Raro prepares for Queen’s Baton

Preparations for the arrival of the Queen’s Baton for the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games are well on the way.

The baton will arrive late on Friday, May 21 and a traditional Cook Islands turou on the tarmac is being planned. The baton is currently on a relay around the world prior to the beginning of the Commonwealth Games in October.

The Cook Islands Sports and National Olympic Committee have been working on a programme of events for the baton’s relay on Rarotonga.

Staff from the national sports office has been meeting with schools and community leaders to ensure full participation of the community in the relay which will be held on Saturday, May 22 beginning at the BCI Stadium in Nikao.

Aronga Mana, sports codes, outer islands groups, school children and even patients at Rarotonga Hospital will all have the opportunity to be part of the parade on the round island relay, with a number of detours on the cards for the baton.

The relay will end at the BCI stadium with Team Cook Islands athletes, preparing for the Delhi Commonwealth Games, to receive the baton at the Tereora College entrance for a quick trip through the Telecom Sports Arena.

The community is asked to come together and celebrate the arrival and short visit of the baton to the island.

CISNOC sports manager Robert Graham says that the most important aspect of the baton relay is to keep the baton moving constantly as this is the request of the organisers of the global baton relay.