The official Tiare Netball Celebration event kicked off on Monday with 21 teams from Australia, New Zealand and the Cook Islands.

The weeklong event staged and managed by Pacific Sport Celebrations Ltd is held at Raemaru Park, Arorangi and has only one local Cook Islands team- Blitz.

The event began on Monday and is expected to end March 2. It is for all age groups including Open Competitive Grades for men and women, and mixed competition.

Mike Godinet of Pacific Sport Celebrations says the bulk of the teams are from Australia and New Zealand and they are a mixture of sort of open grades but more of masters.

Godinet said this is the first time that the celebration has been held in the Cook Islands.

He said the teams arrived in Rarotonga on Sunday where they attended an opening function at the Edgewater Resort and Spa who are also their sponsor.

He said the participants: “were all very excited to be coming… and they're having a wonderful time here.

“Most of them have never been to the Cook Islands before, which is a big plus.

“I would like to pay tribute to Cook Islands Tourism and ONU Sportswear. Cook Islands Tours, and CITC. They've all contributed. They've all been really good. And also Rarotonga Rentals.

“The support from the local businesses has been really good because the event didn't have a long lead-in time. And so we're very pleased to get 21 teams.”

He said they have already launched the same event to be in Rarotonga again at the same time next year.

“And there's been a lot of interest in that.”

Yesterday, the teams went on a lagoon cruise before heading back to the Raemaru netball court today for round 2.

 The event is supported by Cook Islands Netball, Tourism Cook Islands and the Edgewater Resort and Spa.

On Friday the third rounds will take place with the finals expected to be held on Saturday morning at the Stadium ending with the awards dinner at the Edgewater Resort.

Teams: Mixed- Blitz, SAXONS Netball, Te Whanau, Dunedin Demons, Young Steelers. Open Age: Area Netball, Naughty North, Tapue, Over 40: TC Girls, Brightons Best Bakehouse, Franklin Froot Loops. Over 50s: Ardy Roos, DJookyaabns, Goal’den Girls, Rotavegas, Souther Steelers, Tassie Devils, Tiare Rarotonga Maidens, Barranets, Fossils.