New Zealand Masters Games all set to go after close to a year in preparation

Games Manager Rachel O'Connor is hoping to have 4500 competitors once all the entries come in. Photo / Paul Brooks

More than 4000 people have entered the Downer New Zealand Masters Games which open in less than a week.

Games manager Rachel O'Connor said the event would be a great showcase of Whanganui.

"It's fantastic to be able to host the Downer New Zealand Masters Games here in Whanganui, as it brings extensive economic benefit to the city, as well as showcasing how unique Whanganui," she said.

"A highlight of this is its multiple sports venues with an easy distance to each other, which amazes visitors.

"We are currently sitting at 4423 entries, which is over 200 more than in 2019."

She expected that to increase to around 4500 as entries continue to roll in each day. The games run from February 5-14.

"We are all feeling very positive and in control with where we are at." O'Connor said.

Eyal Ben-Ezra, who is competing in his eighth Masters Games, said it was always an enjoyable week.

"It's awesome. Ten days of live music and company, I've never seen a fight. It's amazing. The best thing in Whanganui every two years. Now it's in the middle of town, it's even better."

He will be competing in swimming, athletics and football over the course of the week.

"Originally I was only doing football and poker. Around six years ago, I entered the swimming," he said.

"You compete in five year brackets, but you swim with your times, because you want to be swimming with similar times so you push and pull each other. But you place in your age group."

After not swimming since he was 15-years-old, Ben-Ezra prepared with a steady training regime of "beer, cigarettes and burgers".

"I got two golds, three silvers and two bronze."

Local accommodation providers are cashing in on the thousands of people pouring into town for the Games.

Whanganui River TOP 10 Holiday Park owner Jeannie Kay said they were fully booked out for Waitangi Day weekend and the second weekend of the Masters Games.

"We have about eight teams staying here that weekend so they are taking all the accommodation.

"I've got a few people camping all the way through for the Masters. It's the weekend we are mostly busy, we don't have too many people staying the whole way through."

Kay said it was a bit of a shame the Masters overlapped with Waitangi Day, but noted they're always busy when the Games come to town.

"The second weekend of Masters Games we are always busy because we have great group accommodation here."

Aotea Motor Lodge owner Maree Bonner said they're 99 per cent booked out from the day the Masters Games begin.

"They booked in this time last year. Besides one room on one night here and there, we're fully booked."

She said they are always quite busy through the year with corporate bookings.

Bonner hoped the Government could stay on top of the latest Covid-19 community cases and no cancellations would be needed.

O'Connor said they have been working closely with Whanganui District Health Board and the Ministry of Health around Covid-19, and have been and will be following all guidelines.

"Safety is our number one priority and we have got a number of steps in place to make sure our participants will have a great experience in Whanganui and with the event," she said.

"I feel pumped that we are finally here. It's definitely had it's challenges getting to this point with everything that has been going on, but the response we have had is great and I can't wait for the next week when things really get started."