Ultimate Showdown in Christchurch

Nine teams from across Aotearoa will meet at the Ilam Fields in Christchurch this weekend to compete in the 2024 NZ Tertiary Ultimate Championships. In a format that is unique to the ultimate championship, universities can enter multiple teams with hosts University of Canterbury entering three teams and providing over 60 students the chance to participate. The universities of Auckland and Otago have entered two teams each, while teams from Victora University of Wellington and AUT round out the entries.

Ultimate is a sport that has always had a strong presence in the tertiary sector, and this year’s championship will again see a blend of new and seasoned competitors on the field together. “The New Zealand Tertiary Championships has evolved into a fantastic event, offering new players their first taste of competitive ultimate while challenging New Zealand’s elite players to perform at their best against their peers” explained NZ Ultimate Executive Officer, Iain Stewart.

The University of Otago Toroa will be aiming to defend the title they claimed in Lower Hutt last year, where they defeated perennial powerhouses University of Auckland Flood in the final. The University of Canterbury Honey Badgers and AUT round out the top four seeds, while the University of Auckland Flow and Victoria University of Wellington are also expected to be competitive.

Many of the athletes will be hoping to catch the eye of officials from the New Zealand national teams programme who will be in attendance this weekend. “The New Zealand Tertiary Ultimate Championships are also an important pathway for athletes towards our High Performance programmes. With the World Under 24 Ultimate Championships to be held in Spain in 2025, New Zealand Ultimate will have coaches and selectors of the New Zealand teams on site scouting talent and answering questions about the programme” explained Stewart.

Spectators are encouraged to watch the action live in Christchurch, with the first pull at 9am each day. For those who can’t be there in person, all matches on field one will be streamed live on the UTSNZ YouTube channel. Stay up-to-date with all news and results, here on the event website: https://nzuuc.ultimatecentral.com/e/2024-new-zealand-tertiary-ultimate-championships