A huge sporting event once described as the world’s largest touch tournament is returning to Wollongong.
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The NSW Junior State Cup was held in the city for more than a decade before the hosting rights were lost to Port Macquarie.
In announcing the return at a Destination Wollongong partner function on Thursday night chair Colin Bloomfield said it was big news for the city and the Illawarra visitor economy.
“One event I can announce very proudly tonight is we have regained the NSW State Cup Touch Football which we have previously hosted and it is coming back to Wollongong in April 2019 for three years,” Mr Bloomfield said.
“That is a huge event because it fills lots of rooms and brings lots of people.”
The giant three-day Junior State Cup was held Port at Macquarie for the last time in its present format in February.
That followed a decision in 2017 to change to a northern and southern conference system in 2019.
NSW Touch Football Association has already offically announced that Wagga Wagga will hold the Junior State Cup Southern Conference each February for the next three years.
The northern conference will be held the same month in Port Macquarie before the state finals are held in Wollongong.
The decision was made to split the competition into two conferences before a state final in part due to the significant growth of the event and its inability to be located at one venue. With an annual attendance of 18,000 people and rising it has become hard for one location to meet all the necessary requirements.
Close to 360 teams took part in the 2018 competition.
The Wollongong Touch Association first took on the Junior State Cup in 2001 as a late replacement for a flooded Penrith.
The event was held with the support of Wollongong City Council which ensured fields were always in the best possible condition every February. The last time it was held in Wollongong more than 4500 players took part.
Destination Wollongong general manager Mark Sleigh said “the fact they want to come back is testament to the way the community has embraced these major events”.
Mr Bloomfield eluded to some more major event announcements being made soon.
“We are continuing to work through a very vibrant event calendar. Jeremy Wilshire is working very hard. We have some very exciting announcements pending over the coming weeks.”
Greg Ellis
Almost four decades in electronic, print and digital media. A writer, presenter, emcee, photographer and videographer with degrees in business management, marketing and human resources and tertiary qualifications in photography.
Almost four decades in electronic, print and digital media. A writer, presenter, emcee, photographer and videographer with degrees in business management, marketing and human resources and tertiary qualifications in photography.
