Auckland.Scoop » Hundreds to hit the water at Manu World Championships

Article – RNZ

The Manu World Championships will likely be held indoors in Wellington from now on, says its founder.

It’s been a year since the first weekend of the national diving competition was canceled by the death of a man just meters from the event’s planned location.

Jarreth Colquhoun, 33, died on January 26, 2024 after jumping from a waterfront crane.

His death was unrelated to the competition, but a Rāhui saw that he had moved to the Regional Aquatic Center in Wellington at the last minute.

Event organizer Scott Rice said the aquatic center was originally a backup site but would now be the event’s home as it offered an all-weather venue as well as a grandstand and a great diving platform.

Around 100 competitors per day were expected to take part in this weekend’s Wellington ‘Super Qualifier’, including former All Black Piri Weepu, who was due to compete at lunchtime on Saturday.

An additional 200 people per day would attend the free “Push Play Manu” sessions, which gave participants the chance to pop a manu poolside, Rice said.

In its second year, the event has nearly doubled, from 1,100 competitors in five regional warmings in 2024 to around 1,800 competitors in nine warmings this year.

Rice said the five qualifiers held so far this summer in Tauranga, Hastings, Nelson, Māngere and Whangārei had already drawn hundreds of competitors and spectators.

“It was a lot of fun, great talent in all the different regions and really good numbers going to each one’s benefit as they knew if they did well it was their ticket to the grand final.”

The final of the second Z-Manu World Champions will take place in Auckland on March 1st.

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