The Cook Islands team is keen to put last weeks Pacific Games funding crisis behind them ahead of tomorrow's opening ceremony in Noumea.
The Cook Islands government was forced to bail the team out and pay for their flights to Noumea, at a cost of more than 100, 000 US dollars, after the National Olympic Committee couldn't come up with the money.
The bulk of the team arrived in New Caledonia yesterday and the country's Chef de Mission, George George Williamson, says they're keen to move on from last week and turn their focus to the competition.
"That would be, in my mind, was an uphill climb for us compared to previous Games' but that's all behind us and we're here now and we've just got to see what Noumea has to offer. I came here in 87 when they had the South Pacific Games; you know the place has changed a hell of a lot and it's looking very very nice. Obviously they've done a lot of work to get the Games to where it is now."
