ARMIDALE will be inundated by sporting events over the weekend as part of an annual Autumn Festival that culminates in Monday’s big Armidale Cup race meeting.
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It all began with an official Autumn Festival launch at the Armidale Creeklands yesterday and ramped up with a Campus to City Canter starting at SportUNE and ending at Civic Park today.
The 32nd Armidale Rugby Union Knockout also kicks off at Moran Oval today.
280 players from Tamworth, Inverell, Parkes and Sydney are expected to arrive and play against teams from the local New England Rugby Union.
Northern Inland Football also launches its 2015 McDonald’s Premier League season at Doody Park at noon today.
They then kick into the Acropolis Cup competition with representative teams from Gunnedah, Tamworth, Armidale, Northern Tablelands (Inverell, Guyra and Glen Innes), Kamilaroi (Wee Waa, Narrabri and Moree), UNE and The Armidale School playing in open, Under 19 and women’s divisions.
Like the rugby KO and Acropolis Cup the Northern Junior League Division 2 basketball runs today and tomorrow.
Held at The Den and SportUNE there will be 29 teams in Under 14/16/18 in both boy’s and girl’s divisions playing with around 600 people expected. Teams from Tamworth, Quirindi, Port Macquarie, Ballina, Grafton, Lismore, Coffs Harbour, Taree, Kempsey, Ocean Shores and Yamba are expected.
Also running today and tomorrow is the North West New England Special Olympics Regional Ten Pin Bowling and Golf Tournament. They have teams from all over the State playing at the local Sport & Rec Centre and Armidale Golf Club.
Tomorrow, cyclists gear up for their annual NEM Autumn Festival Criterium around a City Centre Circuit.
Rugby Union is also highlighted by the 2015 Rugby Junior Gold Cup game between Northern Inland and ACT at the TAS Backfield from 10.30am.
The Armidale Sporting Shooters Association also has an Interclub Challenge at their Armidale Pistol Range tomorrow before the Armidale Jockey Club prepares for Monday’s big Cup meeting with a calcutta at the Armidale Racecourse tomorrow evening.
“It’s a huge weekend in town,” AJC secretary Jim Dedes said.
“Rugby, soccer, cycling – you name it, it’s on. It’s a big day for us on Monday too. The track is in great order, we’ve been pumping water on it this week. There’s still plenty of heat in the ground up here too so there’s still plenty of growth in the grass.”
