The third edition of the ‘Cook Islands Games’ (CIG) is underway in the 15-island Oceania nation with Beach Handball proving to be one of the big highlights of the two-week event (5-19 October).

The event features over 3,000 athletes across a wide range of ages, starting at just 11-years-old and going into the 80s, with 11 islands competing in a variety of sports including athletics, rugby, netball, football, lawn bowls, golf, sailing, oe vaka (similar to canoeing), table tennis, triathlon and darts.

Five Beach Handball competitions were played across three days on the beach courts at Nikao on the island of Rarotonga with the U18s (men’s and women’s), Open (men’s and women’s) and Masters (45+ years old/mixed) featuring 37 teams comprising of 518 athlete registrations, many of whom took part in multiple competitions.

In total, 444 individual athletes registered from 11 out of the 13 inhibited islands of the 15 islands that make up the Cook Islands. Athletes came from Rarotonga, Rakahanga, Pukapuka Manihiki, Tongareva, Mauke, Atiu, Mitiaro, Aitutaki and Mangaia, highlighting the impressive growth of the sport in the Oceania Continent Handball Federation (OCHF) nation in recent years.

Mitiaro dominated the event, with their teams winning both the under 18 competitions, plus the Masters. Host island Rarotonga won the women’s open competition, with Manihiki taking the men’s open title.

And there were some VIP players, including Prime Minister of the Cook Islands, Mark Brown, Minister of Youth and Sport, Vaine Mac Mokoroa and Member of Parliament, Sakura Tapaitau.

IHF assisting following extraordinary growth

At the debut Cook Islands Games, in a covid-affected 2020, there were 120 Beach Handball athletes registered, with 180 in the second edition in 2022.

Due to the more than double the number of players eager to participate this year, Makiroa Mitchell-John, President of Handball Cook Islands, sought assistance.

“Our numbers of participation had a 148% increase in athletes for our five categories,” explained Mitchell-John to ihf.info. “We made a request to OCHF President Ricardo Blas and IHF Managing Director Amal Khalifa that we needed some reinforcements from them for assistance for referees and we reached out to the New Zealand Handball Federation and Handball Australia to assist.”

This led to the Romanian IHF Beach Handball referee couple of Daniela Andreea Enache and Corina Floriana Constantin, plus the Australian pair of Claire Dennerley and Sally Potocki arriving in the Cook Islands to help with the games – and much more.

Not only did they officiate games, but they mentored and worked with individuals at the Games, running workshops and imparting their knowledge and experience on the local Beach Handball fans and participants.

“This experience for us was unique,” said Constantin to ihf.info. “For the first time we were faced with the fact of being mentors for other Beach Handball referees. We found the right people to work with and share experiences during this course.

“As proof, the players, coaches, referees and all those involved in the event created a beautiful atmosphere during The Cook Islands Games 2024. The island gives you a feeling of peace and relaxation.”

“We are extremely grateful for the IHF’s and OCHF’s support in selecting us to undertake training and referee at the Cook Islands Games,” added Dennerely to ihf.info.

“Opportunities to learn from professionals in Oceania are limited by our geographic location, so we both went prepared to learn as much as we could from Dana and Corina, to then apply and develop ourselves and the game in the region into the future.

“Our hosts were extremely hospitable and welcoming, and ran a very successful tournament that preserved and promoted the spirit of the game.”

Photo credit: cb_sports_official