Opinion: Sporting bonanza treat for Wanganui

The start of the Mountain to Sea race on Friday morning. Photo/Supplied

If you like sport, any sport, this is your weekend Wanganui. Between the penultimate round of the 2014 NZ Jetsprint Championship Series at Shelterview tonight, the Manawatu/Wanganui Nabba bodybuilding championships at Collegiate, schoolboy T20 cricket at Victoria Park, tomorrow's climax of the Mountain to Sea race at Cooks Gardens, today's opening round of senior hockey and the latest edition of club rugby, plus likely a few I'm forgetting, there is literally something for everybody.

So, you are going to get out there, right?

The Chronicle team will be running itself ragged trying to get coverage from as many of these big events as possible at least three of which could be considered worthy of being your Monday paper's leading back page story.

Now, of course, that's our job and a pretty fun way to make a living, but it means we won't have much time to stop and smell the roses taking in each spectacle for the interesting moments they will provide throughout their duration. But you will, right?

Last April, international marketing company Mintel released results of a survey that showed 70 per cent of their respondents believed a sports fan has to watch professional sporting events on TV, compared to just 41 per cent who feel the same about attending in person.

Of all events - pro and amateur - a similar number of 70 per cent self-identified sports fans preferred watching or listening to games at home, compared to 26 per cent who fancy doing so in person.

Interestingly, couch potatoes must love company the survey said 66 per cent of those who would rather stay close to the beer fridge than go to the mighty effort of packing a chilly bin would prefer to watch the game with others, versus 25 per cent who want solitude.

This is a joke, right?

With the exception of perhaps a couple of the leading Wanganui events getting a highlights package on one of SKY's four main sports channels, or even a causal mention on the television news broadcasts, the only way you are going to experience the thrill of the motors roaring, the hard tackles, the big sixes and the powerful pecks is to get your butts out on those sidelines.

Other than a bit of cloud and a slight southeasterly, it is going to be a nice day and evening with some fresh air to get out-and-about - the last before those clocks go back tomorrow for the true start of winter.

And officially, only bears hibernate in winter, right?

Hope to see you out there.