Excitement is building asMount Maunganui prepares to host its second nationalpickleball tournament, the Mount Pickleball Classic, from 30August to 1 September at Mercury Baypark. This highlyanticipated event will bring together pickleball enthusiastsof all ages and skill levels for a weekend of competitiveplay, community engagement, and friendly fun. With agrowing number of pickleball players nationwide, thetournament promises to showcase the sport’s rapid rise inpopularity and provide an exciting spectacle forparticipants and spectators alike.
Promised to be a weekendof action-packed fun, the Mount Pickleball Classic will bean open pairs competition for people from all around NewZealand and of all ages andabilities. In addition to the on-courtaction, the organisers from Mount Pickleball Club arededicated to encouraging community spirit and enticing morelocals to try pickleball. This event started last year toshowcase the growing sport and to encourage people to cometo the beautiful city of Tauranga.
With Mount PickleballClub having grown to be one of the biggest and most activein New Zealand, Club President Bob Smith says they hadendless requests to host an open tournament and receivedoutstanding feedback after the 2023 inauguralevent. “We are thrilled to bring the sport ofpickleball to more people in Tauranga, and if we didn’tbring it back for another year, we would have disappointed alot of people,” he says, “This event will not onlyprovide an excellent platform for existing players, but itwill also showcase the booming sport of pickleball, makingmore locals aware of another attractive recreationaloption.” In addition to numerous local businessessupporting the event as official sponsors, the localTauranga Western Bay Community Event Fund (TWBCEF) has alsosupported the Mount Pickleball Classic with a $4,000 grant.
The grant helps cover event costs including pickleball netsthat meet the required standard for an event of thismagnitude. The fund is a partnership between localfunders Acorn Foundation, BayTrust, TECT, Tauranga CityCouncil and Western Bay of Plenty District Council with thecore purpose of supporting community-led events and thosethat encourage free or low-cost participation. NelitaByrne, Venues and Events Manager of Tauranga City Counciladded, “We are proud to support The Mount PickleballClassic and are excited about its positive impact on ourcommunity as it is such an accessiblesport.
” “Pickleball is fun, and tournaments likethis always lift people’s spirits,” she says, “We lookforward to a fantastic weekend of fun, competition, andcommunity engagement as players stay, play and explore thewider Tauranga area.” Registration for the event hasnow closed, but spectators are encouraged to attend, free ofcharge. For more information about the event, includingtournament schedules, please go to the MountPickleball Club’s Facebook page, where there is a linkto the tournamentwebpage.
2024 Mount Pickleball Classic 30thAugust to 1st September 2024 Mercury Baypark Arena, 81Truman Lane, MountMaunganui.
