Rio de Rocky

“Rockhampton the Hockey Capital of the World”. Wow, not only the Beef Capital of Australia, but now a world capital city as well. Mayor Margaret Strelow’s claim maybe viewed (and said) as light hearted, though with Australia Men’ team being the world champion’s and Rockhampton boasting 3 Kookaburra’s (Australian Men’s team), including the current Australian Captain and a former gold medallist Hockeyroo (Australian Women’s team) why not declare world capital status in attempting to win hosting rights for the 2015 Oceania Cup. Hopefully this basis for world capital status, past international test match hosting experience and $50000 from the Council is sufficient in gaining Rockhampton the hosting rights. The men’s and women’s team winners of the Oceania Cup gain selection for the 2016 Olympic Games, thus an important tournament and with New Zealand men’s and women’s teams world ranking of 6th and 4th respectively it’s not a gimme for Australia. Gaining hosting rights for the Oceania Cup would add approximately $1M to the local economy and could be the trigger to attract more events and teams to our region. After all our region shares something in common with the host city of the 2016 Olympic Games, Rio de Janeiro; the latitude of 23.5 degrees south (close enough). The Tropic of Capricorn passes through both regions thus offering Olympic athletes similar climatic conditions to what they may get in Rio come August 2016. With around 206 nations competing in 26 different sports why not use this geographic commonality to our advantage in promoting Rockhampton as a training centre in August 2015 and July 2016. Rockhampton does boast some impressive sporting facilities and fewer distractions than Rio. Then there are the 2018 Commonwealth Games at the Gold Coast; northern hemisphere athletes will be seeking places to acclimatise themselves for these as well. Hockey Capital of the World; let’s all start saying it, we undersell ourselves enough, and get behind the Oceania Cup bid. There is substance to the claim and it could make the difference in not only winning the hosting rights for the Oceania Cup but for more international sporting events and athletes to come to our region.