Badminton Cook Islands is excited to partner with Badminton Oceania to host next year’s Oceania Masters in Paradise badminton tournament.

The tournament will take place from May 26 to 31, 2022, and is the first Master’s badminton team event for the 35+ and 55+ age range to be hosted by Badminton Oceania in partnership with Badminton Cook Islands. It is also the first time that the tournament will come to Rarotonga to combine all the elements of travel, sunshine, badminton competition, and social functions with both new and old friends.

The competition is a team competition where anybody is welcome to join. Three competitive events will be held for the 35+ and 55+ as well as three recreational events for the 40+ categories. Each team will be required to have at least two men and two women competing.

Badminton Cook Islands is hoping for over 100 players to join the competition.

Thomas Ngauru, president of Badminton Cook Islands, said that with this being the first ever Oceania Masters in Paradise competition to be held “it is an absolute privilege for the Cook Islands to be the inaugural host”.

“Oceania Badminton has played a crucial role in developing the sport of badminton here in the Cook Islands and we are excited to continue this partnership for many events to come,” Ngauru said.

The partnership between Badminton Oceania and Badminton Cook Islands have proved very beneficial over the years.

Ngauru shared how they had been able to receive many new sets of equipment from them such as scoreboards, umpiring chairs, and branding materials.

Oceania Badminton had also assisted them in many of their programmes including ShuttleTime, a programme carried out throughout schools in Rarotonga, as well as their Junior Development, Coach education and AirBadminton.

Ngauru is hoping the country also get a chance to host Oceania Junior Championships or an Oceania international level tournament in Rarotonga in the future.

“This upcoming competition is a real test of the systems and infrastructure,” he said.

Badminton Oceania has strongly urged potential overseas participants who are considering joining the competition in Rarotonga next year to take into consideration the changing requirements that will come with Covid-19. They have also urged potential participants to be fully vaccinated in order to add an extra layer of safety should the competition go ahead amidst the unpredictability regarding Covid-19.