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Friday, January 24, 2014 cook Islands News
Pacific Women's Cup action—PAGE 12
tarekareka
SPOrT
GRAND FINALS, TODAY 9AM-3PM
39 make up Team Cook Islands a TeaM of 39 athletes and ofi-
cials will represent the Cook Islands at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, scheduled to be held from July 23 to august 3. Cook Islands Sports and national Olympic Committee (CISnOC) chief executive officer Team Cook Islands chef de mission robert Graham said the Cook Islands will compete in four sports codes at the games. local athletes will compete in athletics, lawn bowls, rugby sevens and weightlifting. The lawn bowls and rugby sevens team have until the end of the month to confirm their squads
for the multi-sports event. alex Beddoes (800m/400m), Tereapii Tapoki (shot put/discus) and Patricia Taea (sprints) will represent the country in the track and ield events, while sole female weightlifter luisa Peters, currently in training at the Weightlifting Institute in noumea, will compete in the women’s 75kg+ division. as well as individual team coaches and managers, Team Cook Islands will also include former Cook Islands Olympic athlete Mark Sherwin as general team manager, administration oficer Siniva Marsters and attaché Tupuna Mitchell.
CInews deputy editor, Matariki Wilson and CITV’s cameraman Mac Marona will be part of the team to cover and report on the team’s performance on and off the ield. Fundraisers for the team will also be rolling out over the coming months and the general and sporting family are asked to show your generosity when the fundraisers are organised and run. Meanwhile Graham is set to ly to Scotland this weekend for the chef de mission meeting, where he will inspect various venues and the games village for athletes and report back on his return. - MW
National lawn bowler Kanny Vaile was the lag bearer for Team Cook islands at the delhi Commonwelath Games in 2010. Team Ci for Glasgow later this year will be made up of 39 athletes and oicials.
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Tight battle leads to Women’s Paciic Cup inals today PlenTY of laughs, spectacular sixes, cracking bowls and even singing have been some of the highlights at the ngatangiia sports grounds where the irst of the ‘Festival of Cricket’ events has been providing plenty of boom action. The Festival of Cricket is made up of four tournaments over the month of January. Cricket Cook Islands chief executive officer alister Stevic says the annual Festival of Cricket is a strategy to increase the number of visiting cricket teams to the Cook Islands. “By running the Festival of Cricket we encourage overseas teams to attend and take on our
local talent,” says Stevic. “The benefits for the Cook Islands cricket community go beyond fun and enjoyment as our aspiring national players get the opportunity to play against overseas teams, learn skills from them and understand a different approach to playing cricket.” Stevic says that this is the irst year the Festival of Cricket has been run and that 13 teams have already registered and paid a non-refundable deposit to take part in the 2015 Festival of Cricket. “It has been a hard slog to encourage teams to come; however with the tournament underway overseas teams have
seen the videos and imagery on our social media and are excited to attend.” Stevic says that the association is happy with the 13 registrations so far; however they are hoping to increase that number to 20 for 2015. heading into today’s finals action of the Women’s Pacific Cup, new Zealand and Pukapuka are at the top of the table closely followed by ngatangiia and arorangi, both looking to book spots in the semi-inals. The three remaining teams to ight it out for a semi’s spot are Takitumu, Mauke and Pukapuka Wale. dorthy Kiria (arorangi) has been in sensational form hav-
ing scored over 200 runs including a century and a not out half century, while Maloku Mataora (Pukapuka nZ), Jasminda Tuaputa (Takitumu), Teiti Tupuna
(arorangi) and Tekura Kaukura have all taken ive wickets in the tournament. Today’s matches swing into action from 9am with the semi-
inals, followed by the 5th and 6th playoff at 12:30 and the grand inale at 3:30pm. - Matariki Wilson
A star Ngatangiia batswoman calmly blocks the ball from her wicket during yesterday’s hot day of cricket in the Women’s Paciic Cup cricket tournament at Muri ield where the inals will be played today.
Masters go to Panther land The MaSTerS of rugby league
played at the hard avatiu swamp last Friday. The slippery eels re-enforced its numbers with Koura Vai and eagles players, while the stealthy Tupapa Panthers welcomed the balance of the players to its ranks. The Tiri Toa, Mark Brown and Bobby hunter inside backs combination was so effective that speedy wingers Kirapa ruaporo and Joe Tommy had huge gaps
out wide to canter for the tryline. nga Puna and Bob Taripo were dominant in the forwards for the eels and in the backs deceptive runners Piho Mitchell, Mac Mokoroa and Casper Mateariki also had successful forays into the opposition half. Senior referee Tua Manea, assisted by apprentice ref Moeroa Takairangi, controlled the game well despite much unsolicited
advice from 26 self-appointed referees. Man of the match, Ivan Papa, a player from the Waitemata Te atatu masters, auckland, was solid in defence. Today host Tupapa Panthers will play the happy Valley Koura Vai at 4.45pm followed by the eels and eagles. The after-match will be held at the ruaporo Beach front. - Slow and Steady
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