Swarm of Elvis impersonators rock in Upper Hutt for annual Elvis Down Under competition

October 21, 2020

Eighteen passionate impersonators gathered this year to test their mettle at the Elvis Downunder competition.

Upper Hutt hosted a grand competition of its own this weekend. Elvis Down Under has been running for 15 years, but almost didn't make it this year due to Covid-19 challenges.

The three-day event is a competition to find the best Elvis impersonator in the land.

There were 18 Elvises on Saturday and just 10 made it to the finals on Sunday. But ultimately, there can only be one.

Elvises appeared from across the spectrum, spanning decades with their efforts. Forty-three years after his death, Elvis lived again on stage.

"It's all come together amazingly," organiser Cathy Finau told TVNZ1's Seven Sharp. 

"Last week we hadn't sold hardly any tickets, and all of a sudden people have come out and bought tickets. There was a queue last night. We had to shut the doors before we let everyone in."

First place went to Jarrod Shirtcliffe, who was praised as a "newborn Elvis".

"I feel amazing. This is my first time. I'm over the moon," he says.

"I hope I can convince other people my age to come and do the same because we need Elvis' name to stay alive."

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