Thousands of volunteers will be needed to help Auckland host one of its biggest sporting events in its history.
The World Masters Games in April next year, will bring 25,000 athletes competing in 28 sports to 48 competition venues across the city.
Organisers need to recruit up to 4000 volunteers, but have so far received about 1600 applications.
Games chief executive Jennah Wootten says the volunteer numbers would be at the levels of the 2011 Rugby World Cup and 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup.
She says the Masters is the largest multi-sport event in the world, bigger in scale than even the Olympics in terms of athlete numbers.
"The goal is to encourage participation in sport throughout life," Wootten says.
This is the first time New Zealand will host the event, which is expected to generate more than 240,000 visitor nights and $30.8 million GDP for Auckland alone.
Organisers are looking for volunteers with a positive attitude, are approachable and friendly and able to work well in a team environment.
Quite a number of the applications received so far were from international students studying in Auckland.
Applicant Yi He, from China, said volunteering had helped her make friends, settle in Auckland and even improved her English.
The 25-year-old University of Auckland student got hooked on volunteering since she started helping during the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake back home.
"The earthquake was the worst disaster I experienced, and I volunteered to carry relief supplies to the wounded in the hospital in Chengdu," He said.
"It was the most fulfilling and rewarding experience, and how people helped and supported each other really helped me."
Since moving to Auckland, she had volunteered with the Confucius Institute, Walking Stars night marathon and Chinese Language Network events.
"It will be great if I can also be part of Auckland's biggest sporting event," He said.
Unlike the Olympics, athletes represent themselves and not their country in the Games.
Registrations for competitors are now open, and more than half of the athletes are expected to come from overseas.
Volunteer requirements:
* Be at least 17 years old as at Dec 31, 2016
* Be available for:
* At least four volunteer shifts from April 21-30, 2017
* An in-person interview held in Auckland or Waikato
* Attend training in March/April 2017
