2017 New Zealand World Masters Games is pricey, has ‘goodies’
If you’re rich (like the masters triathletes featured in this crazy-ass New York Times story), you can stop reading now. But if you count your track meet pennies, here’s your daily serving of dismay. “It’s game on!” say organizers of next year’s World Masters Games in Auckland, New Zealand. “Start the journey of a lifetime by taking your place in the world’s largest multi-sport event to be held across 10 days in one of the world’s most awe-inspiring and friendly countries.” It’s April 21-30, 2017. Prices have been posted in NZD (New Zealand dollars), and I’ve converted them to USD. The cheapest entry fee is $194 U.S. The gold package will set you back $542. But wait! There’s more! If you register before March 31, 2016, you get inducted into the Hall of Fame! Say what? Yes, you get some whizbang trinkets like a pin and picture for use on Facebook. See details here. This is like one of those medals you get for finishing a 5K. Anyway, now you have a chance to travel Down Under two straight years for world competition. Best of luck, and start saving now.
12 Responses
WMG Auckland 2017 is very attractive. But the main question is whether or not WMA and our national masters federations will approve results, including records, from WMG Auckland 2017.
On closer reading, the discriminatory Bronze to Gold packages, plus that weird Hall of Fame construction really alienate me. Despite my prior goodwill all that, on top of the unresolved WMG results approval issue, confirms that I will definitely forget WMG Auckland 2017.
It would be nice to bring a chef and PT along for the trip. I guess I better add making a million dollars to my training program.
I participated in the WMG in Sydney in 2009. I recall the fee was somewhat expensive and for that one received a backpack and a transportation pass and registration for one sport. I do not recall if one paid more for a second sport. I enjoyed the games in Sydney. It was somewhat low key compared with WMA but one could watch a number of other sports. It is more like the National Senior Games in that the focus is on good health and fun and not so much on becoming champion of the world.
As for NZ – I laughed when I saw the notice about the more expensive packages and wonder what fools will fall for that. Gee I can join their hall of fame for big bucks – thanks – no thanks.
I hope to go primarily because I have not been to New Zealand and it is on my bucket list but I will pay for the cheapest entry which includes a backpack but no transportation pass! (cheapskates). And I will wait until closer to the time of the games to register.
BTW – there is an North American Games in Vancouver in late August and early September. They are trying to get folks to sign up now but fail to post the dates of the sports competitions. I have emailed them twice about that and they do not respond. Makes me wonder if they are running a serious sports meet.
It has been my dream for 20 years to visit New Zealand. Learning about WMG 2017 there, I was very enthusiastic. The idea was to combine a journey throughout NZ and a high-level masters competition.
However, I was discouraged by the frightening entry fees (plus the discriminating differentiation).
The other expenses of the participants are great (traveling to New Zealand costs a lot; and NZ is not a cheap country), so the hosts had to reduce the entry fees (to compensate), and not to pump them up. Disappointed by the politics and the attitude of the hosts (Kiwis have a reputation of nice people, but in this case …. hmmm!).
And it is not possible to enjoy a full journey to 5 or 10 places in NZ, and at the same time to adapt (jet-lag, new climate, etc.), to train hard, and to compete on high level. One of both will always suffer.
The best time for journeys within NZ (with most stable weather) is February-March (not the end of April – mid-autumn).
The two earthquakes in NZ in the last 2 weeks also cooled down my wish.
The European Masters Games in Nice (France) last October were also a commercial enterprise (160 EUR entry fee!). The results from EMG 2015 were not recognized by WMA, EMA, and even (!?) the French Masters Athletics Federation.
It seems that the results from WMG 2017 will also not be recognized by WMA.
The track-and-field rivalry in Auckland will not be tough. Two WMA competitions will be held before that. In October-November 2016 – WMACS in Perth. In March 2017 – WMACI in Daegu (South Korea). The best, world-class, athletes, will attend the latter 2 competitions. Their venues are too remote, and probably these athletes will not make a third, very expensive, trip to another remote country, in order to take part in a second-class competition, not recognized by WMA. Specially for track-and-field, the competition will be Oceania Games, not WMG.
The athletic stadium – Trusts Arena – does not seem something special. It’s like a village stadium, not renovated soon.
Tauranga Domain all-weather athletic track looks better (yes, it is outside Auckland area).
“If you hesitate whether to do something, don’t do it”. Old truth. Conclusion: not going to WMG 2017. Not worth spending huge amounts of money for something one will not enjoy fully.
I don’t understand why the results for some of the WMG events were not recognized. Did they not use FAT? Were results erroneously reported or what? The previous WMG events that I attended seemed to be taking care of the specifics in those areas. Could it be just a bias against a competing world championships?
WMG are not a competing world championships. So they would do themselves a service if they stated that explicitly on their prospectus and made a real effort to reach agreement with WMA. As to WMA well… Yes, they have an unnecessary, childish, personal prestige-driven bias against WMG. And WMA should get over it now and recognize results from these attractive and well-run WMG athletics meetings. And every WMA national federation should file a motion to that effect.
Who cares if the WMA ‘recognizes’ the marks? If you want to go to New Zealand, this is a pretty good excuse.
I agree with TB – I will probably get a medal or two as there will not be a lot of competition in my age group. the x-c – my favorite event is just 4k (instead of the WMA 8k) and on the last day. I am not going to the WMG to break records – I am going to see New Zealand and run around the track and have a nice short x-c race. For me it is a good excuse to go to NZ. Those who hope to set records need to be very picky about where they compete, for the rest of us mere mortals – it is about keeping fit and having a good time.
I also agree that the NZ outfit is shooting itself in the foot with the 3 tier entry fees. the WMG in Sydney in 2009 included a transportation pass that was very useful. No doubt they included it in the fee but they did not hold it out for another big chunk of change. Very shortsighted I think.
Well tb and Mary Harada, if that is indicative of a general indifference to WMA not recognizing WMG results, then no progress can be made. We masters athletes get what we deserve.
Anthony – I have no clue about WMA recognizing or not recognizing WMG results. My participation in the WMG in NZ will depend upon my health and the condition of my pocketbook as well as the amount of get up and go I have left in the tank. It will have nothing to do with WMA recognizing the results of the WMG. I understand this is very important for some but frankly I have no interest in getting involved in the politics of this issue.
My complaint with the WMG in NZ – is the pricing plan – just plain stupid and off-putting.
I wrote to a WMA source about whether records set at New Zealand WMG would be eligible for WMA records.
My source replied:
“At the present time no decision has been made, talks are still ongoing with them. The 2009 championships were sanctioned by WMA.”
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