Mosgiel resident Carole Evans, 84, said she was first introduced to cycling about 34 years ago through her husband and she has loved getting on her bike ever since. She is wearing her original 1992 Masters Games tracksuit. Photo: RNZ / Tess Brunton
Quick minds and fast feet are not the only skills that will be on display when the Masters Games kick off this weekend in Dunedin.
Just over 3500 competitors have already signed up, ranging in age from a 94-year-old cyclist to a 20-year-old swimmer.
They would soon be facing off in sports ranging from traditional athletics to ballroom dancing and the popular jigsaw puzzle racing - which sold out on the first day.
Mosgiel resident Carole Evans got into cycling later in life, when she was about 50.
But the now-84-year-old was excited to compete in another Masters Games - her first was back in 1992 in Dunedin, and she has not missed one in the southern city since.
"Everyone was lovely and they put me on some good handicaps sometimes so I did win a few races," she said.
But it was running - 10 kilometres and a half marathon - that first got her involved, until the cycling bug kicked in.
"I like the speed of it. You can go a lot faster than walking or running and we meet some lovely people. Quite a few come from overseas every year and from different parts of New Zealand, and it's just a fun thing to do, and I'm quite competitive as well," she said.
She has a drawer full of medals but her favourites were from the World Masters Games in Auckland, Canada and Australia.
Evans stayed fit with mountain bike rides over Saddle Hill and around the suburbs once a week and enjoyed getting on her racing bike as well as using her rowing machine and exercise bike.
Christchurch couple Chris (R) and Norm Ellis took up indoor bowling just before Covid struck. Photo: Supplied
Christchurch couple Chris and Norm Ellis first competed in the Masters Games two years ago after hearing about it through their indoor bowls club.
As well as indoor bowls, they also gave cornhole and petanque a crack, enjoyed it so much that Norm has since built a cornhole board and they have joined a petanque club.
Chris, 72, said it was such a great week they were coming back for more and adding a sports accuracy challenge to the mix.
"It was fantastic. Everybody was happy and they were chatty ... it was just fun, caring, I mean you could go through the dictionary but it was just a lovely week and everybody was so, so helpful down there," she said.
They were looking forward to teaming up for cornhole after being on different teams last games.
"I'm not really a sporty person, never have been, but these games and the games we play sort of galvanise you just to be social and have a good time," she said.
Christchurch couple Norm (L) and Chris Ellis gave cornhole a go at the last Masters Games and enjoyed it so much Norm made them a cornhole board. Photo: Supplied
Norm, 74, said they first took up indoor bowls just before Covid after a friend had been asking them to give it a go for about eight years.
He enjoyed being able to play together, saying that he wanted to share more experiences after doing night shift work for about 27 years.
He would like to get a medal in indoor bowls, but said the competition would be tough.
"But the thing is we know who we are up against and they're people who have been playing 40, 50 years and they're very wily, they're very good and they're very experienced," he said.
"Just over five years experience doesn't cut the mustard with them and we're working hard. But the thing is we've improved enormously after the last five years."
A lot of different sports had come out of the woodwork over the 13 years Vicki Kestila had been the games manager.
"Jigsaw racing is fantastic. It's such a great event to watch and very intense. We've got Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, which is the first time we've had that," she said.
"Extreme petanque, looking forward to that. It's a bit like mini golf-petanque cross."
Masters Games manager Vicki Kestila said registrations were still open for some sports, and she encouraged people to get in touch if they wanted to compete. Photo: RNZ / Tess Brunton
About 60 percent of competitors come from out of town with the average games bringing in $3.5 to $4 million to the local economy.
It was the people and great atmosphere that kept people coming back year after year, she said.
"Some people are not competitive at all. But there are a lot of people, they get on that sports field and that competitive streak comes out. I know I'm one of them," she said.
"It just depends. That's what I think great about the games is that it's there for everybody, so if you are competitive, that's great, and if you just want to give it a go or you just want to participate, that's great too.
"There's something for everybody."
Registrations remained open for some sports, and she encouraged people to get in touch if they wanted to compete.
The Masters Games opening ceremony on Saturday would be a chance for competitors to glam it up at the Edgar Centre before the sweat started to fall.
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