Sport in Christchurch

Sport in Christchurch is supported by around 1,200 sports clubs and associations.{{Cite web |title=Sports associations |url=https://ccc.govt.nz/rec-and-sport/sports-grounds/sports-associations |access-date=2024-07-03 |website=Christchurch City Council |language=en-GB |archive-date=10 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240510193037/https://www.ccc.govt.nz/rec-and-sport/sports-grounds/sports-associations |url-status=live }} Almost all of these organisations are run by volunteers, although there are now some professional teams.{{Sfn|Wilson|2013|p=293}}

Surveys carried out by Sport New Zealand indicate that just over one quarter of adults in Canterbury are members of a sport or recreation club (excluding gym or fitness centre memberships).{{Cite web |title=Sports and recreational club membership (adults) - Canterbury Wellbeing Index |url=https://www.canterburywellbeing.org.nz/our-wellbeing/social-capital/sports-and-recreational-club-membership-adults/ |access-date=2024-07-09 |website=www.canterburywellbeing.org.nz |archive-date=19 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240519235655/https://www.canterburywellbeing.org.nz/our-wellbeing/social-capital/sports-and-recreational-club-membership-adults/ |url-status=live }} In 2022, the umbrella organisation Sport Canterbury reported in their annual survey results that there were around 140,000 affiliated members of the sporting codes that responded to the survey. Youth aged 12–18 make up 23% of the membership of Canterbury sports clubs.{{Cite web |title=Rangatahi Insights Pack 2022 |url=https://www.sportcanterbury.org.nz/asset/downloadasset?id=9a3c746f-3138-4397-bab8-c4e0bec9ab69 |access-date=13 July 2024 |website=Sport Canterbury}} The top five sporting codes in Canterbury based on club membership in 2022 were netball, touch rugby, rugby union, golf and cricket. Although outside the top ten codes, basketball has shown significant growth since 2011, with participation doubling in ten years.{{Cite web |title=2022 Sport Report |url=https://www.sportcanterbury.org.nz/asset/downloadasset?id=db08f97f-a4bd-4224-a09e-6cdbdad79ebf |access-date=6 December 2024 |website=Sport Canterbury |archive-date=12 July 2024 |page=17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240712032512/https://www.sportcanterbury.org.nz/asset/downloadasset?id=db08f97f-a4bd-4224-a09e-6cdbdad79ebf |url-status=live }}

File:CCRugby1940.jpg

File:Lancaster Park aerial July 2011.jpg

Organised sport was becoming established in Britain at about the same time that British settlers emigrated to New Zealand. In 1851, the anniversary of the founding of the Canterbury settlement was celebrated with an organised sports day in North Hagley Park.

Team and individual sports that were popular in Britain soon became established in Christchurch.{{Sfn|Wilson|2013|p=293}} A cricket club was formed in June 1851, and cricket was included in the sports day celebration later that year. The cricket oval in South Hagley Park was established by the 1860s.{{Sfn|Wilson|2013|p=295}} A cricket umpires' pavilion built in 1864 was moved to the oval in 1866 and is recognised as the oldest cricket pavilion in New Zealand. It is listed as a Category 2 Historic Place by Heritage New Zealand.{{NZHPT|3656|Canterbury Cricket Umpires' Association Pavilion|4 July 2024}}

A form of rugby football was played as early as the 1850s by pupils of Christ's College. The Christchurch Football Club, an amateur rugby union club, was founded in 1863, and is believed to be the oldest rugby club in New Zealand.{{Cite web |title=Christchurch Park History |url=http://www.christchurchpark.co.nz/history.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081014035741/http://www.christchurchpark.co.nz/history.html |archive-date=14 October 2008 |publisher=Christchurch Park}} The Canterbury Rugby Football Union was formed in 1879. Lancaster Park was opened in 1881, and was a major focus of organised sports in the city for 130 years until the stadium and grounds were damaged beyond repair in the 2011 Christchurch earthquake.{{cite web |last=Wilson |first=John |date=6 July 2015 |title=Canterbury region - Sport and leisure |url=https://teara.govt.nz/en/canterbury-region/page-16 |access-date=4 July 2024 |website=Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand |archive-date=15 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240615024331/https://teara.govt.nz/en/canterbury-region/page-16 |url-status=live }}

The New Zealand Cup is a race for thoroughbred horses that has been held annually at Riccarton Racecourse since 1867. The race was known as the Canterbury Jockey Club Handicap until 1882.{{Cite web |title=New Zealand Cup Winners |url=https://tbheritage.com/TurfHallmarks/racecharts/NewZealand/NewZealandCup.html |access-date=12 July 2024 |website=Thoroughbred Heritage}} The New Zealand Trotting Cup for standardbred horses has been held annually at Addington Raceway since 1904.

Tennis became an established sport from 1881 when a lawn tennis club was formed with courts in Cramner Square. Tennis courts were built across the city, including in Hagley Park and at Lancaster Park, where a Davis Cup match was held in 1911.{{Sfn|Wilson|2013|p=296}}

New Zealand’s first inter-provincial association football match was played in Christchurch in 1890.{{Sfn|Wilson|2013|p=296}} The match was between Canterbury and Otago and was hosted at Lancaster Park, drawing a crowd of 5,000.{{cite web |title=Men’s club and provincial football |url=https://teara.govt.nz/en/football/page-2 |website=Te Ara |access-date=7 September 2024}} Later in the year, the first inter-islander match was played, between Canterbury and Wellington with Canterbury winning 2–0.{{cite web |title=New Zealand - Brown Shield History |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesn/nz-brownhist.html |website=RSSSF |access-date=7 September 2024}} The first local association league was played between the Canterbury Association Football Club, Christ’s College and local rugby teams, with the first game in April 1882.{{cite web |title=Football in New Zealand |url=https://teara.govt.nz/en/football/page-1 |website=Te Ara |access-date=7 September 2024}}

New Zealand’s first women's inter-provincial association football match was played in Christchurch in 1921. The match was between Canterbury and Wellington, with Canterbury winning 1–0.{{cite web |title=Women’s club and provincial football |url=https://teara.govt.nz/en/football/page-5 |website=Te Ara |access-date=7 September 2024}}

From the 1920s, further venues were established for specific sporting codes, including English Park (association football), Rugby Park (rugby), Wilding Park (tennis), Porritt Park (hockey) and Denton Park (track cycling).{{Sfn|Wilson|2013|p=294}} Public parks became increasingly used as venues for team sports, including children's sport.{{Sfn|Wilson|2013|p=294}}

Netball in Christchurch began as "women's basketball", a nine–a–side game introduced to New Zealand in 1906, and played on grass. The first representative match was held in Wellington in 1923, between teams from Wellington and Canterbury. Netball courts were established on a site in South Hagley Park that had originally been granted to the Salvation Army in 1921 for tennis courts. A team representing Canterbury took part in the first national tournament held in Dunedin in 1926. Christchurch hosted the 1929 national tournament.{{Cite web |title=History: 1900 - 1929 |url=https://netballnz.co.nz/netball-nz/our-game/history/1900-1929.html |access-date=11 July 2024 |website=Netball New Zealand |archive-date=12 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240712032543/https://netballnz.co.nz/netball-nz/our-game/history/1900-1929.html |url-status=live }}

The 1974 British Commonwealth Games were held in Christchurch from 24 January to 2 February 1974, with the main venue at Queen Elizabeth II Park.{{Cite web |date=2016-02-08 |title=Christchurch 1974 |url=https://olympic.org.nz/games/christchurch-1974 |access-date=2024-07-04 |website=New Zealand Olympic Team |language=en |archive-date=25 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230925053136/https://www.olympic.org.nz/games/christchurch-1974/ |url-status=live }} The games have been described as the "most important single event in Christchurch's sporting history". Dick Tayler's win in the 10,000m race was described in the early 2000s as "the most memorable television moment in New Zealand sports history".

In 2011, several major sports venues were damaged beyond repair in the 2011 Christchurch earthquake, including Lancaster Park and Queen Elizabeth II Park.{{Sfn|Wilson|2013|p=305}}

Men's association football clubs that play in a regional qualifying league for the New Zealand National League in the South Island, Women's association football clubs that play in a South Island league.

{{Div col|colwidth=25em}}

• 1974 British Commonwealth Games
• 1977 Rugby League World Cup
• 1981 Pacific Conference Games
• 1982 Women's Cricket World Cup
• 1987 Rugby World Cup
• 1989 XVI World Games for the Deaf
• 1992 Cricket World Cup
• 1999 World Netball Championships
• 2000 Women's Cricket World Cup
• 2004 Men's Softball World Championship
• 2008 World Outdoor Bowls Championship
• 2011 IPC Athletics World Championships
• 2015 Cricket World Cup
• 2016 World Outdoor Bowls Championship
• 2022 Women's Cricket World Cup
• 2022–23 SailGP Championship
• 2023–24 SailGP Championship

{{Div col end}}

Hagley Park has remained an important venue for sport in Christchurch from the time of the sports day held in 1851 to celebrate the anniversary of the founding of the city. The park has been described as the birthplace of many sporting codes in Christchurch.{{Cite web |last=Wilson |first=John |date=6 July 2015 |title=Canterbury Region - sport and leisure |url=https://teara.govt.nz/en/canterbury-region/page-16 |access-date=7 July 2024 |website=Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand |archive-date=15 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240615024331/https://teara.govt.nz/en/canterbury-region/page-16 |url-status=live }}

Several major sports venues were damaged beyond repair in the 2011 Christchurch earthquake, including Lancaster Park and Queen Elizabeth II Park.{{Sfn|Wilson|2013|p=305}} The Ngā Puna Wai Sports Hub was developed on a greenfield site in a reserve in Aidanfield adjacent to the Canterbury Agricultural Park. The new venue replaced international–quality sports facilities lost during the Christchurch earthquakes, including athletics from Queen Elizabeth II Park, rugby league fields from Lancaster Park (AMI Stadium), hockey from Porritt Park, and tennis courts from Wilding Park. The sports hub was developed by the Christchurch City Council with contributions from sporting organisations and philanthropic trusts. The initial commitment was made in March 2015, with the intention of developing the facility in stages over 10—30 years.{{Cite news |last=Truebridge |first=Nick |date=24 October 2017 |title=Funding for Nga Puna Wai sports hub $2.1m short |work=The Press |id={{ProQuest|1953959440}}}} The athletics track was the first stage of the complex to be opened, with the first meet held in October 2018.{{Cite news |last=Lewis |first=Oliver |last2=Hayward |first2=Michael |date=21 October 2018 |title=Athletics track opening a milestone for Ngā Puna Wai sports hub |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/107998371/athletics-track-opening-a-milestone-for-ng-puna-wai-sports-hub |access-date=12 July 2024 |work=Stuff |archive-date=2 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200802143309/https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/107998371/athletics-track-opening-a-milestone-for-ng-puna-wai-sports-hub |url-status=live }}

By 1938, there were 38 grass courts being used for netball at South Hagley Park.{{Sfn|Wilson|2013|p=298}} These courts served as the main venue for netball in the city for around 100 years until the move in 2023 to a new Netsal Sports Centre at the Ngā Puna Wai Sports Hub.{{Cite web |last=Law |first=Tina |date=10 November 2023 |title=New $16.5m netball centre opens in Christchurch |url=https://www.thepress.co.nz/nz-news/350107346/new-165m-netball-centre-opens-christchurch |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231205193607/https://www.thepress.co.nz/nz-news/350107346/new-165m-netball-centre-opens-christchurch |archive-date=5 December 2023 |access-date=12 July 2024 |website=The Press}}{{Cite web |title=Opening Day at Ngā Puna Wai |url=https://www.netballchristchurch.org.nz/cnc |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240712032515/https://www.netballchristchurch.org.nz/ |archive-date=12 July 2024 |access-date=11 July 2024 |website=Christchurch Netball Centre}} The new venue is owned by the Christchurch Netball Centre and has a floor area of {{Convert|10000|m2|abbr=on}} with 10 courts. The venue can also be used for volleyball, futsal, korfball and gymnastics. Most netball games moved from Hagley Park to the new centre as from winter 2024, and the existing netball centre building at South Hagley Park was sold to the city council.

Further new sports facilities were built as part of the reconstruction following the earthquake, including the Parakiore Recreation and Sport Centre that is scheduled to open in 2025 and will be the largest aquatic and indoor sports venue of its kind in New Zealand.{{Cite web |date=2024-02-24 |title=Troubled sports facility slowly taking shape |url=https://www.odt.co.nz/star-news/star-south-today/troubled-sports-facility-slowly-taking-shape |access-date=2024-07-07 |website=Otago Daily Times |language=en |archive-date=10 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240310155032/https://www.odt.co.nz/star-news/star-south-today/troubled-sports-facility-slowly-taking-shape |url-status=live }} The facility includes a 10–lane, 50{{Nbsp}}m competition pool with seating for 1000 spectators, a competition diving pool, five hydroslides and several indoor courts for codes including netball and basketball. The main court has retractable seating for 2,500.{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=Parakiore |url=https://recandsport.ccc.govt.nz/centres/parakiore/ |access-date=7 July 2024 |website=Christchurch Recreation and Sport Centres |language=en-NZ |archive-date=8 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240708210337/https://recandsport.ccc.govt.nz/centres/parakiore/ |url-status=live }} Another major new sports facility is a multi-purpose covered stadium Te Kaha seating 30,000 spectators that is expected to be complete by April 2026.

Most of the sportsgrounds in the city are owned and maintained by Christchurch City Council. {{As of|2024}}, the council maintains 110 sportsgrounds across Christchurch City and Banks Peninsula.{{Cite web |title=Sports grounds and stadiums |url=https://ccc.govt.nz/rec-and-sport/sports-grounds |access-date=2024-07-07 |website=Christchurch City Council |language=en-GB |archive-date=20 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240520221515/https://ccc.govt.nz/rec-and-sport/sports-grounds |url-status=live }} A Sportsfield Network Plan was adopted by the council in 2024 to upgrade sports fields over the following 10 years. The plan responds to the poor state of many sportsgrounds, with 30% having to be closed during winter 2023 because of wet weather, and more than half of fields assessed as below average or poor quality.{{Cite news |last=Lapsley |first=Sophie |last2=Gill |first2=Sinead |date=16 May 2024 |title=Plan to revamp sports fields |url=https://www.pressreader.com/new-zealand/the-press/20240516/281479281516740 |access-date=9 July 2024 |work=The Press |archive-date=9 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240709080235/https://www.pressreader.com/new-zealand/the-press/20240516/281479281516740 |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |date=2024-05-15 |title=Goal scored for future of Christchurch sports fields |url=https://newsline.ccc.govt.nz/news/story/goal-scored-for-future-of-christchurch-sports-fields |access-date=9 July 2024 |website=Christchurch City Council - Newsline |language=en-NZ |archive-date=22 May 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240522235551/https://newsline.ccc.govt.nz/news/story/goal-scored-for-future-of-christchurch-sports-fields |url-status=live }}

File:Aerial view of Hagley Oval.jpg cricket ground: North is the Botanic Gardens end, East is the historic Umpires' Pavilion side, South is the Port Hills end and West is the Christ's College cricket ground end.]]

Christchurch has more than a dozen golf courses within {{Convert|12|km|abbr=on}} of the city centre,{{Cite web |title=Golf Courses in Christchurch |url=https://www.leadingcourses.com/region/oceania+new-zealand/christchurch/clubs |access-date=2024-07-04 |website=www.leadingcourses.com |language=en |archive-date=12 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240712032516/https://www.leadingcourses.com/region/oceania+new-zealand/christchurch/clubs |url-status=live }} and has hosted the PGA Tour of Australasia/Nationwide Tour co-sanctioned Clearwater Classic/NZ PGA Championship at Clearwater Resort since 2002.

• Lancaster Park (also known as Jade Stadium & AMI Stadium) was Christchurch's premier outdoor sporting ground. It hosted rugby union in the winter months and cricket in the summer months, and was home to the Crusaders Super Rugby and Canterbury Air New Zealand Cup rugby teams. Lancaster Park was also used by the New Zealand national cricket team and occasionally hosted a New Zealand Warriors rugby league match. It had a capacity of around 40,000 people for sporting fixtures, and around 50,000 for concerts. Damaged during the 2011 February earthquake, the facility was subsequently demolished in 2019 returning it to use as community sports fields.{{cite news|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10778482|title=Hadlee Stand to be bowled over|date=13 January 2012|first=Nick|last=Tolerton|work=New Zealand Herald | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120116105133/http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10778482|archive-date=16 January 2012}}{{Cite news |date=10 September 2019 |title=Demolition of Christchurch's Lancaster Park approaches end |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/cricket/115680567/demolition-of-christchurchs-lancaster-park-approaches-end |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210724211542/https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/cricket/115680567/demolition-of-christchurchs-lancaster-park-approaches-end |archive-date=24 July 2021 |access-date=24 July 2021 |work=Stuff |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Lancaster Park |url=https://ccc.govt.nz/rec-and-sport/projects/lancaster-park/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210724211554/https://ccc.govt.nz/rec-and-sport/projects/lancaster-park/ |archive-date=24 July 2021 |access-date=24 July 2021 |website=ccc.govt.nz |language=en-GB}}{{Cite news |date=10 September 2019 |title=Christchurch's Lancaster Park demolition enters final stage |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/398516/christchurch-s-lancaster-park-demolition-enters-final-stage |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210724211542/https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/398516/christchurch-s-lancaster-park-demolition-enters-final-stage |archive-date=24 July 2021 |access-date=24 July 2021 |work=RNZ |language=en-nz}}
• Queen Elizabeth II Park was built for the 1974 British Commonwealth Games, hosted in Christchurch.{{Cite encyclopedia |title=Sports venues – Development of the major stadiums, 1920 to 1990 |encyclopedia=Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand |url=http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/object/41317/queen-elizabeth-ii-park-christchurch |access-date=23 April 2024 |last=Phillips |first=Jock |date=5 September 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230513220038/https://teara.govt.nz/en/object/41317/queen-elizabeth-ii-park-christchurch |archive-date=13 May 2023 |url-status=live}} It was used primarily as an athletics venue, but also included a swimming pool complex. It hosted major concerts from bands such as AC/DC and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. The facility was demolished due to damage sustained in the February 2011 earthquake.{{Cite web |date=18 April 2012 |title=Demolition ordered for QEII Park |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/demolition-ordered-for-qeii-park/CXKS3JMAAWF3MLMMNQT6GWXDVA/ |access-date=29 April 2024 |website=The New Zealand Herald |language=en-NZ |archive-date=29 April 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240429004530/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/demolition-ordered-for-qeii-park/CXKS3JMAAWF3MLMMNQT6GWXDVA/ |url-status=live }}"QEII Park Recreation and Sport Centre" {{Cite web |url=http://www.ccc.govt.nz/cityleisure/recreationsport/facilities/qeii/index.aspx |title=Archived copy |access-date=4 July 2024 |archive-date=12 January 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120112075610/http://www.ccc.govt.nz/cityleisure/recreationsport/facilities/qeii/index.aspx |url-status=bot: unknown }}, CCC Website
• Porritt Park was an international–standard hockey venue adjacent to Kerr's Reach on the Avon River. It was severely damaged in the February 2011 earthquake and repairs were uneconomic.{{Cite news |date=15 July 2011 |title='Millions needed' to fix Porritt Park grounds |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/rebuilding-christchurch/5281172/Millions-needed-to-fix-Porritt-Park-grounds |access-date=13 July 2024 |work=Stuff}}{{Cite news |date=7 May 2018 |title=Quake-hit former international hockey centre overgrown and untidy |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/103686384/quakehit-former-international-hockey-centre-overgrown-and-untidy |access-date=13 July 2024 |work=Stuff}}
• Between 1949 and 2000, Wigram Airfield was used as a temporary venue for the annual Lady Wigram Trophy motor racing event. The annual race was relocated to Ruapuna Park (now the Euromarque Motorsport Park).

{{main category|Sportspeople from Christchurch}}

• Sport in New Zealand

{{reflist}}

• {{cite book|last=Wilson|first=John|year=2013|title=Contextual Historical Overview for Christchurch City|edition=2nd|publisher=Christchurch City Council|url=https://ccc.govt.nz/assets/Documents/Culture-Community/Heritage/Christchurch-Contextual-Historical-Overview-Revised-2013.pdf}}

• [https://www.sportcanterbury.org.nz/ Sport Canterbury] Official website
• [https://www.canterbury.schoolsport.org.nz/our-organisation/ School Sport Canterbury] Official website
• [https://www.primarysportscanterbury.org.nz/home-1?em=0 Primary Sports Canterbury] Official website

{{Chchsports}}

Category:Sport in Christchurch