample accommodation close to the venue, central location in the North Island and good weather compared to other options.

Touch New Zealand Events Manager, Peter McDonald, stated that an important deciding factor for Palmerston North was that “the support that Sport Manawatu give us in preparing the event is ‘streets ahead’ of any other Council/RST that I’ve dealt with”.

The tournament will take place from Friday December 11 through to Sunday December 13 2009 and consists of 48 teams from all over New Zealand.

Sport Manawatu will also be preparing a bid document in 2009 for long-term hosting rights to the tournament which would see them hosting national Touch New Zealand tournaments on a almost annual basis.

The NZ Secondary Schools Touch Nationals have an estimated economic impact to the region of $569,800 each time they occur in Palmerston North.

This year’s tournament is to be held at Ongley Park from Friday December 12 to Sunday December 14.