Otepuni Gardens - Sport

Sport

Invercargill and its surrounding Southland Region are keen sports fans and participants, and they are known around the country. Invercargill people have always traditionally got behind the local sports sides. The Southern Sting (Netball- Now Southern Steel) won seven National titles from 1999–2004, 2007, while the local rugby team the Southland Stags held the Ranfurly Shield from 22 October 2009 to 9 October 2010 and have made the NPC Semi Finals for the past three years. Southland also has one of the highest percentages of sports participants in the country, with codes such as Rugby Union, Netball, Basketball, Cricket and Hockey being popular. Many professional sportsmen too, have come out of Southland as well. Invercargill also has some high quality sporting facilities, including an indoor velodrome (the only one in New Zealand), an Olympic sized swimming centre, a 20,000 capacity rugby stadium and also international playing arenas for both hockey and cricket. The city's 4500 capacity indoor stadium was severely damaged in 2010, its roof collapsing following a heavy snowfall. Southland also has three professional sporting sides that are based in Invercargill:

• Southland Stags (Rugby)
• Spirit FC (Association Football)
• Southern Steel (Netball)
• Southland Sharks (Basketball)

Invercargill is home to the only indoor cycling velodrome in the country. The indoor 250 metres wooden velodrome is home to Track Cycling in Southland and is currently the fastest track in New Zealand. The Invercargill Licensing Trust supports the velodrome which is situated at Stadium Southland, a large indoor sports complex located at Surrey Park. The stadium itself was badly damaged after its roof collapsed in 2010 following a heavy snowfall. The cost of rebuilding the stadium is likely to run into millions of dollars.