Nothing galvanizes the nation or makes us more proud than a New Zealand competitor or team beating those from the rest of the world.
New Zealand performed well in the 2016 Summer Olympics with the third-highest medals per capita.
Sports grounds can be found all over the country, and half of the population will be active during the weekend. New Zealanders will also try any sport, often regardless of barriers.
Rugby - is the national sport and holds a special place in New Zealander's lives. New Zealand won the first-ever Rugby World Cup in 1987. They were also the first NZ team to wear black uniforms and the silver fern emblem.
Netball - is the female answer to rugby and is the second most popular sport in New Zealand. Netball is a fast-paced court sport, and New Zealand's national team, the Silver Ferns, is often ranked first in the world.
Sailing - Team New Zealand has become a household name in their home country following their consecutive wins in America's Cup in 1995 and 2000. They were the first team from a country outside of the United States to successfully win and then defend the America's Cup title.
Since Kupe, the first explorer to reach New Zealand made landfall in Kaiti off Gisborne over 1000 years ago; New Zealanders have had a passion for the ocean-going craft. New Zealanders were at the forefront of yacht design and racing during much of the 20th century and continued their dominance into this century. New Zealand is the only country outside of us to win and retain press litigious America's Cup in 125 years of racing! Even though they lost the cup the third time, it took the wily Swiss to understand that the only way to beat the Kiwis was to hire one to skipper their yacht.
Auckland, the 'City of Sails', has the most significant number of boats per capita than any other city in the world.