The NSWTA General Manager, Dean Russell today announced the Port Macquarie Hastings Council and Port Macquarie Touch Association had been successful in winning the tender for the 2018-2022 State Cups.
“The NSW Touch Association is extremely pleased to continue our long association with the Port Macquarie community in hosting the State Cup,” Russell said. “While we have a long relationship with the area and Council, it is obvious through their tender proposal for the event, that they have not relied on that history to get them over the line. We were suitably impressed by the quality of the tender which highlighted to us just how important this jewel in the crown event is to Council, to the local Touch footballing community and the wider Port Macquarie community. There is a genuine sense of wanting us to stay” he added.
The State Cup and Port Macquarie have a long and storied history with the very first Cup played in the township in 1977. While some 32 teams were participating then, this years event will see some 251 teams entered. In 2018, the first year of the new tenure, the State Cup and Port Macquarie will celebrate 30 consecutive years that the major championship has been staged at the venue.
With continual growth in the event, the 2017 version seeing an increase of 20 teams, the collaboration between Council and the St Agnes Parish has been crucial in the successful bid to retain the event. “We have been very pleased with the way in which both Council and the Parish have come together to bring the State Cup back to Port Macquarie. This community collaboration approach certainly made the bid even stronger,” stated Russell. “It is obvious that all parties recognise the economic impact such an event has on the local community and have made every endeavour to ensure that the New South Wales Touch Association remains at the venue.”
Port Macquarie-Hastings Mayor Peta Pinson was delighted by the news and the economic and social benefits such a high profile tournament brings to the region.
“Our relationship with NSW Touch Football goes back some 30 odd years, which has earned us the title of ‘the home of touch’, and we’re so pleased to be able to extend this relationship until 2022.
“I’d particularly like to acknowledge the great support we received from our community in bidding for and hosting the tournament, in particular the Port Touch Association and Port Juniors, as well as St Agnes Parish and Greater Port Macquarie Tourism Association,” Mayor Pinson said.
“It is certainly exciting times to be able to secure the home of the State Cup for another five years here in Port Macquarie and to be associated with a newly crowned ‘World Festival & Events City’, one of only a handfull recognised globally” commented Russell.
The 2017 version of the New South Wales State Cup takes place at The Regional Stadium and Tuffins Lane from Friday, December 1 and continues through to Sunday, December 3 where the State Finals will commence at 1.50pm with the Mixed Open Championship at 3pm, Women’s Open Championship at 3.35pm and the Men’s Open Championship at 4.10pm.
Any enquiries can be directed to NSWTA General Manager, Dean Russell, 0417242989
