Press Release, May 31, 2004: Pulse Data Sponsors New Zealand Goalball Team

Pulse Data International is proud to support the New Zealand men’s and women’s Goalball teams as they compete in Australia next month.

Greg Thompson presenting cheque to NZ Goalball team

The teams fly to Surfers Paradise where they will play in the Australian National State competition. The tour will conclude with test matches against their Australian counterparts, in what is likely to be closely fought battles. The competition is part of the New Zealand team's leadup to the qualifying competition for the 2008 Paralympic Games, an ambitious goal, given that only 12 countries qualify for this sport at these games.

It is the first time the New Zealand Goalball team has been sponsored, and it is fitting that Pulse Data, a Christchurch based company specialising in the design and manufacture of innovative products for people who are blind and visually impaired, is the sponsor of the NZ teams.

‘Pulse Data is proud to be able help the men’s and women’s New Zealand Goalball teams compete at the highest possible level,’ says Greg Thompson Pulse Data International's Marketing and Business Development Manager. ‘We have great respect for the skill and determination of all members of these New Zealand teams, and we wish them great success in their tour of Australia. We are delighted to have provided the teams with financial support that will help them with their travels and team kits."

As an employee of Pulse Data International, New Zealand Goalball’s Media Liaison Officer Darryl Sherwood, acknowledges the support his company is giving him and his teammates. ‘Competing at this level is pivotal to the teams ongoing development, and having the support of my colleagues makes the desire to win ever greater!’

Goalball is a unique team sport for the visually impaired, played by 2 teams of 3 players. All players are blindfolded to enable blind, visually impaired and sighted athletes to compete together, however to play in a national team athletes must be legally blind. The game is 14 minutes long and divided into two halves. The goalball weighs 1.25 kg and contains noise bells. The object of the game being to roll the ball over the opponent's goal line using a bowling action.

Invented in 1946, Goalball was used for sport and rehabilitation for the post WW II blind veterans. The game was introduced to the world in 1976 at the Paralympics in Toronto, Canada, and the first world championships held in Austria in 1978. Since that time the popularity of Goalball has increased and it is now played in over 100 countries around the world.

The New Zealand GoalBall team fly to Australia on the 12^th June where they will play 6 games before taking on Australia.

About Pulse Data
Based in Christchurch, New Zealand Pulse Data International designs and manufactures innovative technology for people who are blind and visually impaired. Formed in 1988, Pulse Data now exports approximately 98% of its products worldwide to more than 30 countries. Sales offices have been established in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Sweden, The Netherlands, Australia and New Zealand and the company supports a strong distribution network throughout North America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

Greg Thompson
Pulse Data International
phone: (03) 384 4555
email: gregt@pulsedata.com