Be New Zealand’s First Esports Olympian Thanks To MotorSport New Zealand And LetsPlay.Live – Scoop.co.nz

Tuesday, 18 May 2021, 4:04 pmPress Release: Letsplay.live

Australasias leading esports media and tournamentprovider LetsPlay.Livehave partnered with MotorSport New Zealand and the NewZealand Esports Federation to help find the nations firstsim-racing motorsport Olympian.

Announced earlier thisyear by the International Olympic Committee, the OlympicVirtual Series invites budding esports athletes to representtheir country in medalled events for several differentgames, including motor-sim title GT Sport. New Zealanderswill have the opportunity to qualify for the Oceanic spot inthe Olympic Virtual Series Motor Sport Event both in-personat SkyCity or online from Thursday 13thMay.

Its incredibly exciting to seemotorsport and sim-racing being recognised as a medalledsport by the Olympic Committee, says MotorSport NewZealands CEO Elton Goonan. MotorSport New Zealand havealways been advocates for esports as part of the motorsportecosystem and are looking forward to being able to giveKiwis the opportunity to represent New Zealand and Oceaniaon a global stage.

Ben Lenihan,President of the New Zealand Esports Federation, agrees withthis sentiment. For years esports at the Olympics hasbeen a hot topic, and its fantastic to see this now cometo life as an official Olympic event. This decision by theIOC further solidifies esports competitive legitimacy andthe NZESF are ecstatic to be able to offer such ahigh-stakes global pathway for Kiwi motor-simathletes.

LetsPlay.Live are honoured to onceagain be partnering with the NZESF and MotorSport NewZealand, especially for an incredible opportunity such asthe Olympic Virtual Series, says Duane Mutu, ManagingDIrector of LetsPlay.Live. Kiwis hold fond memories ofthe Olympics so it is exciting to see the evolution intovirtual sports, allowing a new generation ofathletes.

From 7 - 10am on Friday 21st May, Kiwiesports athletes can race on the qualifying track and car atSkyCity Atrium, Auckland. One racing sim will be open forfree-play, with the other open to anyone who wants to take ashot at matching or beating the current fastest qualifiedtime for an Oceania racer.

Alternatively, racersoutside of Auckland are able to submit a qualifying timeusing the Toyota GR Supra Racing Concept and racing on theTokyo Expressway South Inner Loop. The Global OnlineQualifiers will be available in the Gran Turismo Sport gamefrom Thursday 13 May 2021 at 7:00pm until Monday 24 May 20212:59am, with the Time Trial able to be entered from withinthe 'Sport' mode of GTSport.

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Be New Zealand's First Esports Olympian Thanks To MotorSport New Zealand And LetsPlay.Live - Scoop.co.nz