In 2023 the Area Association will host the 4th edition of the Oceania Cup in Saipan, Northern Marianas. Previous editions have been hosted by Vanuatu, Samoa and Australia.
Following of an audit of the facilities available in the region by OAA, the Oceania Athletics Council made the decision to have the Oceania Cup, instead of the Regional Championships.
The schedule is taking into consideration all athletes and what events they are targeting, and alignment to OAA strategic plan to give opportunities to athletes to attend World Ranking meets and qualification opportunities within the area.
The Oceania Cup will also provide an opportunity for athletes from across the Area to access World Ranking Meet and is currently listed as the same level as Member Federation National Championships, and the Pacific Games.
The Oceania Cup format is currently being finalised, with teams from: Melanesia, Micronesia, Polynesia, Australia, New Zealand, Regional Australia, the Host Member Federation, and one other team to be confirmed.
The three (3) Regional Teams will consist of athletes from their Region (Melanesian, Micronesia, Polynesia). These teams will be selected by the OAA Selection Committee, and to include at least one (1) representative from each MF. The teams will be selected from results from the past 2 years, and the best athlete in each event to be selected to their regional team.
In an alignment to the Oceania strategic plan, OAA wants to create appealing competitions so our talented athletes can entertain and inspire. Whilst OAA has previously had team competitions, there is limited meaningful team-based athletics competitions around the world. We see the Oceania Cup, as a way forward to create a sustained high-level team competition in Oceania.
The host of Oleai Stadium in Saipan, the venue for the 2022 Pacific Mini Games, is currently the best facility in the pacific. The local Organising Committee and Athletics Federation demonstrated an outstanding record to host major international competitions with the Mini Games, and OAA cant wait to return with the Oceania Cup.
NMI Athletics President Ramon Tebuteb said about the opportunity to host the Oceania Cup. “On behalf of the Athletics Family in NMI, we are excited to welcome back Athletics to CNMI with this International Competition. The Legacy that the Pacific Mini Games built has allowed NMI to host a competition of this calibre, with the people and facility that we used in 2022. We can’t wait to see high level athletics back on Saipan in 2023.”
Oceania Athletics Executive Director, Yvonne Mullins said about the Oceania Cup: Oceania Athletics saw what a terrific job NMI did with the Pacific Mini Games, and athletics wants to capitalise on that, and bring the Oceania Cup to NMI. The facility at Oleai Stadium, is currently the best in the Pacific, but its not just the facility, its the people who will be involved who will make the Oceania Cup in Saipan a success.
The Oceania Cup is scheduled to take place from June 22 to 24, 2023 at Oleai Stadium, Saipan, Northern Mariana Island.