Wellington mayor Kerry Prendergast launched the one year countdown to the 2nd AsiaPacific Outgames with a rousing speech in the capital on Friday.
The event was held in Mark Hutchins gallery, which was packed with over a hundred Outgames supporters. US Ambassador David Huebner was also present.
"We held the launch in an art gallery to demonstrate that the Outgames isn't just about sports," Outgames Co-chair David Hindley told GayNZ.com.
"There will be at least three or four exhibitions by GLBT artists during the Outgames, as part of a big queer arts and culture festival at the same time as the sports events."
Current Mr. Gay Wellington titleholder Michael Gray, who is a tenor currently completing a Master degree at the Wellington School of Music, entertained the crowd with a superb performance.
The Outgames is a week of competition in sixteen sports, a major human rights conference, visual and performing arts events and parties, to be held from Saturday 12 to Saturday 19 March 2011. It will draw participants from throughout New Zealand, Australia, Asia, and the Pacific Islands.
Details of the different sports competitions (grades, match format, scoring, venue etc) have started being added to the Outgames official website. Information on swimming, running, tennis and badminton are already up, with other sports to follow shortly. Registrations open in mid 2010.
