One thing is for sure – Christchurch New Zealand has produced some amazing sportsmen. The Canterbury region of which Christchurch is the main city, is a favourite place for people who like sport and recreation in New Zealand.
Whatever sport you participate in or support, you are likely to find a local club. The region has strong representation in rugby, cricket, soccer, basketball, netball, rowing, surf life saving, swimming, gymnastics, sailing, skiing, skating, horse riding, hockey, softball, rock climbing, cycling, it really is hard to keep up with all the sports you will find here!
New Zealand Sport
As far as New Zealand sport goes, Canterbury is a strong competitor in nearly all forms of sport. It really is a haven for sporty people. Christchurch city is well set out, flat and easy to get around. It is on the edge of the Canterbury Plains. Bicycles are plentiful and many people walk to their work.
The city has plenty of beach space, has the Port Hills with great mountain biking and rock climbing. The skifields are only a couple of hours drive and there is a selection to choose from with ice skating in an arena in town, or in the middle of winter on the frozen lakes at the base of the Southern Alps.
Christchurch has a resource centre for the New Zealand Academy of Sport. The city really is a great place for sporty people to live. In this article we feature a little about rugby, golf, fishing and a few of the main activities you will find around the Southern Alps. Remember though, this is only a very small part of the many activities of sport in New Zealand.
Canterbury Rugby
If you are coming to Christchurch to follow the Canterbury Rugby, Crusaders Rugby or All Blacks Rugby, the main stadium is ‘AMI stadium’. This can be found in the south east of the city. It is a block back from Moorhouse Avenue and along Wilsons Road, in the suburb of Waltham.
The main entrance can be found at the end of Lancaster Street which is a street off Moorhouse Avenue. The park was for many years called Lancaster Park. The quarter finals of the Rugby World Cup in 2011 will be held there.
Another ground where rugby has a strong presence is ‘Rugby Park’ in the suburb of St Albans. This is the training ground for the Canterbury Crusaders rugby team. They are the current holders of the Super 14 tournament and the Tri Nations Trophy. Accommodation for rugby followers could be a selection of places anywhere around the city depending on your budget and desires.
When teams come to stay, a popular place for them to stay is at Speight’s Ale House on Bealey Ave, just along from Barbadoes Street. The business is a favourite of sporting people and has an extensive accommodation complex behind the restaurants and bars. The premises are owned by a group of former top sportsmen.
Christchurch Golf Courses
If golf is more your thing you will be happy to play a round in Christchurch. The most well known and oldest courses are the Shirley Golf Course run by the Christchurch Golf Club and the Russley Golf Course. The Christchurch Golf Club was established in 1873 at Hagley Park.
They moved to the present site in Shirley in 1900. The club has hosted over a dozen New Zealand Open Championships plus many other national amateur events. The 1990 World Amateur Teams Championships were held there.
It is rated in the top golf courses in New Zealand. The Russley Golf Club has an excellent golf course with one of the finest facilities in the country. The Russley is always in top condition. It has undulating to flat fairways which are easy to walk. The Russley golf course is only 2km from Christchurch International airport, so if you are looking for something to do on a stopover – give golf in Christchurch some consideration.
There is a feast of Christchurch golf courses around with reasonable fees and they welcome visitors. You can find some courses complete with accommodation and resort facilities.
Hagley Golf Course in Christchurch
Canterbury Fishing
Fishing in Christchurch is more available in the surrounding region. Fly fishing New Zealand is popular with locals and tourists alike. There are fishermen who come to New Zealand to go fly fishing each year. New Zealand’s clean rivers and lakes are perfect for freshwater fly, salmon and trout fishing.
The Canterbury area provides for some very large brown trout at times to ‘those in the know’. Anglers dream of the variety of water, the scenery, and the size of the fish. Canterbury Rivers also provide spectacular fishing for sea run browns. These fish can be very large as they feed up on the rich bounty of the ocean and estuarine areas where they can be targeted.
Many rivers in Canterbury have good populations of Rainbow trout, particularly in the mountain streams and rivers. They can attain a good size and it is just so much fun to land these. Hooking them is only the start of the adventure.
The larger Canterbury east coast rivers are renowned for there salmon fishing. These can be taken on a fly. Salmon numbers appear to be recovering after some years of below average returns, let’s hope so.
The Fishing Season for Canterbury fishing is Oct 1 through to April 30. It is advised to get a specialist freshwater fly fishing guide. They will be able to get you to the right streams for South Island fishing, where the fish do bite!
Southern Alps
From Christchurch it takes about two and a half hours to be up on the mountains skiing or snowboarding. A short journey across the Canterbury Plains and up one of the ski field roads will have you up above the clouds and swooshing down the slopes. If you want to Ski New Zealand Mount Hutt is one of the more reliable skifields for snow conditions.
It is well worth having on your list of fields to ski on any New Zealand skiing trip. Mount Hutt is the largest ski field close to Christchurch. There are quite a few others that are about the same distance away including some interesting club fields, if you don’t mind forfeiting some of the commercial field luxuries. New Zealand Southern Alps also offers great rock and mountain climbing.
The region attracts or homes many noted climbers. At the base of the Southern Alps you will find a variety of lakes. There are some that naturally freeze in winter and create a wonderful place for the amazing experience of skating over ice, as you watch the fish swimming beneath you.
Daily excursions are available to these activities from Christchurch (during their season). Other activities operating in this region include white water rafting and jet boating.
You can stay in a range of accommodation in Christchurch from backpacker’s right through to luxury hotels. If you prefer there are a selection of places to stay across the countryside and in the villages around the base of the Southern Alps New Zealand.
Author: R Dobbie