Brief History of Korfball in New Zealand

International Participation

First NZ U23 team
In 1999 a team from Westland High School took part in KA’s national Under 19 championship in South Australia and in 2002 a Canterbury team took part in KA’s national Under 16 championship in Victoria. New Zealand’s first participation in international korfball was at the Asia Oceania Youth Korfball Championship in Bacchus Marsh, Victoria, in January 2003, where the New Zealand Under 23 team competed with Australia, Chinese Taipei and Hong Kong China. In a very close encounter for the bronze medal, New Zealand lost by a single goal to Hong Kong, and thus missed qualification to the 2004 World Youth Championships.

In July 2004 Korfball New Zealand hosted its first international tournament, the Sixth Asia Oceania Korfball Championships, at Pioneer Stadium, Christchurch. Following the late withdrawal of Indonesia, which was replaced in the draw by an unofficial ‘Invitational’ team, there were three official teams in the tournament: Australia, Chinese Taipei and New Zealand. Despite losses to the two visiting teams, New Zealand, playing at senior level for the first time, made steady progress through the course of the tournament, and showed that it is going to be capable of making the step up to international competition. In a very exciting final, world seventh ranked Australia defeated world fourth ranked Chinese Taipei 17-14.