Games extension as numbers fall short

Andrew Mathieson
AUSTRALIAN Masters Games organisers have cast aside predicted targets for participation at the Geelong event in February.
The organisers have extended Last Friday’s deadline for registrations until Christmas eve after registrations fell short of expectations.
The Confederation of Australian Sport, which owns the biennial national event, announced last year the games would attract more than 10,000 veteran athletes, officials and supporters to Geelong.
Geelong games advisory board chairman Bob Spurling said organisers were determined to reach the 10,000 mark but it was still in “the lap of the gods”.
“We’re short of our high-point target but we’re very confident numbers are going to be up at a very satisfactory level,” he said.
The Masters Games needed 8000 participants to register, with every four bringing an additional visitor to Geelong, Mr Spurling said.
Four of the past five masters games had more than 10,000 particpants.
Mr Spurling said organisers believed Geelong residents were embracing the spirit of the games.
“There has been a huge spike in numbers in recent weeks and we expect that to continue until Christmas,” he said.
“We’ll review it then and (registrations) may even go into the new year.”
Masters games general manager Daniel Fingerhut refused to disclose registration numbers but urged potential competitors to register.
Participants aged under 70 pay $99 to register, while the cost for older competitors is $75.
Games organisers waived a $20 late after the end of last week’s deadline.
The Geelong games will host 71 sports, smashing the previous record of 61 at Newcastle in 2001.
The first games at Hobart, in 1987, had 35 sports.
Mr Fingerhut said the most popular new sport in Geelong was triathlon, while golf had almost filled its quota.
Visitors at the last games in 2006 stayed on average 8.7 nights in Adelaide and spent $138 a day, according to a games survey. The economic return from the Adelaide games, including sponsorship and registration fees, tallied $14.45 million.
The Geelong Masters Games run from February 20 until March 1.
Registrations are available at australasianmasters.com.