New High Tech Surface for North Harbour Hockey Stadium

Albany's Crown Relocations Hockey Stadium has received a new high tech playing surface with the installation of a TigerTurf WETT surface completed last month.

Water-based hockey turfs, on which international and Olympic level matches are played, such as at North Harbour's Crown Relocations Stadium, require water-canons to wet the surface prior to a game to produce a playing surface that is smoother than dry surfaces. TigerTurf WETT is a revolutionary synthetic water-based surface that requires minimal water to be applied.

TigerTurf Technical Manager Don Crockett explains: "We developed TigerTurf WETT after the Federation of International Hockey (F.I.H.), the governing body of world hockey, called for the development of a turf that can be used for internationals and eliminated the need for water,” said Crockett. "TigerTurf WETT uses advanced fibre technology exclusive to TigerTurf that requires less water than the current non filled synthetic fields.”

Crown Relocations Stadium is the first New Zealand sports ground to have a full sized TigerTurf WETT hockey turf installed. Chief Executive of Harbour Hockey Darrell Simpson said: "North Harbour Hockey has had a long relationship with TigerTurf through the provision of three hockey turfs since 1989. The advent of the latest technology TigerTurf WETT product, which promises high quality, greater durability, better playing characteristics and less watering, made it a relatively easy choice for us to lay a WETT carpet."

As TigerTurf Product Manager Blair Hopping explains, the surface provides other benefits aside from premium playability. "A reduced water requirement not only makes TigerTurf WETT environmentally-friendly, it allows clubs around the world who can't afford watering systems to play a higher level of hockey, which helps to develop the game on a wider scale.”

The first application of TigerTurf WETT was a small practice area installed in Avondale College earlier this year to launch the product. The turf proved successful and, as Hopping explains, led to opportunities overseas. "We were approached by the coordinators of an assignment in Durban, South Africa, called The Greenwood Project, which involved the resurfacing of a hockey turf to be used by three local schools,” said Hopping. "The organisers viewed the materials from our UK base and proceeded with the installation, which was carried out by our head New Zealand installer, Steve Ryder. The feedback so far has been extremely positive.”

The fourth installation of a TigerTurf WETT surface will take place next month at the Northland Hockey Association in Whangarei.

TigerTurf has installed 25 water-based hockey fields around the country and is the only New Zealand synthetic surfaces company that manufactures its products in this country.

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For further information, please contact:

Susan Cresswell

(04) 381 4488

(021) 877 738