Netball in Paradise 2023 marks its 10th year anniversary this year with over 200 players and supporters set to live it, love it and play netball in paradise between Saturday, December 2 to Thursday, December 7.

With continued generous support from naming sponsor Bank South Pacific, the BSP Netball in Paradise has been attracting netball lovers to Rarotonga to play and experience the magic of the Cook Islands.

As well as financial support, BSP staff will be ambassadors to the event and are volunteering time to support the tournament games that will be played at the National Sports Arena in Nikao.

The opening games will be held on Saturday at the indoor Nikao courts starting at 9am and running into the early evenings and right through the week.

The tournament is free admission and local netball lovers are guaranteed to enjoy competitive and highly skilled netball games that will have you on the edge of your seats.

Twenty-three (23) netball teams from across Aotearoa New Zealand will take part in the tournament in the social ladies’ division as well as the open ladies division and the highly athletic open mixed division.

Junior netters are also set to take to the courts with both under 17 and under 15 divisions also being played in the tournament.

BSP Netball in Paradise is the main fundraiser event for Netball Cook Islands. It also plays a key role in creating incentives for visitors to travel to the Cook Islands and happily boost the economy while playing netball.

Cook Islands Tourism is on board as partner sponsors of the event to support event management team Destination Management Cook Islands (DMCK) deliver a memorable event that can continue to grow and keep boosting the Cook Islands community through sports tourism.

For overseas netball lovers, it’s not a hard sell with 23 teams combining over 200 players and supporters set to arrive for the 10^th anniversary of the BSP Netball in Paradise 2023 tournament.

In between scheduled games at the multi sports arena, many of the teams and supporters will head out and explore the island by way of lagoon cruises or local guided tours and other activities.

With the Cook Islands Netball national team in the Solomon Islands for the Pacific Games, local players make up some of the visiting team numbers that is sure to add to the friendship building and fun making during Netball in Paradise.

It’s a busy two months for athletes and sports enthusiasts, so good luck to the national Cook Islands netball squad at the Pacific Games and don’t forget to mark your diary for the BSP Netball in Paradise dates from Saturday, December 2 to Thursday, December 7 to catch excellent netball battle at the multi sports arena in Nikao.

– Nuti Turama