Wednesday October 10, 2018
SPORT
15
Local kids triumph at champs By Gerald Rillstone
Local cross country runners have returned triumphant from the annual Inter-regional Primary and Intermediate Schools cross country championships. More than 80 young, keen, cross country runners from across the Greater Wellington region recently competed at the event held in Nelson and returned having won the annual Inter-regional Primary and Intermediate Schools Cross Country Championships. Joe Martin, 11, from Karori Normal School also won the year six boys’ race, a distance of two kilometres. This was a true achievement for Joe as his two older brothers have previously won gold at this event although Joe is the only one of the three to have won back to back titles, as he won last year as a Year 5 student as well, which certainly gives him bragging rights over his older siblings. “It was good and it was fun to race,” Joe says.
Out for a jog (from left), Molly O’sullivan (Saint Teresas) Joe Martin (Karori Normal) Amy McHardy. PHOTO: Gerald Rillstone
Local girls Molly O’Sullivan from Saint Teresa’s and Amy McHardy from Wadestown schools, who train together during the week and weekends, were members in the year eight girls’ team.
This team of nine runners had five twins in it, with one set of identical twins running in the team. Of the remaining three girls, two have twin brothers, and one has an identical twin sister The event is in its 14th year with
Sports talk
with Jacob Page
Wrestling with the chance of history missed I sat in Melbourne over the weekend realising I’d flown over for the wrong event. I was in the sporting capital of the world to attend a WWE wrestling show along with 70,000 other people at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Saturday night. If I’d done my due diligence before my flight took off I would have realised I’d lucked into the best opportunity to see wonder mare Winx race in the flesh at Flemington. Had I not been staying with my cousin, I wouldn’t have even known Winx was going for win No 28 in a row in the Turnbull Stakes. As I sat on the couch in our accommodation, mentally kicking myself for letting a golden opportunity disappear, I watched through the television in amazement as racing purists and casual fans alike soaked up the atmosphere. Children were dressed in the silks of Winx’s jockey Hugh Bowman and seasoned race analysts simply stopped pondering who might win and became cheerleaders for the mare pre-race. She was an unbackable $1.14 on the fixed odds to win the race. In fact, analysts were telling people to back Winx and frame the ticket, as merely living in the age of the mare and seeing her race was victory in itself. With the stage set, the champion settled in her customary back of the pack position. Her booming speed in the home straight had been her calling card for years. She often streaked away from her opponents with utter arrogance as race callers battled to find superlatives to match what they had seen.
Saturday did not go to script. With 500m to go, Winx was second last on the rails. With 300m to go, her position had improved to the point where she was looking for a gap to stick her naturally big nose through and surge past but she was still a long way off the leaders in a quality field. With many acknowledging after the race that they thought she had no chance at that stage, Winx found some clear running room and Bowman set her alight. She stormed home and won by a length. It may not have been the most commanding performance of her career but few could argue it wasn’t one of her absolute best. I’m not sure if any other horse could have won from such an apparently hopeless position. My cousin, a casual racing fan, sat in amazement. I sat there, still kicking myself I wasn’t at the track, but thankful I’d seen a slice of history. If you only watch horse racing once this year, go out of your way to watch Winx race. The wonder mare will try and make further history when she races in the Cox Plate at Flemington on October 27. Winx will try and notch her fourth successive win in the Cox Plate. A race won previously by greats including; Phar Lap, Tulloch, Makybe Diva, Gunsynd, Kingston Town, Sunline and who can forget Bonecrusher’s win over Waverley Star, title “The race of the century”. Winx’s not just a sporting star, she is one for the history books.
Canterbury and Wellington going into this year having won the Phil Costley Shield five times. (The two regions were joint winners in 2008, 2010, 2012). T h i s y e a r ’s w i n p u t s We l l i n g t o n o n e a h e a d .
To compete in the event Year five to eight students are selected as the top 10 runners in their age group from Wellington, Masterton, South Wairarapa, Hutt Valley, Porirua, and Parumoana, intermediates and Kapiti Coast.
Ngaio teen makes good in US Ngaio soccer star Ella Wilson is finding success in the United States and no one could be prouder than her grandad Bud Jones. He has been following her progress closely over the internet and isn’t a bit surprised she is doing so well. “She was really into it at Onslow and only got to the US around the first of September,” he says. Ella is on a soccer scholarship to Fairmont University in West Virginia and last week was voted all conference defensive player of the week. Ella was playing in the USA Eastern Mountain Conference National Collegiate Athletic Association and was voted defensive player of the week after a one-nil win by her team. She is on a four year scholarship at Fairmont and is studying for an environmental science degree.
She started playing soccer when she was 5 and played for various clubs including North Wellington Club, Onslow JFC and Wellington United. Ella has competed throughout New Zealand and internationally as well and has been on the national scene where she competed for the New Zealand Secondary School Team in Australia. Fairmont State University (FSU) is located in West Virginia and competes within the NCAA Division II. The school has around 5000 students, most of them athletes who are on athletic scholarships. FSU has recently built brand new facilities which include new dorm rooms for students. FSU also has state of the art gyms, medical rooms and athletic training grounds for their athletes. Ella will be studying a Bachelor of Science majoring in biology.
Public Notices Try Your Hand at
Lawn Bowls A Fun Family Day Out for Young and Old WHERE: Wilton Bowling Club, 122 Wilton Road WHEN: Sunday, October 14, 11am – 4.30pm WHO CAN COME: This is a family fun day where kids and carers alike can enjoy themselves and ‘Have a Go’ at the game of bowls. Bowls will be provided, with special small-sized bowls available for youngsters. Club members will be on hand to show you the basics of the game. Flat-soled shoes (or barefeet) on the green please Tea and coffee-making facilities will be available all day at no charge and you are welcome to bring a picnic lunch and enjoy the club’s beautiful bush surrounds.
We look forward to seeing you on
Sunday, October 14
For further information call Paul Cavanagh (027 5291020)
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