Ben and Ann Rzoska: Kiwi Warriors super-fans renew vows in Vegas ahead of Raiders clash

A trip to Las Vegas to watch the Warriors became al the more special for one pair of Kiwi superfans - who took the opportunity to renew their vows in the lead-up to the match. 

Ben and Ann Rzoska were among the estimated 9000 fans who travelled from Aotearoa to mark the occasion, and they celebrated with a themed ceremony.

The pair joined Piney to discuss.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from newstalksb Now.

Speaker 2 (00:12):
Las Vegas is known for many things, one of which
is weddings, and Vegas hosts one hundred thousand weddings every year,
making it the most popular wedding destination in the United States.
Many couples also renew their wedding vows in Las Vegas,
and you can add another couple to that, Kiwis and

(00:35):
huge Warriors fans Ben and Anna Rosca renewed their vows
there in the last few days. Now they're both with
us on Weekend Sport. I've seen the photos. Ana, you
look absolutely beautiful in your wedding dress and Ben resplendent
in your Warriors tuxedo holding a cutout of the face

(00:56):
of the Mad Butcher. This is brilliant and it was
this always the plan to renew your vows in Vegas
ahead of this game.

Speaker 3 (01:04):
Oh absolutely, And the timing was so good at our
twentieth wedding anniversary as well, so what better way to
start our Vegas trip. And then obviously got the Warriors today,
which we're really amped up about, so it's going to
be awesome.

Speaker 2 (01:16):
Well, congratulations on the renewal and on your wedding anniversary. Now,
you weren't married in Vegas, but I think you renewed
your vows one other time there, Ben, did.

Speaker 4 (01:24):
You, Yeah, we did. We did it fifteen years ago
with Elvis, and it was just crazy that this time
around it was the same Elvis that married us, remarried
us fifteen years ago. He's an absolute character. It was
amazing it was.

Speaker 2 (01:39):
The same Elvis from because there must be many many
Elvis celebrants in Vegas. Did you specifically try to find
the same guy?

Speaker 4 (01:47):
No, it was a fluke. He had actually moved chapels
from one chapel to another and it was at a
different chapels.

Speaker 2 (01:54):
Me to be mean to be, I mean, you would
have remembered him? Well, I don't know. He probably marries
and renews vows for many couples. Did he remember you
from fifteen years ago?

Speaker 4 (02:06):
I reckoned. By the end of the ceremony, he definitely clipped.
So I think so.

Speaker 2 (02:12):
Now I've seen the photos, as I say, being the blazer,
the Warriors blazer that you're wearing, is that specially made
for this occasion?

Speaker 4 (02:20):
Yeah, there was tailor made in Thailand, So there's an amazing, amazing,
well fitted suit, and then we had the boys cut
it out and warriors suits as well, so we're all
looking the part.

Speaker 2 (02:32):
Anna, This is just what a cool family occasion. So
your boys, Ana, they were clearly keen to be involved
in this whole thing as well.

Speaker 3 (02:38):
Yeah, no, they were, they were keen.

Speaker 4 (02:40):
They were keen.

Speaker 3 (02:41):
And after we renewed our vowels, we actually all headed
to Fremont Street and we all did the zipline as
a family. But I lost my veil on the zipline.
What you boy, was absolutely crazy in my wedding dress,
but my veil flew off on the red carpet and
I lost it.

Speaker 4 (02:58):
It was over the top of the NRL opening party,
so Fremont Street was packed with ten thousand crazy fans
while we ziplined over the top and our wedding attire.
So yeah, it was amazing. Sam Burgess was on stage
and he stopped what he was saying to give us
a wave as we were ziplining past.

Speaker 2 (03:14):
That is so cool. The thing about it is that
you know these things would be out of place in
other cities. Been in Vegas, It's probably just an every
day occurrence.

Speaker 4 (03:23):
Yes, oh it was nuts. It was absolutely nuts. It
was such a such a good day and we were
treadl at celebrities walking around the NRAL fan zone. Every
second person wanted a photo with us, so we actually
felt like celebrities on the day.

Speaker 2 (03:36):
Outstanding. How long have you both been Warriors fans?

Speaker 3 (03:39):
Oh?

Speaker 4 (03:40):
Since day one? Since day one. We actually lived overseas
for quite a while, but we lived in Auckland for
nine years, so we're members for those nine years. But
we're living in christ Us now so we get along
to every game that's in christ Huts. We've got an
Anzact test coming up which would be good. But yeah,
we've been being fans from since day one.

Speaker 2 (03:55):
And you know the mad Butcher uh you know, cut out, cardboard, cutout.
You're always keen for that to be part of this,
this whole thing as well.

Speaker 3 (04:04):
Oh, Ben, he was differently, you're keen on me. I
really made some of those photos.

Speaker 4 (04:10):
It was hilarious. I actually I actually flicked Sir Peter
Leech a photo of there afterwards as well. I've got
his number on my phone and I flecked him a
photo of himself at our wedding. So here is pretty staked.

Speaker 2 (04:21):
I bet he was. I bet he was. So there's
a game now to go to. You've you've sort of
you know, you've cleared your cleared your diary, now you've
done all of this other stuff, and now there's a
game to go to. How much you're looking forward to
getting to what looks to be an outstanding venue, Allegiance
Stadium in an hour or so.

Speaker 4 (04:38):
Oh, we're absolutely fizzing. Like we've been walking around the
strip this morning and there's just worriyous supporters everywhere, you know,
ener L and Super League supporters all over the place.
So the place is absolutely buzzing. The stadium looks like
it's going to be amazing. So we're so fired up.

Speaker 2 (04:55):
Outstanding guys. This is just such a cool story. Like
I say that, the photos look amazing. I'm sure there's
many more that will surface over the next little while.
Congratulations on the renewal of your vows. Thanks for chatting
to you, chatting to us, and hope you and you
and the boys have an absolutely awesome time this afternoon.

Speaker 1 (05:11):
No, thank you, Jason, appreciate it.

Speaker 4 (05:13):
Nice talking to you.

Speaker 2 (05:14):
Nice talking to you two as well. There has been
an Anna Roska Warriors Super fans renewing their vows on
the occasion of their twentieth wedding anniversary in Las Vegas.
It could not have been any better.

Speaker 1 (05:27):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to News Talk Set B weekends from midday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio.