New Zealand and Australia will be traveling to Turkey later this month to participate in a 3 nations tournament. The event will take place in the town of Canakkale, on the Gallipoli peninsula, the site of a fierce WW I battle that took place 95 years ago between the 3 nations. The tournament will be televised in Turkey and in New Zealand according to a radio interview with NZ Federation Secretary General, Frank Stotenberberg. New Zealand will also be travelling to Germany before the tournament where they are scheduled to HSC Gronau (14 Apr), HSG Ascheberg (15 Apr) and TSG Harsewinkel (16 Apr). The dates for the tournament are:

21 April, Australia – New Zealand
22 April, Turkey – New Zealand
24 April, Turkey – Australia

On a side note, I noticed on the New Zealand website a poster showing the New Zealand team performing the Haka, the Maori dance most often associated with New Zealand’s “All Blacks” national Rugby team. This tradition involves the National team performing the war dance on the field while the other National team stoically looks on. But, it’s more than just Rugby as the New Zealand Federation informs me that the Handball team also performs this pregame ritual. I know that Australia has ruled the roost in Oceania competition, but here’s hoping that New Zealand upends them for a World Championship berth. I can just see the puzzled looks of the Swedes in the stands in 2011.

Audio: Interview with NZ Federation Sec Gen Frank Stoltenberg: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOP4Vi3j6PA&feature=player_embedded

3 Nations Tournament official website: http://www.3nations.biz/default_en.asp
New Zealand Federation: http://www.handball.net.nz/cms/
Wikipedia article on Gallipoli: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gallipoli_Campaign
Wikipedia article on the Haka: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haka

Handball Haka Videos:

Rugby Haka Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83U_Vg1GRvA