The Sun
Sport inbrief
Speedway Eastern States Speedway’s next meet, which will feature The Trading Post Production Best Pairs, will be on tomorrow night, starting at 6pm. The meet will also include Youth Ministocks, Adult Ministocks, Super Saloons, Stock Cars and Motocross Bikes.
Rugby Ben O’Keeffe is one of the two assistant referees for tomorrow night’s match between the Crusaders and Highlanders in Dunedin. O’Keeffe joins Mike Lash and TMO Chris Wratt in assisting Chris Pollock. The match kicks off at 7:35pm.
sport
The Cricket World Cup has so far thrown up some high scores, unhappy bowlers and great stories. The Irish beating the West Indies in Nelson was a popular win, but Afghanistan’s appearance against Bangladesh also caught the eye. Many were surprised to see them playing – how did they get here? Their journey is decades in the making. The earliest record of cricket in Afghanistan is locals playing against British troops in the mid-1800s, but the game’s rise to prominence has only picked up speed in the last 30 years. The Soviet War in Afghanistan, a product of the Cold War which ended in early-1989, ironically promoted the game’s growth.
The war was fought between pro-Soviet Afghan government forces and multi-national radical islamist guerrillas, known as the mujahideen. It forced refugees into cricketmad Pakistan, where they learned the game on the streets. Current captain Mohammad Nabi was among those displaced. Since then the game has flourished regardless of circumstance. The country’s cricket board was formed in 1995, and refugees began to return to the country. The Taliban, who ruled from 1996 to 2001, banned the game, but in 2000 cricket became the only sport to gain their approval. Even as the US-led invasion raged on post 9/11, cricket eclipsed
By Adam Poulopoulos A cycling event which debuted last year is back for a bigger second edition this time around. The Bikefit Marlborough Mountain Bike Challenge will be held on Sunday, March 1, starting and finishing at Seventeen Valley, behind the Wither Hills Farm Park. Four courses ranging in difficulty will be run, starting with a 10 kilometre ‘Taste’ course designed for children around the age of 10, and moving up to the 42km ‘Epic.’ Anyone, whether they be competing or just riding to view the scenery, is encouraged to participate. Event organiser Kevin Wilson says entries had already exceeded last year’s event.
Golf
The Tasman under-17 mixed touch rugby team finished eighth of 13 teams in their grade at the SAS Sports Junior Nationals in Auckland this weekend. The under-15 mixed team finished ninth in their grade, out of 14 teams. Both teams contained players based in Blenheim.
Mountain Biking Entries are still available for the 20th annual Rainbow Rage event. The event is scheduled for March 21. The event starts at the Rainbow Valley on State Highway 63, and finishes in Hanmer 106 kilometres later. For more information, visit the Rainbow Rage website.
football and combat sports like boxing and wrestling to become the country’s most popular sport. In 2008 Afghanistan began to compete in the International Cricket Council’s fifth tier, against teams like Jersey and Japan. Current coach Andy Moles took the job even as his brother, who works in counter-terrorism, urged him not to. They have qualified for three Twenty20 World Cups prior to this but now their quantum leap to cricket’s top table is complete. Their next quantum leap is to make it against one of the big sides. That journey started on Wednesday against Bangladesh.
talk
With ... Adam Poulopoulos
Mountain biking event returns
The Sport Tasman Muddy Buddy is back for another year. The event is on Sunday, March 29 at the Havelock Estuary. Teams of two or more go around the muddy course. Children under 10 must be accompanied by a parent. For more information and to enter, visit the Sport Tasman website.
Touch
15
Journey to the top sports
Muddy Buddy
It’s that time of the year again – the Nude International golf tournament is being held at the Wairau Valley Golf Course on Sunday. Visitors from around New Zealand, as well as Australia, France and the UK, will be attending the event. The first golfers tee off at 9am. The event is run by the Wai-natur Naturist Park, and registration is advised. For more information, visit their website.
Friday February 20, 2015
He says the event would offer something different for mountain bikers. “It’s the opportunity to ride on country not a lot of people get the chance to. “It’s private land, on four-wheeldrive tracks, with rolling-to-steep hill country off the public road. “It’s a great ride to do and it’s got enough challenges in it for everybody.” Registration closes on February 25. The invite is not limited to Marlborough Mountain Bike Club members. Forms and more information can be found on the Bikefit website. Left: Alana McLuckie and Margaret McKendry finishing last year’s event
Speedy student skates to success By Adam Poulopoulos A Renwick School student is enjoying life in the fast lane, as she gets recognised nationally for her speed skating prowess. Erin Green, 9, picked up three firsts, in the 500 metres, 1000m and 1500m, in the under-nine age group at the New Zealand Banked Track Championships in Timaru earlier this month. She also picked up a second-place, in the time trial. Before the New Year she attended flat and road nationals, and left with a seven-medal haul, which included four silvers and three bronzes. Coach Samara Pontague says Erin only began skating 18 months ago. “The first time she did a 300 metre time trial it was over a minute, and now it’s less than 30 seconds. She’s taken huge strides.
“She was always really good and easy to coach – if you tell her something she picks it up straight away.” Pontague says it was not easy watching her race. “It was pretty exciting. I was nervous watching the race, but it was pretty exciting. She says the meets have been a great litmus test for Erin, as she finds it hard to compete locally due to the lack of other skaters. Along with Pontague, Erin has had guidance from former world champion speed skater, Timaru-based Nicole Begg, among others. The Blenheim Roller Skating club meets every Tuesday night from 4:30-6:30pm at the Stephenson Street track, next to the hockey turf. Right: Erin Green with her trophies and medals.
Buller Marathon A large Marlborough contingent travelled west on the weekend to compete in the Buller Marathon. Of the six full-marathon runners, Picton’s Willem Lampe was the quickest, finishing in three hours and 52 minutes, which saw him place 47th overall. Paul Gunningham, Darren Neilson, Sonya Sutherland, Tracey Sims and Jody Du Plessis also completed the full race.
Nelson’s Phil Costley, who won the PAK’nSAVE Fun Run late last year, won the full marathon in two hours, 28 minutes and 27 seconds. The best of the Marlborough runners competing over the half marathon distance was Robbie Barnes who crossed the line in a time of one hour, 19 minutes and 50 seconds, to finish eighth overall and first in the male 50-59 age group. Megan Craig led the Marlborough
women home, and finished second in the female 20-34 age group. Other top-three finishes in their respective grades went the way of Lionel Graham and Jan Curnow. Kerry Faass from Southbridge took overall line honours in the half marathon in a time of one hour, eleven minutes and 24 seconds. Overall, 1383 competitors ran across the divisions.