 New Zealand is a sport loving nation, and aside from the obvious passion for rugby there are a wide range of sports that can be enjoyed. We have listed here some of the more popular sports and recreation activities that are easy to get into in NZ.
Sailing New Zealanders are frequently represented in top level international sailing, but for those who just like mucking about in boats the temperate climate and long coastline make small boat sailing a very common sport. On any weekend, especially in summer, the harbours are filled with youngsters learning the skills of sailing in single handed P class yachts. For older children and adults windsurfing is very popular with its offshoot Kite boarding taking off where the board is towed by a kite that is more like a parachute than a kite. Experts can get up to 70kmh, and frequently launch themselves in the air. One and two person Catamarans and sailing dinghies are common and easy to sail in the safe waters many NZ towns and cities enjoy. For families trailer yachts are popular, and as the name suggests are yachts that can be towed behind a car, and are frequently big enough for overnight excursions.
Multi-sport, cycling and running With clean air, little traffic and safe streets there are a lot of Kiwis who enjoy cycling and running, whether to keep fit, get to work or just for sheer pleasure. The sport of mountain biking is huge in New Zealand with plenty of tracks that can take you into the wilderness close to most cities and towns or if a family ride through forests and alongside beaches is more your thing there are plenty of family-friendly tracks. If you take your fitness seriously or just want to push yourself triathlons and duathlons are very popular in New Zealand and every year they have the Weet Bix Kiwi Kids Try Athlon series aimed at children where they can compete with kids their age as part of a team or on their own.
Cricket The New Zealand Cricket team, the Black Caps, are a well regarded team and are well worth watching. The games to watch are against Australia because Kiwis really have a thing about beating Australia, and while the Australian cricket team are usually incredibly good, the Black Caps will pull out all stops to defeat them. In addition to the internationals they have a series of provincial games played over summer that are always well supported and make a good day out in the sun. Cricket is also popular with schools and clubs so if cricket is your thing it's easy to find a team to join. And beach cricket is a Kiwi tradition and you will usually find a game or two going on at the beach. The rules are pretty flexible and in most cases the score isn't even kept, but everyone has fun and they're usually followed by a Barbecue afterwards.
Netball The New Zealand netball team the Silver Ferns are very good, and the world number one position is usually jostled over between them and the Australians. Like cricket and rugby there is a provincial series of very tightly contested and extremely well played games. The game is fast and furious and is always great to watch.
It is played extensively at club level and there are a lot of (usually mixed) social teams.
Martial Arts Most of the styles of martial arts are represented in New Zealand, and most towns have at least one Dojo catering to all ages from seniors to competitive black belts to children of 5 and over.
Golf New Zealander Michael Campbell is setting the golfing world on fire, and he is one of several Kiwi pro golfers doing very well on the international scene. New Zealand's wide open spaces with gentle climate and fertile soils mean there are an abundance of high quality golf courses, often with very low green fees and membership subs. The benign climate means that golf is very much a year-round sport that is very popular. These are just a few of the many sports Kiwis enjoy. Sport is a great way to make new friends and get used to the laid back Kiwi lifestyle and many British immigrants have found sport and exercise a great way to get settled here .
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