On September 4 last year, a 7.1 magnitude earthquake hit the edge of Christchurch with the impact bringing down power lines, ripping up roads and damaging the warm up track for the World Championships; throwing preparations for the competition in to chaos.

A series of further earthquakes have hit the city, including three earthquakes measuring 5.1, 3.4 and 4.0 on the Richter scale, the day before the Opening Ceremony.

But despite the effects of the earthquakes, the World Championships have begun as planned at the QE II Stadium and Pickering, who is also the chair of the Local Organising Committee, has praised everyone who has worked so hard to help the event take place.

"The Local Organising Committee has been working really hard over the last three and a half years to ensure this event went ahead," she said.

"We have obviously had a few very well documented challenges along the way with the big earthquake in September hitting the city.

"Our major concern then was the people of Christchurch and how they all were.

"We had some real worries over all the teams working on the event and obviously over all the facilities that we wanted to use.

"Initially, we were concerned about whether the QE II Stadium was still even standing!

"Fortunately, we quickly discovered that it was, but there still remained a huge amount of logistic problems.

"For example, we lost some of our accommodation as it collapsed and we have had to work extremely hard to make sure everyone was accommodated.

"It is a relied to know that everyone has been accommodated and that the Championships are off to a great start.

"I'm very proud of everyone who has made it happen."

Pickering added that she believes that hosting the 10-day event in New Zealand will provide a huge boost to Paralympic sport in the country and give the people of Christchurch a much needed lift following the recent disasters.

"I think it is really important that the IPC take these kinds of events around the world," she said.

"It is the first time this event has been held outside Europe and I think it is fantastic for Oceania to have it.

"As the chief executive of Paralympics New Zealand, I'm obviously delighted to have it here and I truly believe this event will be a platform to springboard Paralympic sport forward in this country in the future.

"It is also a great opportunity to showcase what Paralympic sport is all about to the Government, the local councils and the general population of New Zealand.

"In addition, the economic benefits to the city are expected to be around $12 million (£5.7 million) given that the athletes and officials are staying and spending money in Christchurch.

"That is a real boost and it is great for us to be staging the first sporting event in the city after the earthquake."

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