Alexjc

Unless you are a high latitude nation in the Northern Hemisphere, or have access to the highest mountains, it will be a struggle without artificial snowmaking. Also going against "new" hosts is games pedigree and a mountain of money. For my home country of New Zealand...It did have plans for 2014 or 2018...But the study was done in 2004 with a conclusion that the games were growing in size from the original idea of a spread out 1994 games concept. It did get a favourable nod from the IOC but economics played in with costs. Then it all came undone in 2010/11 when Christchurch, the logical core city host, was devastated by earthquakes. NZ has never entertained the idea since.

With the NZOC now seriously wanting to set up a New Zealand wide 2034 Commonwealth Games bid attempt, "Auckland 2040" is all but a wishful dream. Even if NZ was allowed a spread out event, and could afford it...Major hurdles need to be jumped. The biggest is cost of security and hosting. The reality is that Oceania would have hosted the 2032 games and NZ the CWGs two years after that. Also a FIFA WC bid with Australia is planned for the '30s. What could be on the cards is a late in the year 2039 Rugby World Cup hosting. Other than that, nothing else in what is an Olympic year for NZ to celebrate 200 years of formal nationhood...Unless it hosts a sanctioned World Expo?

All the more reason to incentivise the country to get things done. To this day I still have no idea why Wellington deliberately broke its excellent transport network...But I believe the ultra-Left had a big part of it. As for the rest of the got it together regional cities...Hamilton has already tried to baggz the Rugby, Cricket and Rowing, it knows it has Cycling. Even way down South, the tourist region centres as well as Christchurch want a piece of the action. ...and out of the Right of the spectrum, an ACT MP suggested a bid for the 2035 RWC as well since facilities will be still in good nick.

The New Zealand Government as officially asked the New Zealand Olympic Committee to formally prepare plans to host a "Regional" spread Commonwealth Games in 2034. The bid has cross party support as the previous National government did eye up 2026 until they were removed from power in 2017. Labour looked at a potential hosting but the Pandemic derailed a study. Early banter has the event as a "Super Games" so to cover both islands and include sports that NZ does well in at the Olympics. https://t.co/5cfqXEywVg?ref_src=twsrc^tfw|twcamp^embeddedtimeline|twterm^screen-name%3ATheNZTeam|twcon^s1_c14

Official bid by the NZOC to host 2034 CWGs. This has pricked up the ears of the powers that be in Christchurch. ALREADY the lines are going hot that the city be a MAJOR venue for sports if the REGIONAL concept is adopted. https://t.co/5cfqXEywVg?ref_src=twsrc^tfw|twcamp^embeddedtimeline|twterm^screen-name%3ATheNZTeam|twcon^s1_c14

We doing it... https://t.co/5cfqXEywVg?ref_src=twsrc^tfw|twcamp^embeddedtimeline|twterm^screen-name%3ATheNZTeam|twcon^s1_c14

BOOOOM!!! I spoke too soon... We doing it... https://t.co/5cfqXEywVg?ref_src=twsrc^tfw|twcamp^embeddedtimeline|twterm^screen-name%3ATheNZTeam|twcon^s1_c14

Sorry to see you go. Yes I've lived longer and I can say this is what the economic situation was like in 1990. (The then Auckland Commonwealth Games barely made it and this showed in the closing ceremony, a ramshackle put together collection of performances.) They should never had printed so much extra money while the borders remained closed. Food inflation is now up at 1989 levels. I agreed with the 2020 lockdown but not the extended 2021 version and definitely not the Auckland lockdown. We now have near zero unemployment, longer stressful workhours, very high wages resulting in a cascade effect in the cost of living, and annoying crime because this left wing govt is too soft on it...and here's the kicker - they have gone out of their way to divide us - so they can provide jobs for the elite 10% of maoris to milk the system to give to the 10% at the bottom who just want a handout...(I'm part maori, not a lot to give me free stuff and I work with those maori NEW ZEALANDERS who struggle on everyday wages and get nothing back in return). I'm hoping the polls are wrong and there will be a landslide swing to the Right...and then you might want to consider unpacking your suitcases... Focussing to infrastructure, building and repair is what the next decade needs to be about in policy. This will stimulate growth and give us a better plan for the future - and that includes a Commonwealth Games, a joint hosting of FIFA WC with Australia, and the long range plan to host a nationwide 2040 Summer Olympics (something the IOC pulled the NZOC aside to talk about when Brisbane was awarded 2032.)

New Zealand: Broke! Minimal to no chance of a 2030 bid...and 2034 not front and centre yet although it is a wish on the list. A loose spending govt has all but put the nation into a stagnant recession. It looks like politics in NZ is heading towards Centre ground with potential to move over to the Right. There are other more urgent priorities for Govt spending...which will be minimal for the rest of the decade... Cyclone Gabrielle did some real serious damage to transport infrastructure to a very productive region of the North Island. This will require a complete rebuild of the highway network, repairs to the railway, and figuring out how to restructure the communication network... Auckland's damage is really bad, made worse by a totally ineffectual mayor who came to power on an "angry white male" protest vote. The city's infrastructure also took a hit and embarrassingly so with Auckland Airport flooding for the first time ever. Just can't see this city hosting something like the CWGs for now. Hope is on the distant horizon though... Auckland Airport is getting a rebuild and a second runway by 2034 with a rail connection. A new habour crossing is to begin construction in late 2026. This will come on the back of the opening of Auckland's underground rail loop in 2025.

Stupidly...a new terminal at the then Stapleton International Airport.

Considering the massive decade long controversy of Qatar 2022... It was actually a good tournament. I did love the upsets of some really big teams going home early. Full of surprises such as Morocco climbing up into fourth place. BUT cannot deny the dark undertones of a culture that is not as open minded to the world, and I hope this is a wake up call to that region. My score is a respectable 7.5 out of 10.

Christchurch lost the opportunity to build a new "QEII multisport" complex years ago. The new swimming pool aquatic complex has been delayed into oblivion and may never be built. as you mentioned, there are now no FINA standard pool facilities left in NZ. A new facility is planned for Auckland but would need a push and govt support. Currently Auckland has a very conservative mayor who is all about cutting costs and reducing debt... He's not interested in providing sports stadiums. Such a shame as NZ Swimming is going through a rebirth after decades of stagnation in performances and results. There are, of course FINA standard 50m pools, just not the five star hotel expected facilities that have to go with them nowadays.

...Oh well...France it is. BUUUUUT....Morocco v Croatia.... Could get ugly....

...Oh well...France it is.

Spain shown the door by Morocco. 3 - 0 in penalty shootout. Unbelievable.

Yeah...This looks like what it could become...But England is known to completely fk things up about now at a World Cup.

So far at this point in time the only nations I can see in the Semi-finals at 2023 are: France England Australia Ireland If France makes it to the final...They'll win it.

Russia '18 wasn't a disaster...It was pretty good. The "disaster" starts in a few hours time... That fan zone looks like a giant detention centre and got a feeling it's going to be a Fyre Festival 2.0!

Portugal has knocked the United States out of the 2023 WC Finals...The first time that nation has qualified.

Legacy is what it's all about. It's interesting you bring this up... A classic is Christchurch 1974 and the hosting of Pacific regional sports events that got really good coverage for about a decade after. It's still an iconic thing here in NZ...Yet Auckland has been totally forgotten as no attempt was made by that city to cash in on a legacy.

That was really good...Stretched out a wee bit but overall no complaints from me. Roll on 2026.

ANY closing ceremony will always be better than that absolute shambles that was the 2018 event...It ruined what were a great Games.

New Zealand's best ever GOLD medal haul at the CWGs and second only to Auckland in total medal haul. Fifth on the Gold table, Sixth overall. New Zealand always seems quite at home in England. A great effort from a post pandemic cobbled together depleted team with some surprising results from sports that were not expecting the larger haul they took. The stand out events clearly were the Cycling in all forms, Track and Field, Swimming and Squash. The barely get a mention sports threw up some surprises which allows them to gain access to funding. Great to see some "oh so close" moments from determined athletes as well...Beach Volleyball coming to mind, and great to see the girls say they'll wear what they like on the day after some Woke issues about the size of the "minimum" bikini requirements. During the day they flipped the bird to the complainers and wore the smallest they were allowed to, and evening sessions, tight leggings. The pandemic saw some sports have a "quiet" games, Weightlifting, Boxing, Judo, all at least getting some minor medals. Track and Field saw great results when it came to jumping/vaulting over bars (those long legged "Supermodels" in their barely there "underwear" clearly a reason why that section of the stadium was packed out), and biffing cannonballs. There were also frustrating disappointments, from the Team sports... Hockey, both teams, crashed out completely, Rugby Sevens, although Bronze in both, were expected to at least Silver. Cricket T20 were lucky to get Bronze. Bowls, were expecting more and disappointed at their haul. Triathlon, I'm gonna say it - the Mix Team would've medalled if it was not for one hanger-on athlete who is well past her use-by date and should be a coach. But redemption for the Netball in getting on the podium with Bronze, clearly showing just how much work is still needed now that Jamaica has come of age. As for the Host city...Thank you Birmingham for showing the way forward for a city hosting. I hope the mechanical Bull finds a home under cover as a keep-sake for stepping up and SAVING the games. Handing over to Victoria Region who will show another concept in hosting these minor albeit fun multisport events clearly has shown the way for New Zealand to finally step up and put in a serious bid for 2034.

NZ beat England for the Bronze in a team sports double - Cricket and Netball! (I'm going to do my Team New Zealand report card at the end)

I wouldn't be too deflated just yet...There will be a society backlash when the Govt changes. I'm more worried it will trigger off something so much worse. Yes there will be the traditional maori welcome but as we are seeing with OCs this century, a more focus on community. Yes to tradition but also to reflect on what NZ has become. - Who'd thought that we would be launching rockets into space nowadays back in 1990? (I do know that a mention was made after the 1990 OC that although the "war story of NZ" up to the Treaty signing was amazing, it was only after the Pacific Islands dance routine (reflecting Auckland) came in that the tempo of the ceremony really picked up.)