January 8 - Sonia Waddell, formerly one of New Zealand's top rowers, is targetting competing at

Waddell, 37, was the country's top single sculler and competed for New Zealand at the Sydney Olympics

in 2000 and Athens four years later.She retired but has since taken up cycling and today won New Zealand's

By Mike RowbottomJanuary 7 - Nathan Twaddle (pictured), New Zealand's former world champion and Olympic

Twaddle was part of New Zealand's "magic 45 minutes" at the 2005 World Championships as he and his

Coles in the women's coxless pairs.That performance raised the profile of the sport still higher in New

Zealand following the Olympic single sculls victory of Rob Waddell in 2000, and Twaddle has helped to

By Tom DegunJanuary 7 - Peter Eriksson (pictured), the UK Athletics' Paralympics head coach and team leader, has warned that his team have no excuse for poor performances at the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Athletics World Championships.

Almost half of the guys are new to the set-up so it will be a hugely positive learning experience."

I think that everyone is excited to be here in New Zealand," he said."

By Tom DegunJanuary 7 - The International Cycling Union (UCI) have announced the list of initial places allocated to National Paralympic Committees for the London 2012 Paralympic Games.

Greece, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Netherlands, Norway, New

Zealand, Oman, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, United

Canada, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Korea, Netherlands, New

Zealand, Poland, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and United States.A UCI

By Tom DegunJanuary 6 – Fiona Pickering, chief executive of Paralympics New Zealand, says the Christchurch

2011 Athletics World Championships will help change perceptions of Paralympic sport across New Zealand

Paralympic Games and Pickering, who is also chair of the organising committee, is confident it will allow New

hopes to see the people of Christchurch out in force supporting all the athletes, but particularly the New

Zealand team."

We are expecting some great performances from New Zealand athletes and we hope that the public will really

World Championships to begin and I believe it will be an excellent springboard for Paralympic sport in New

Zealand.It will showcase what Paralympic sport is all about and will certainly excite New Zealanders.It

Zealand is staging this event so close to London 2012.The athletes will be looking at putting in some

Zealand athletes and we hope that the public will really get behind them.We're also hoping the crowds

Zealand and chair of the Organising Committee for the Christchurch 2011 IPC Athletics World Championships

championships.First into action is the athletics team at the IPC Athletics World Championships in Christchurch, New

Zealand, from January 21-30.A team of eight, including defending champion, Michael McKillop (pictured

team, including double Beijing Paralympic gold medallist David Weir (pictured), today departed for New

Zealand ahead of the 2011 International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Athletics World Championships.

We have a great group heading to New Zealand and if we perform to our best, we can definitely do very

Paralympics head coach and team leader, is set to meet the team in Auckland as he has flown directly to New

Zealand from his home in Canada.At the last IPC Athletics World Championships in Assen 2006, a British

2010: Weir raring to take on the best and prove his classNovember 2010: Weir races to victory in New

January 3 - New Zealand kayaker Ben Fouhy, the 2004 Olympic silver medallist and who was expected to

The former New Zealand Sportsman of the Year said he was hanging up his paddle following Government

funding agency Sport and Recreation New Zealand (SPARC) recent decision to retract the funding that

had allowed Fouhy to train seperately to the Canoe Racing New Zealand (CRNZ) high performance programme.Fouhy

but at the end of the day it is the athlete that has to get the boat across the line," Fouhy told the New

Zealand Herald."

January 1 - Yvette Corlett, the first New Zealand woman to win an Olympic gold medal, has been made a

Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to athletics in the New Year's Honours List

Zealand, and she was twice named New Zealand Sportsman of the Year - by throwing herself into voluntary

The club is now the largest in New Zealand, and counts Olympic shot put champion Valerie Adams among

members.Corlett, who is now 81, also served for 40 consecutive years on the selection panel for the New

Zealand Herald junior sports awards, was on the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame board from 1990 to 1995

Zealand athletics historian Peter Heidenstrom rated Corlett as New Zealand's greatest track and field

December 27 - Australia's Evan O'Hanlon has predicted that he will surpass his triple Paralympic gold medal haul in Beijing at the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) World Athletics Championships in Christchurch next month.

The 22-year-old from New South Wales, who competes in the T38/F38 category for cerebral palsy

in the 100 metres, 200m and 4x100m relay in Beijing and is hoping to add the 400m and long jump in New

Zealand."

December 26 - New Zealand officials have revealed that there is strong overseas media interest in

Athletics World Championships in Christchurch next month even though the city has been hit by a series of new

countries applying to attend the event, which is due to start on January 21.Fiona Pickering, Paralympics New

Zealand chief executive and chair of the Organising Committee, said she was delighted with the level

Paralympic Games, 1,055 athletes from 79 countries have entered, including a nine-strong team from New

ChristchurchSeptember 2010: IPC open on-line entry system for Christchurch despite earthquakeSeptember 2010: New

Zealand earthquake casts doubts over World Championships

December 24 - Tickets for the Rugby World Cup 2011 have gone on sale on a first come, first served basis just in time for Christmas.

ticket purchase confirmation as a Christmas gift," said Shane Harmon of tournament organiser Rugby New

Zealand 2011.Tickets are not available for all matches as some are currently oversubscribed, including

New Zealand versus France at Eden Park, New Zealand versus Japan in Hamilton, France versus Canada in

Christchurch.There are excellent seats available for many matches, including the opening game between New

Zealand and Tonga, some of the big Eden Park pool matches and the Wellington quarter finals.Tickets

Mexico Micronesia Moldova Mongolia Montenegro Nauru Nepal Netherlands Netherlands Antilles New

Zealand Norway Palau Pakistan Panama Papua New Guinea Philippines Poland Portugal Puerto Rico

tickets worth $166 million (£78.4 million) have already been sold for next year's Rugby World Cup in New

Zealand.

Zealand 2011 Ltd (RNZ 2011) Martin Snedden."

Zealand companies wanting to take advantage of the biggest event ever to be hosted in the country.Managing

director of event owner Rugby World Cup Limited (RWCL) Mike Miller - in New Zealand to check on progress

What I am seeing, having made several visits to New Zealand in the past year, is a country that is advanced

Zealand Government, are geared towards hosting a tournament that New Zealanders and the global rugby