We’re a top town
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Are we going up?
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Our champions THUR 17.02.22 - WED 23.02.22
hey win Olympic gold and silver, they run, cycle and kayak over the 243km coast to coast course fastest – and they break records in the water. Wānaka athletes have continued to put the community in the public eye this week as their efforts in the cold, the rain and the water earn praise. In the wake of Zoi Sadowski-Synnott’s gold medal performance, the Queenstown Lakes contingent have battled without the same success in Beijing, but earned praise along the way. This week Zoi was in the medals again, scoring New Zealand’s second – a silver - at the Games. That’s a gold and a silver in the space of nine days for the brilliant high-flying down-to-earth 20-year-old who has become a darling of the media. Speaking to media she couldn’t contain herself from letting out whoops of joy, and, invited to send a message home began it with ’sup guys? …thanks for all the support. Now, at home, we can salute Camille Gulick – who set a new mark after swimming Foveaux Strait last Thursday. And Liana Smith, from Arrowtown was also in the water taking a different route at the same time. On Sunday late entry Braden Currie led a Wānaka quinella in the Coast to Coast race, heading a hobbling Dougal Allan home - and Simone Maier celebrated her 42nd birthday by winning the elite women's section for the second time in a row. Taking part is the most important thing, but, wow, it’s great to celebrate great efforts. Belinda Donaldson from the Wānaka Swim Club and Anna Kate Hutter were part of the support crew for Camille Gulick’s recordbreaking swim - you can read Anna Kate’s account on Page 6 today and catch up with our Coast to Coast and Olympian heroes on the back page.
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Camille Gulick celebrates her crossing.
Zoi Sadowski-Synnott
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CAMERA CLUB ‘IN FOCUS’ This week’s offering selection of photographs from the Wānaka Camera Club come from Allan Ford – who has been a member of the cub for 12 years. Readers who have watched this weekly series will see how each photographer looks at his or her work through a different lens and produces work which is unique to them – sometimes with a very broad imagination. Confused by the caption on the horse? Ask your parents – or try Google!
Lake Kaniere.
Sunflower.
Rural scene.
Not Mr Ed.
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Flowers. THURSDAY 17.02.22 - WEDNESDAY 23.02.22
Wānaka’s new clock.
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Ardmore development proposed
An artist’s impression of the proposal from Ardmore Street.
Plans for a multistorey building have been revealed for the Wānaka town centre. Wānaka Central JV Limited has submitted a resource consent application to construct a hotel, retail, food and beverage complex and residential units in between Heartland Design and Print and ANZ Bank. News of the development prompted debate on social media this week with concerns that Wānaka was “turning into another Queenstown”. The proposed site covering 42–64 Ardmore Street would involve a mixed-use development, which would include 57 residential apartments, a hotel with 143 rooms, retail space of 643m² and food and beverage tenancies of 642m². Two vehicle access points onto Monley Lane would offer 73 parking spaces for the site, across two parking levels: the southern access serving 25 parking spaces and the northern access serving 41. Two existing buildings situated on the upper and
lower eastern ends of the site would be demolished. The site is home to three 30m wilding pines. It is 250m from the Lake front and a five-minute walk of Lismore Park. The proposal was first discussed with Council last April and again in October. Tim Barke, General Manager of Lake Wānaka Tourism said he has not had a chance to have a good look at it in detail but said it shows the attraction and connection people have with Wānaka and their desire to invest in the town. “It is an extremely difficult time for most businesses with many on their knees but people are determined to get through the current huge challenges Covid has brought, and invest to keep our economy going and members of the community employed as we weather this storm. “There is a determination, however, that as we come out of this, it is in a way that enables businesses
to succeed and develop in ways that benefit the community and our natural places.” Queenstown Lakes District Council planning staff will assess the application in detail. A resource consent process is on hold pending a request for further information. Council will then determine whether the application should be notified, either by advising parties or by advertising it. The issue could be reviewed by council appointed Commissioners – or Wānaka Central JV Limited could be advised of the Council's decision, within 20 working days of having lodged the application. The companies office shows Wānaka Central JV Limited was incorporated last August and is registered in Auckland and its directors are Brett Robin Gamble of Christchurch and Anthony John Gapes of Auckland. – By Aimee Owens
Taxi rort: case closed Rogue taxi drivers who overcharged customers in an around Wānaka at New Year have got away with it. But police have indicated they will be watching them in future. In response to questions from The Sun this week Acting Senior Sergeant Kim Chirnside, Area Response Manager, Wānaka Police, confirmed that over the New Year period Wānaka Police received several complaints from members of the public about taxis agreeing to a fixed price and then charging customers a higher price when they had put the eftpos transaction through. “Police investigated this matter and found that there was insufficient evidence to prosecute any parties,” he said. There were other reports that customers unwittingly paid substantially over the odds for journies. “Police are aware of a group of taxi drivers coming to the Southern Lakes area specifically for the New Year period and will be monitoring this group during the next New Year period,” Chirnside said.
The Council Word PERSONAL PROTECTIVE LAYER
Keeping yourself and others safe A friendly reminder to keep yourself and others safe when entering our sports facilities, libraries and offices. Please wear a face mask that follows government guidelines. We’re also asking everyone older than 12 years and three months to show their official vaccine pass or exemption at all Council facilities except our customer service desks. Please be patient. We’re all in this together!
Now available in sizes to fit children.
What’s happening on Golf Course Road?
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• Reduce mishandling and contamination of face masks with our new anti-microbial technology. • Developed to be breathable and comfortable to wear for extended periods of time. • Adjustable nose piece for enhanced fit. Now available in-store.
We’re improving the capacity and resilience of Wānaka’s drinking water supply. Installing the main pipe means Golf Course Road will be temporarily reduced to one lane (the south-bound lane remains open for residents and business access only). We expect to complete this work by the end of April. Please follow the diversions in the meantime.
Be cool with water Last month was the driest January in Wānaka for 100 years! Despite recent rainfall we can all still play a part to help save water and prevent any further restrictions. For tips and ideas head to qldc.govt.nz and search for ‘water conservation’.
Alcohol licence applications To view all recently lodged alcohol licence applications please visit our website. Any objections must be made within 15 working days of the public notice being published. Visit www.qldc.govt.nz/services/alcohollicensing/public-notices
Let’s hear it for our trees! We’ve created a draft Tree Policy to provide guidance on planting, maintenance, potential removals and how staff and contractors will work around trees in our district. Help shape how public trees are managed in your community and check out the draft Tree Policy now at letstalk.qldc.govt.nz. Feedback closes at 5.00pm on Sunday 20 February.
Summerdaze Waterfront Games and Pop-Up Library A series of Summerdaze events is being rolled out to parks and lakefronts across the district this February-April. You’ll find our event trailer packed with games and activities for you to play with, along with our pop-up library ready for you to explore. For full details keep an eye on www.qldc.govt.nz/summerdaze
Phone: 03 443 8000, Top of Helwick Street, Wānaka OPEN: MON-SAT 9AM TO 6PM • SUN 10AM TO 6PM THE WĀNAKA SUN
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Sun News
Network looks for volunteers
Community Networks/Link is looking for volunteers for a new service offering support to parents in the Upper Clutha. The organisation, managed by the Alpine Community Development Trust, provides the region’s only one-stop community support and connection centre, serving the growing Upper Clutha community across the wellbeing spectrum. The Family Support programme is for parents of pre-school age children in the Upper Clutha in need of extra help. Volunteers spend time with families in their homes, offering companionship and assisting with day-to-day household tasks - all in the context of a confidential and nonjudgmental relationship. Community Development Coordinator Joanna Perry that the programme had been years in the making and was the result of long-term collaboration between community
Aurora says sorry Aurora Energy says unrelated faults have contributed to a series of power cuts during the month. The company issues a statement apologising for the cuts last week. “We are doing work in the area to upgrade the electricity network and late last week one of the main power lines that supplies the area had a planned outage to keep our contractors safe while they were replacing power poles,” General Manager Operations and Network Performance Matt Settle said. Power companies refer to power cuts as power outages. “Unfortunately, the second line tripped and the team responded as quickly as possible to get power back on for our customers. The cause was not immediately obvious but was ultimately tracked down to a defective insulator that has now been replaced,” he said. “We are grateful to our contractors who respond to faults around the clock and work hard to get power restored to customers as quickly as possible,” Mr Settle said. “It’s unfortunate that we’ve had a number of outages in the same area over a short timeframe and apologise to our customers for the inconvenience we know this caused them.” Another cut occurred happened earlier this last week when electrical circuits were being reconfigured and the line tripped after a new insulator was installed. “This event is being investigated as we believe our operational response was not optimal and outages could have been avoided,” Mr Settle said. That was followed by a fault with a transformer in Wānaka resulting in power being lost to customers in Wānaka. Aurora Energy has a five-year work programme to invest in upgrades to the electricity network in Central Otago, Queenstown Lakes and Dunedin, after a history of under-investment. In early March a project to replace four power poles, two cross arms and various protection equipment in the Pisa Moorings and Lowburn area will help improve the quality of electricity supply. Some customers will be alerted that they will be without power while this work is being carried out.
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organisations and family service providers such as Volunteer South, Plunket, Wānaka Well and the Central Lakes Breastfeeding Trust. It was introduced at a Community Networks/ Link Connection Café networking session last December attended by parents, tamariki, service providers and volunteers. “We know that parental mental health and support are important issues in our community,” said Joanna. “With 250 babies born in the Upper Clutha every year, and the transient nature of our community, there are many families with young children who find themselves isolated and without family support. At Community Networks/Link, we work to ensure the needs of our community are met by focusing in on areas where energy is bubbling up, complimenting existing services and filling gaps.” Volunteer South’s Central Lakes Manager Gillian White said for new parents, adjusting to family life could be a real struggle. “Having someone there to offer a bit of companionship and a helping hand can make a huge difference. “We've been approached many times to see if volunteers can step in to help, however what has been missing is an overriding organisation to support and coordinate the initiative, so having
PHOTO: Community Networks/Link
The Family Support Programme was introduced at a Link Connection Café networking session in December.
Community Networks/Link to fulfil this role is fantastic news for the Upper Clutha." The Family Support Programme is looking for caring and reliable individuals who can communicate clearly and with patience; show empathy, a sense of humour and a nonjudgemental approach. Volunteers will be matched with a family and spend two hours in their home at an agreed time each week. “What Family Support looks like will vary, but
it could include a catch up over a cuppa, a bit of vacuuming or washing the dishes. Our volunteers are there to share some of the load, and in return they’ll hopefully enjoy building relationships with local families and gain satisfaction from offering support during a challenging time in their lives.” For more information on the role and requirements, visit www.volunteersouth.org or email familysupport@communitynetworks.co.nz.
Top town,that’s us! New Zealanders came to know Top Town as a televised event where the country’s communities battles for national honours. Now Wānaka can celebrate being among the most beautiful of village people. A UK company has checked out the most photographed villages to appear online – and rated Wānaka in the top 10. We are sixth behind Oia (Greece), Halong Bay (Vietnam), Göreme (Turkey), Hallstatt (Austria) and Mission Beach (Australia). Rounding off the top 10 were Vernazza (Italy), Shirakawa-Go ( Japan), Tobermory (Isle of Mull) and Furnas (The Azores). Researchers working for media company Uswitch looked into how many times particular locations had been shared on Instagram and Pintrest, the two most picture-based social
media platforms. Uswitch said it used locations that met National Geographic's definition of a village, having between 500 and 2500 inhabitants, for its research. Almost all 566,714 pictures of Wānaka recorded on the two platforms were on Instagram. The news was welcomed by Wānaka Community Board chairman Barry Bruce. “It’s heartening to see Wanaka rated as one of the world’s most beautiful villages, possibly confirmation that despite significant growth over recent years we have managed to retain our smalltown character and feel, so important to residents and visitors,” he told The Sun. “Whilst Queenstown is promoted as the adventure capital and a resort, Wanaka is seen more as the lifestyle capital, with a slower pace of
Just another Instagram advert for Wānaka.
life and wide-open spaces to enjoy. “These distinct differences complement each other and provide many leisure options within close proximity. I believe it is imperative our future growth is managed in such a way our village character is protected and retained.”
Another year needed to ripen Another event has made a quick call to cancel rather than let down ticket holder late. Ripe Food & Wine Festival organisers pulled the pin in the March 19 event at Glendhu Bay Station last week. “We simply had no choice but to cancel this year’s event with the current red-light setting limiting events to 100 people,” Otago Event Planning Director Nathan White said. The event is billed as Wānaka’s leading food and wine festival. “We had hoped that things may change in time, but the reality is that’s unlikely to happen and we wanted to give supporters as much notice as possible,” White said. The festival has now been pencilled in for March 18, 2023. Ticket holders for this year’s event will have their tickets automatically rolled over to next year and do not need to take any action. Anyone unable to attend next year can gain a refund, excluding ticket provider fees, by completing a form. “As many of our supporters appreciate, running events in this crazy covid world is challenging. We hope our festival community will join us in
People enjoy the sun at the Ripe festival last year.
getting excited about next year’s festival now that they have a ticket and a date to look forward to,” Nathan White said. He hopes to host a virtual wine event on March 19, the same day as the event was due to be held. “Details will be announced soon, but this virtual event will give lovers of Central Otago wine a chance to connect, learn and taste Central
THURSDAY 17.02.22 - WEDNESDAY 23.02.22
PHOTO: Andy Woods/Inshot Studio
Otago Wines with some of our best-known vintners and winemakers virtually.” White founded the Ripe to showcase the region’s producers and the inaugural event was a major success. The 2021 edition of Ripe has been nominated in the NZEA Event Awards – Best Lifestyle event of the year category.
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When it all comes together… It was a case of the right swimmer being in the right place at the right time - Camille Gulick in Foveaux Strait on Thursday morning. Everything about her record-breaking swim from Stewart Island to the South Island felt inevitable, at least to the people who saw her do it. A year ago, the Mons Royale, Wānaka, office manager would not have agreed with that sentiment. With notorious tides and toothy residents, Foveaux felt like an overwhelming task. As recently as Monday, Gulick was sure that she would not get the weather on her side during February’s precious tidal window. But an opening on Thursday proved perfect for swimming, and that’s when preparedness clicked into place like a key in a lock. Gulick’s pilot boat, Shangri La, pulled up to Stewart Island’s Saddle Point around 7am. By 7.30, Gulick had dropped into the chilly dark water wearing togs, a cap, goggles and a layer of homemade zinc grease. She rested her hand on the craggy point. A whistle blew and she was off, cranking out 64 steady strokes per minute for the rest of the way. She was ably escorted by skipper Rewi Bull and the Oreti Beach Surf Lifesavers. At the last minute, she chose not to wear a magnetic “shark repellent” device that she worried was too bulky. Foveaux’s famous fish did not make an appearance, although there were encounters with a curious albatross. Gulick knew that Thursday had the best “tidal coefficient” of the month, but she had no idea that it would help her swim so fast. In fact, she suspected that her coach, Sally McMath, was lying to her about the distances she was covering.
PHOTO: : Tom Christie
Camille Gulick in the water on her record-breaking swim.
Her team had special food and a support swimmer in reserve if she needed a boost. In the end, neither was necessary. Gulick completed her crossing in an unofficial time of 6 hours 57 minutes, almost an hour clear of the previous record.
By the time her team got her back on deck, dressed and doused in celebratory champagne, Gulick had a chance to watch Liana Smith of Arrowtown swim in with yet another record time, 6 hours 19 minutes. Smith had started just behind Gulick and would have enjoyed the same
excellent conditions. The two women congratulated each other across their boat railings, each happy and proud to have been the right swimmer in Foveaux on Thursday. – By Anna Kate Hutter
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Abbot to Time runs short to get leave DQ names in the hat Destination Queenstown chief executive Paul Abbot is to return to Australia. Abbot was appointed to the role in early 2021 and moved across the Tasman to take up the position in July. His family were due to join him in late 2021, however with significantly Paul Abbot obstructed borders this has not been possible. Destination Queenstown Chairman Richard Thomas says Abbot has had to make a difficult decision due to the ongoing conditions brought about by COVID-19, border restrictions and the need to put his family first. “The DQ Board is very sad to see Paul go but can empathise with his extremely difficult position having his family stuck on the other side of the Tasman. We understand his decision to put his family first. That’s the right call for Paul and his family. "He has had an impact on the organisation and made a strong contribution to Destination Queenstown and the evolving destination management plan." Thomas said QQ was in a strong position, with a stable leadership team that had been in place for many years and a committed team continuing to work to promote and support Queenstown businesses. “There is significant ongoing work to keep the Queenstown brand top of mind with both consumers and trade, with welldeveloped plans ready to go once there is some certainty around international visitors to the region.”
Roy Pilott
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Applicants who want to become a board member for a Queenstown Lakes community group have a little under a week to get their names in. Shaping Our Future has decided to take an unusual approach to selecting the successful candidates – their names will be drawn from a hat. When The Sun reported the story earlier this month there were some raised eyebrows when we reported “once the application period closes, the names will go into a hat – minus any applications which
are clearly not suitable – and the three new board members will be drawn out”. John Glover, who is contracted to provide executive support to the Board and is promoting the effort to find three new board members, said he was asked some questions about who was deemed “suitable”. The Sun’s statement related to the fact that some job seekers overseas apply for positiones they are have no experience in – and they make the application despite having no visa to work in New Zealand. “We are ideally looking for people who live in the area, or have an interest here,” he said. Shaping Our Future assists
John Glover
GREBE DIARY 13 February 13, 2022
New chair For trust
Marcus Hermanns, the platform and the grebe.
Gizelle Regan is the new Chair of the Three Lakes Cultural Trust Board. Regan joined as a trustee last April and is based in Hāwea Flat. She has played major roles in marketing and communications Gizelle Regan across the district at Destination Queenstown and now as the Marketing and Communications Manager at Lake Wānaka Tourism. Her career prior to moving to New Zealand was centred around the arts and cultural sector in Australia. She spent more than 10 years leading the direction of large-scale projects for Regional Arts Victoria (RAV), where she was a Board Director. She is also the editor of Playpen, a limitededition independent print magazine that has been established as a place for creative minds to explore the possibilities of diversity; through people, culture, art, and fashion. The Trust’s outgoing Chair is founding trustee, Carroll Joynes who alongside wife Abby O’Neil, was the original driving force behind the Three Lakes Cultural Trust. They will stay on as trustees.
It seemed that the last few days of January and early February were all about stopping nesting platforms being stranded due to low lake levels. I waited and monitored lake levels on a daily basis via visits and the Otago Regional Council website. We did not reach a level lower than previously recorded, but when it eventually rained, we really did have to move fast. The only nests we did not have to move were those attached to the marina. Between Markus and I we were out every day, sometimes twice to rescue nests. Meantime most of the birds continued with their daily routines, though there was some really interesting behaviour on nest 11. That’s the nest where two pairs of birds shared the same platform nesting back-to-back with dividing panels. It was never designed to be shared and it only became a real problem after noting a pair had built a nest and laid two eggs on the back of the platform. That was a very small space. In quick time the nest and eggs were lost. We then decided to enlarge the area to accommodate a full-sized grebe nest. In good time this was occupied by another pair (or maybe it was the same pair) and three eggs were laid. Most of the time it seemed a contented arrangement. It was only by watching for long periods of time that I recorded that things were not quite as harmonious as they appeared. Let’s call the pairs 11A and 11B. A were the original occupiers with five eggs and B many days later
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communities to draw up their visions for the future and helps to implement them. It’s advertisement explains that the candidates do not need prior experience, because passion, life experience, listening skills and empathy are attributes that are just as important as experience of being on committees or in public office. “We have an experienced board who can train and mentor you. If you would like to help others ‘be the change’ then get in touch,” Shaping Our Future says. Applications will close on February 23 – next Wednesday. For more information go to www. shapingourfuture.org.nz
PHOTO: Kind regards
laid three eggs. I noted that when A left the nest for a drink or whatever it is that they do in the water, it would swim round the platform and then launch a full-blown attack on B. B did not retaliate but would hastily move some distance away and wait until A was back on its nest. On February 7 A hatched two of its eggs and departed for more exciting places with its chicks, leaving three unhatched eggs. I was quietly pleased, no more punch-ups - leaving B to get on with incubating her eggs uninterrupted. Two days later I noticed a bird incubating on A and no birds on nest B. I wrongly assumed that B had opted for the larger A area and abandoned her eggs, leading me to suggest to Markus that we should remove the unhatched eggs from A and move the eggs of B to the A platform. And we set out to do that only to find that one of the eggs on A was in the process of hatching. As far as I am aware, no birds had been incubating eggs on A for at least two days. But it has been very warm and maybe B had been sneaking backwards and forwards between A and B. We really don’t know. We need to remind ourselves that grebes, unlike most species of birds, do not wait to incubate their eggs until all are laid, but begin the incubation of each egg as soon as it is laid. Eggs are laid at 1–2-day intervals which can lead to a significant age difference between
THURSDAY 17.02.22 - WEDNESDAY 23.02.22
the first and last hatched chick usually to the disadvantage of the last hatchlings. Sibling rivalry can be quite fierce. More importantly it can extend the hatching for a full clutch to at least a week or more. We have decided to move all the eggs from B to A, which will at least give the egg a better chance of survival. Watch this space! Among all of this, a pair moved onto one of the tyres at the bottom of a Marina poles. They quickly built a nest and before we could move it to a safer place, laid their first egg. The nest and the egg were moved to a new platform and left next to the pole until the following day, and by then it had laid a second egg. Over the next two days we moved the nesting bird (it stayed on the nest) more than 20 metres in which time it laid a further egg. The birds seem content with this arrangement, as is Markus. To add to all of this; with the foreshore vegetation now flooded, an ambitious pair quickly formed a nest on the shoreline. By the time we found it, two eggs had already been produced. We moved the nest and eggs to a new platform, which sadly they have rejected. I think they might be the pair of birds now skulking around that favourite pole near the marina. Not counting that nest, we still have 16 nests with eggs under observation. – By John Darby, Markus Hermanns and Dave Thomas
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Sun Views
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A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A MUM
Making plans with a toddler
Last Sunday was going to be a big day. It was supposed to be our first date since Tobias was born. Our friend had kindly offered to take him for a few hours so that we could finally go out for lunch, just the two of us. I was excited by the fact that we would be able to eat in a restaurant without having to chase Tobias around. We would actually be able to take our time and maybe even jump in the lake for a swim afterwards - what a luxury. While I love making plans, I'm very aware that you can never really rely on them when you have a toddler in tow. On Thursday, Tobias was struck down with a cold. At first, I was optimistic that our date would still go ahead. After all, it was just a runny nose and he had four days to recover. We'd actually come a long way since our last phase of sick bugs. In fact, over the last few months, we hadn't even witnessed one snotty nose. But all that changed when Tobias woke up with a bad case of croup on Friday night. Well-seasoned parents would probably
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recognise the loud barking cough that come with it but as first timers we had no idea. And even though it wasn't too serious in the end, it was still pretty scary. He was really struggling to catch his breath, so we ended up at the med centre. Trying to keep him calm as they listened to his chest was another challenge. In the end, we resorted to blowing bubbles thanks to the nurse's secret stash. After some medication, his condition improved, and he was soon singing and dancing around the room - with a cough or two in between. We were so relieved, but we also knew we had a long night ahead, especially as it was nearly midnight before Tobias went back to sleep. Let's just say we had a very tiring weekend. Instead of swimming in the lake with Sean, I spent Sunday afternoon wiping up snot. Of course, the most important thing is Tobias. As long as he's OK the rest can wait. But for how much longer? As we don't have family here in New Zealand, organising time out isn't so easy. We've already waited 17 months, so I suppose a few more weeks is nothing. Hopefully we'll get to escape the house soon. I'm making the next plan as we speak. – By Daisy Watford
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
To submit a letter for possible publication in the Wānaka Sun, please send it via email to editor@thewanakasun.co.nz. Letters can also be sent by private message on our Facebook page. Letters may be edited or abridged. Letters of no more than 300 words are preferred.
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LETTERS
United we stand?
After just 22 months we now live in a divided community, chaotically adjusting to new rules to stay afloat as best one can - acting in compliance in the hope of a return to better days. But something new always arises to push it out further. For the first time in New Zealand modern history we have a segregation of society by government degree. This is painful as we will always be a better, happier and stronger community as a whole rather than divided. Whether you’re for or against the vaccine rollout is not the topic of this letter - both sides can point to credible science. But there has not even been a debate. The mandate is tearing the fabric of our community. Marriages broken, families split, business closed, long term employees employment severed and careers ended. Oh how quickly they have been shunned. Doctor Mark Edmond MD was let go from his position as co-owner of Aspiring Medical. To my knowledge no one from that business has rung to see how he and his wife are getting on supporting their five children. Carol Bradley, head of the Physical Education at Aspiring College was also let go. To my knowledge there have been no goodbyes, a thank you or calls from fellow staff to inquire as to how she and her family might be coping. “Oh well move on, they made their choice”! Whooa up. Yes they made their choice because it is their inherent right to do so. As it is the inherent right of all of us to choose what happens in our own bodies. To be jabbed or not is a personal decision, but the mandate to force that decision one way is wrong. It is a tool from government, forced down our throats with a large dollop of fear and coercion. History shows segregation does not work, Germany, Rwanda, South Africa… We have collectively decided to treat these folk with disdain and to discard them from our minds. This is uncharted and very dangerous territory for us as a people to be in. We must unite and stand together as a community and nation and say no to the Vaccine Mandate. Brendan Holloway Wānaka
Pigs on The Peninsula
Two weeks ago we paddled out to a pretty sandy cove on the end of The Peninsula. In looking for shade we found instead piles of toilet paper all along the back of the beach in the prime spots. Surely these folk don't live here! But it is definitely Kiwis who are the ones acting like pigs. And it was the same in the Earnslaw Burn last week with fresh crap as a bonus. People need to learn how to poo and piss in the outdoors. If they can't go well up the hillsides above the beaches (and cover it with dirt or a big rock) they need to have a toilet on board their boat or take it home in a bag. Then none of us have to be appalled by their slackness. We used sticks to pick up their toilet paper and took it home in a plastic bag but will there just be a fresh heap next time we visit?. Neil Sloan Wānaka
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PHOTO: Wānaka Sun
Hello again everyone, I hope you have enjoyed watching our local legends do there thing on the slopes of Beijing over the past week. It comes to no surprise that the Covid has reached our slice of paradise with several locations of interest. Please continue to do your bit to help keep our community safe. Scanning, mask wearing and getting tested if you develop symptoms. Here is a bit of what has been going on the past week. Early in the week whilst an officer was surveying the land out the station window by, much like Simba and Mufasa did in the Lion King, a vehicle collision occurred. One vehicle failed to give way causing minor damage. Once the exchange of details was completed one driver received an infringement notice for failing to Give Way. There were several vehicle crashes between bridges two and six in the Crown Range. These corners are notorious for having vehicles come a cropper when drivers take them too fast. Throw in some precipitation and it is a recipe for disaster. Recommended speed signs are the for a reason. Police attended several Family Harm episodes throughout the week. Please engage with local services if you are finding things tough at home. Officers assisted Queenstown units after a vehicle failed to remain stopped and began heading towards Wānaka. Wānaka Police set up a cordon on the top of the Crown Range. The driver thought better of it and decided to
THURSDAY 17.02.22 - WEDNESDAY 23.02.22
head towards Cromwell where it was eventually stopped with our any issues. Police assisted noise control to uplift a stereo from a Wānaka address. There were no other issues reported after the stereo removed. We continue to set up checkpoints around the place and continue to be disappointed by the number of drivers who push the envelope around drink driving. We will continue to reinforce the message that we don’t want people on our roads who are under the influence. Now we are back in school many senior students are driving. Remember your obligations of your restricted licence. Caught three times with passengers and you will find yourself biking or walking to school for three months. On Saturday Police were involved in a Search and Rescue to locate a party of two who were overdue in the Mount Aspiring National Park. An estimated 11-hour trip turned into a 19hour journey. Thankfully the pair come out uninjured albeit very tired. Comfort was taken from worried family members that pair had hired a Personal Locator Beacon from the Department of Conservation DOC centre. On Sunday Police stopped a driver who looked to be on their phone. Once stopped it was apparent the driver had been drinking. He was processed and found to be more than twice the limit. He is off to court. Have a great week everyone. – By Kim Chirnside
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Covid numbers: be prepared, says mayor Record numbers of COVID-19 cases over the weekend are confronting and there are many more to come, Queenstown Lakes Mayor Jim Boult says. “We have all done a fantastic job in the Queenstown Lakes District to get an exceptional level of vaccination amongst our local population and we have been fortunate to have been free from any COVID-19 cases for many months,” he said. “However, it’s here now and numbers are growing rapidly so we need to turn our attention to embracing all forms of defence against this virus to protect our whānau, friends and livelihoods.” Mayor Boult outlined a number of actions locals can be taking now. “First and foremost, get boosted as soon as you are eligible. The authorities recommend the third dose to provide the maximum protection against omicron. Contact your GP, visit bookmyvaccine. nz, or go to covid19.govt.nz to find a walk-in or drive-through vaccine centre nearby.” With a growing number of locations of interest,
particularly in Queenstown, keeping an eye on new notifications and following the advice given was essential. “As new locations are notified by the Ministry of Health, folk need to follow the guidance to either get tested and self-isolate or self-monitor for symptoms. But that only works if people are regularly scanning in or manually keeping a record of their movements, and remember to turn Bluetooth on in the COVID tracer app.” “If you are showing any signs of cold or flu like symptoms, self-isolate and get tested as soon as possible by contacting Healthline or your GP. “People may brush off symptoms as hay fever or a cold, but each and every one of us needs to be sure we are not putting those vulnerable members of our community, or our essential workers, at risk. Equally, if you don’t have symptoms and haven’t been in a location of interest at the specified times you don’t need to get a test. Leave testing capacity for those that need it.” He said remaining supportive and being patient and kind was essential. “Many of us have experienced anger, disputes
Finding Covid
Jim Boult
over the rights and wrongs of vaccination and mandates, and some pretty unacceptable behaviour. Now is a time for us to pull together and make sure our district comes through this as a united community and ready to bounce back. Some businesses will experience staff shortages due to illness or the need to self-isolate, and others may need to close temporarily while they deep clean – these are things we are starting to see in the business of Council already. Stick with them and support local businesses as much as you can,” added Mayor Boult.
To find locations of interest requires an internet search. Negotiate around www.health.govt.nz and readers will find a “locations of interest” page where they can enter place names. On Tuesday night that site revealed Relishes Cafe Wānaka, the Cardona Hotel, Wānaka Lavendar Farm and Scrogging Coffee and Eatery were “locations of interest” variously from February 5 to 7. In the case of Relishes, it told readers: Selfisolate, test immediately and on day 5 after you were exposed at this location of interest. Further isolation and testing requirements will be provided by Public Health. For the other three the ministry said: Selfmonitor for COVID-19 symptoms for 10 days after you were exposed. If symptoms develop, get a test and stay at home until you get a negative test result.
Mandy Deans flies the nest For 14 years Mandy Deans has held the position of Events Manager at Warbirds over Wānaka, but she is now relinquishing the role. Born in Christchurch and brought up on a farm 40 kms west of there, she dreamed of flying over the oak trees that framed her home from the age of five. Her passion for aviation inevitably resulted in her getting her private pilot’s licence in her adulthood. Before taking up the role at Warbirds Over Wānaka (Wow) she worked in the office for Infinity Investment Group for a couple of years until she found a job in the region. Prior to that she was Chief executive of the Economic Development Agency in Porirua City, a population of 50,000 people, before moving to the position of Chief Executive of the Porirua Chamber of Commerce. In October 2008, Deans accepted the position at Wow, a unique job role which undoubtedly brought many highs to Deans life. She named one of her most treasured memories as attaining a customer satisfaction level of ninety-seven percent in 2018. Mandy also successfully helped broaden target markets to include young families with children; helped start the Warbirds Over Wānaka Club and the Flying Scholarships. As well as successfully attracting international Aircraft for Sale companies to the Air show with the likes of Pilatus, Cirrus, Textron Aviation and Tecnam. “In the event world one must have one quality in particular – flexibility. We have to cope with all sorts of Government policies, market changes, personnel changes and then at the actual event we need to respond quickly to spectator and aircraft requirements, for example. some aircraft owners won’t fly their aircraft in the rain so the flying programme has to be adjusted.” In 2018, Wow was named New Zealand’s best national and ost favourite event. Naturally, highs are followed by lows in every job and during her fourteen years, she faced challenges within the role, including keeping the air show fresh with limited funding. “We have been able to bring only one significant new aircraft in from overseas each air show and have had to think laterally about how to utilise New Zealand warbirds to keep the fans interested.” And of course, the Covid-19 pandemic has troubled every industry in some capacity. Deans role as Events Manager is no stranger to this.
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The winning Rock and Bowls team of, from left, Aleisha Henare-Bopp, Chico Sanchez, and Haylee Carr. PHOTO: Brian Greenwood
Vampires, pictured over Wānaka in 2018.
The show has been cancelled again this year due to restrictions in New Zealand. She said it was difficult to say goodbye to the role and the very small professional team after such a long time, who work ‘incredibly hard to deliver a superb air show’. “We have become great friends and I will Mandy Deans certainly be keeping in touch with them all. They share my passion for aviation, and I know, with our very loyal supporters, both spectators and sponsors, that they will deliver once again in 2024. I look forward to being able to watch an Air show from start to finish.” Mandy said she plans to take a few weeks off but will be staying in Wānaka to look for a parttime job. Deans added: “Warbirds Over Wānaka International Air show is a totally unique event – up close and personal, non-stop action, incredible scenery as a backdrop, with people coming from all over the world to volunteer, fly and be part of this truly extraordinary event. I look forward to supporting it for the foreseeable future.” The next Warbirds Over Wānaka Air show is planned for Easter 2024. – By Aimee Owens
It’s only rock and bowl but they like it Last Friday night’s bowls competition at the Hāwea Bowling Club looked a little different when combined with a fancy dress competition. All of the 14 teams entered in the weekly Bowls3Five competition entered into the spirit of the occasion with some wildly imaginative fancy dress creations. Even the team names were creative - ranging from the Wobbly Rollers through Long Suffering Spouses to the Irritable Bowl Syndrome. President of the Hāwea Bowling Club, Gary Vogel, said the evening provided a huge amount of good-natured fun. “It’s just been great to see so many people in
our community coming together to try their hand at lawn bowls, and the fancy dress competition added to the enjoyment, “ Gary said. The judges of the fancy dress competition faced a tough job to determine a winner but the Rock and Bowls team of Aleisha Henare-Bopp, Chico Sanchez, and Haylee Carr were popular winners.
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CAN YOU GET IT WRITE? We are looking for a talented writer with energy and passion to make The Sun shine. Is it you? Does writing community news excite you? Can you build up a contact list and get stories from our schools, service and sports clubs? Can you become the go-to person when newsmakers in our community look for publicity? Can you monitor organisations and see stories where others can’t? Are we looking for someone who will devote a day to a story? No. This role requires a quick-thinking nimble journalist who can get the balance right between quantity and quality. If it’s you, then start writing now - tell us about yourself and why you should be in our newsroom. If you are looking for a challenging role in a positive, friendly environment, plus the benefits of working in one of the fastest-growing regions in the country, apply today to admin@thewanakasun.co.nz with your CV and cover letter. Applicants must be legally entitled to work in New Zealand.
ARE YOU OUR NEW EDITOR? A unique position in one of New Zealand’s most desirable communities has become available at The Wānaka Sun. We are looking for a full-time editor who can build on recent changes in our weekly publication and drive up readership on our on-line platform. The successful applicant will be a respected multi-skilled journalist with a reputation for outstanding communication, organisation and leadership – and someone comfortable with a camera and digital media. He or she will constantly update our website and produce a weekly print product filled with breaking news, well subbed supplied content, regular columns and great photography. Our new editor will, ideally, arrive with a sound knowledge of Wānaka. Journalism will be our new editor’s life, not 9-to-5. The successful applicant will see this role as a long-term appointment. Organising content and building contacts will be two of the major strengths of our new editor who will work in the community. Our new editor will be a self-starter, highly motivated and flexible. Mentoring will be available if our new editor requires it.
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SERVICE
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Wanaka Pharmacy is your local pharmacy. We’re the big pharmacy at the top of Helwick Street - open from 8 to 6 Monday to Saturday and 10 to 6 on Sundays. Ph 443 8000. The Salvation Army Family Store is open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm and Saturdays 9.30am to 4pm and most statutory holidays. We look forward to seeing you in our wonderful store.
Thanks to everyone who comes to Wastebusters to donate goods, shop and recycle. Your support helps us work for zero waste and a resourceful community.
WANTED The Salvation Army Family store requires a volunteer to assist our van driver Danny on a Thursday with pickups and deliveries. If this sounds like you, please pop into the store for some more information. Lifting of furniture will be required. The Salvation Army Family Store requires good quality household goods, if you can help this would be appreciated. Your donations can be dropped at 48 Helwick street or phone for a pick up 443 5068
NOTICE Cut rags (100% cotton) and drop cloths, only $7 for a big bag. Now in the yard container at Wastebusters. Open 9-5 seven days. Business Networking International. The Wanaka chapter of BNI meets weekly at 7am Tuesday morning. Great networking opportunity to grow your business. Contact Randal Dobbs for information 021 973 043 The Salvation Army Family Store is able to collect your donations, this service is available one day a week please phone the store on 443 5068 to make a booking.
STORAGE Clean, dry, safe storage available now. Ezystor Self Storage, 12 Gordon Road, Wānaka, Ph: 021 242 1630.
SUN TEAM WĀNAKA’S INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER ISSUE 1066 Free delivery to Wānaka, Cromwell and surrounds, PO boxes in Makarora, Cromwell, Haast, Wānaka, Albert Town and Hāwea. Also distributed to businesses in the Wānaka business district Average circulation: 15,000 weekly. Phone: 03 443 5252 • Fax: 03 443 5250 News Editor: Roy Pilott • 027 4500 115 editor@thewanakasun.co.nz News tips: editor@thewanakasun.co.nz Advertising: adrep@thewanakasun.co.nz Admin: Benn Ashford • 021 956 740 admin@thewanakasun.co.nz Mail: PO Box 697, Wānaka Deadlines: Display Advertising
4pm Friday prior to publication. marketing@thewanakasun.co.nz 03 443 5252 Classified Advertising 5pm Monday prior admin@thewanakasun.co.nz Subscriptions: $175 within NZ (including GST) per year. Overseas rates on request. Remittances to PO Box 697, Wānaka, NZ.
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Skiers show championship form Amongst a field of 25 competitors, the Wānaka Waterski Club members performed well at last weekend’s Bannockburn Slalom. Gerald Harraway put up a good fight in the Senior Men’s 2 category against Chris Brown (Timaru) and Steve Wayne (Christchurch) for a third placing. New Zealand representative Meg Harraway posting an excellent score of 3 buoys on the 12 metre line in her first tournament of the season. Katrina Wallis won the Under 14 Girls division
Wānaka trail ride called off Wānaka Trail Ride – an annual community event to raise funds for children – is off. Queenstown Lakes District’s popular family trail rides was set to run on April 2, but has become a Covid victim. Last year’s event attracted close to 600 riders who rode over a network of Tarras backcountry trails. The event raised $18,000 for Wānaka Primary School and Montessori Children’s House Wānaka, bringing the total raised for the two schools by the event to close to $160,000. Chairperson Alix Wilson says the committee wanted to make the call sooner rather than later. “For us, the decision was not just about guessing whether we would be under a red traffic light status but also the need to consider the many other elements that come together to run this event safely and successfully,” Wilson says. “We have to consider our incredibly generous landowners who grant us access to their properties and the many suppliers who go out of their way to provide us with vital infrastructure and support services. These are things like our hire equipment, first aid support, helicopters, photographers, catering – the list goes on. “We had to cancel 2020’s event because of lockdown, and we made it back for 2021. So there’s no reason we can’t be back running another incredible trail ride in 2023.
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with a personal best of 4 buoys at 52 kph, two courses ahead of twin sister and second place getter Genevieve's – who recorded a personal best of 4 buoys at 46 kph. Dean Morrision and Katrina Pollard also enjoyed the mostly calm conditions, skiing consistently over the three rounds. The tournament is an important fixture in these skiers' preparation for the New Zealand National Waterski Championships to be held at Lake Crichton, Dunsandel from March 22.
Cadzow wins Wānaka-based 21-year-old Kim Cadzow surprised with a classy win in the under-23 women’s time trial at the national cycling champs in Cambridge last weekend. She only took up the sport last year. The former swimmer and triathlete is now coached by Patrick Harvey, father of WorldTour rider Mikayla Harvey. “I had no expectations. I had only done age group road nationals last year and been training with Patrick,” said Cadzow. “I have not had a chance to do much racing. I just wanted to enjoy it and see what I can do. “I started as a swimmer and then went to triathlon for a year but got injured with the longer stuff. I entered cycling age groups last year and Patrick picked me up from there – right time and right place for me. I have come on leaps and bounds and loving cycling.” She clocked 48m 30s for the 32.5km distance, which would have placed her third in the elite women, and edged out Velo Project’s Ella Wyllie by 0.33s after Wyllie turned 19 seconds down at the halfway. Henrietta Christie, riding for new WorldTour team Human Powered Health, was third.
PUBLIC NOTICE
GRAHAM & OLIVE WEST CHARITABLE TRUST Applications are now open for Upper Clutha not for profit and charitable organisations to apply for grants. Applications are available from the Wanaka office of QLDC and the Wanaka Library. Applications close on 31 March 2022. For further information please contact: Janice Hughes – (03) 443 0911 Alistair King – (03) 443 0086
Wānaka skiers, from left, Dean Morrision, Katrina Pollard, Katrina Wallis (11), Gerald Harraway, Genevive Wallis (11) and Meg Harraway recorded great scores during the tournament at the Bannockburn Inlet.
PUBLIC NOTICE
N o t i c e b o a rd | P a p a P ā n u i Creative Communities Scheme Funding Round Open Funding is now available for community–based arts groups for performances, events, and workshops that will provide a variety of opportunities for participation in those activities. The Creative Communities Funding Round is now open and will close at 5.00pm on Friday 25 February 2022. Applications available from Queenstown Lakes District Council’s (QLDC) website at www.qldc.govt.nz/services / funding/arts. For any enquiries, please contact QLDC’s Relationship Manager Arts and Events Jan Maxwell via phone 03 441 0469 or 027 233 7934, or email jan.maxwell@qldc.govt.nz.
Alcohol Licensing Applications Applications for alcohol licences in the Queenstown Lakes District are published as public notices and shared on Queenstown Lakes District Council’s website at https://www.qldc.govt.nz/services/alcohol-licensing/publicnotices/current-public-notices. Members of the public may object to an application for an alcohol licence if they have an interest in the application that would be considered greater than the general public. Any objections must be made within 15 working days of the public notice being published on QLDC’s website. More information on this process can be found online at https://www.qldc.govt.nz/services/alcohol-licensing/have-your-say-on-alcohol-licenceapplications. If you have a query about an application, a public notice, or the notification process, you can find more information here: https://www.qldc.govt.nz/services/alcohol-licensing/public-notices. Or, alternatively, please call 03 441 0499 or email services@qldc.govt.nz.
Private Bag 50072 | 47 Ardmore Street Wānaka Phone 03 443 0024 | www.qldc.govt.nz
LAND INFORMATION NEW ZEALAND Notice of Weed Spraying in Lake Wanaka
Property owners and users of Lake Wanaka, including for recreation, are advised that the herbicide diquat will be applied via boat or helicopter in gel form to control lake weed (Lagarosiphon) at the following sites in Lake Wanaka: • Glendhu Bay • Glendhu Bluff Bay • Parkins Bay • Paddock Bay • Fern Burn • Eely Point • Roys Bay The work is scheduled to begin from Wednesday February 23rd, 2022 and may continue through to Friday April 25th, 2022, as weather and water conditions permit. Treatment will not take place on weekends or public holidays. As a precautionary measure only, Land Information New Zealand advises users not to take water from Lake Wanaka to consume or for irrigation purposes from the vicinity of the treatment area until 24 hours after treatment has been completed. Notices will be placed at www.linz.govt.nz 24 hours prior
THURSDAY 17.02.22 - WEDNESDAY 23.02.22
to the planned spray dates. Warning signs will be placed at authorised public boat ramps during treatment and will be removed 24 hours after treatment. Changeable weather conditions mean that weed spraying at some sites may be delayed. Please scan the QR code below to access the most up-to-date information. Weed control on Lake Wanaka is overseen by the Lake Wanaka Lagarosiphon Management Committee which includes representatives from Queenstown Lakes District Council, the Guardians of Lake Wanaka, Otago Regional Council, the Department of Conservation and Land Information New Zealand. A copy of Land Information New Zealand’s full annual control works programme is available at www.linz.govt.nz, under “Crown Property”. Further information is available on the website or from Boffa Miskell Ltd during office hours on 0800 638 943, by writing to PO Box 110, Christchurch, or emailing biosecurity@boffamiskell.co.nz.
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Now she’s got the set Zoi Sadowski-Synnott has the complete set of Winter Olympic medals following her superb silver in an epic big air final at Beijing. It’s not certain when the 20 year old – who gets the proverbial key to the door next month – will return to New Zealand, with one report suggesting next month and others putting up a later date. When she does, there will be a good reason for a homecoming celebration for Wānaka. Her next stop will be Canada for more competition. Zoi held the lead going into the third and final run on Tuesday, but defending Olympic champion Anna Gasser (Austria) stomped a huge 1260 to inch ahead. SadowskiSynnott then had the right of reply, but was unable to land her own 1260, finishing in second. “I’m super stoked, I can’t really believe it right now but I couldn’t be more happy to stand on the podium alongside Anna and Kokomo,” she said. “I haven’t really processed it all yet but I can’t wait to get home and take it all in with my friends and family.” The silver medal is in addition to the gold Sadowski-Synnott won
in snowboard slopestyle earlier in the Games. Sadowski-Synnott now has a full set of Olympic medals, slopestyle gold (Beijing 2022), big air silver (Beijing 2022) and big air bronze (PyeongChang 2018). “It’s cool to have the full set, I can’t wait to get them all together. I’m already looking ahead to the next Winter Olympics, I’m really keen to make it to Italy, there’s still a lot of progression to come in women’s snowboarding and I want to be a part of it.” Meanwhile, Queenstown Lakes athletes have continued to shine at the Games. Even finishing 75th has been enough to put Wānaka on the map with athletes in the Winter Olympics biathlon who have been impressed with the efforts of Campbell Wright. The 19-year-old, an impressive 32nd in the 20km individual race, paid the price for missing a couple of targets this week as he completed the 10km sprint in 75th as the youngest competitor in the event. The teenager has had strong support from his crew, who have ensured is efforts do not go unnoticed.
Zoi has flown high in the Beijing Olympics.
Late decision pays off for Currie
Braden Currie with brother, Glen, after his win.
PHOTO: Sally Currie
After retiring from multisport seven years ago to pursue Ironman distance, Braden Currie had planned to race Ironman New Zealand in the coming weeks. But after receiving news the event had been cancelled less than 40 hours before the horn was due to blow on the start line of the Coast to Coast's 40th Anniversary, he took his chance to compete in one last race in New Zealand before heading to Utah in May for the Ironman World Championships. And it paid off as he led home last year’s champion and friend Dougal Allan, also from Wānaka, and Ryan Kiesanowski in a time of 9 hours 45 minutes and 23 seconds.
"It was a huge decision to actually make the start today. I've always wanted to come back and race Coast to Coast. It was amazing to be back racing in the natural environment and the course is a favourite. To go back to where it all started and have an experience like this feels incredible. It means a lot to me,” Currie said. “Obviously, I haven't been on the course at all, or in my boat for years and haven't done any real mountain trail running - I feel really lucky to get out ahead of Dougal. He's an incredible human and one of my best mates. Once you're in that race mode, you just do what you've trained to do in that environment. I had a great day - a good run, bike and paddle.
I knew the river would be high so as long as I stayed in the fast water and kept my boat up the right way I hoped I wouldn't lose too much time - luckily that happened". "A race like this is incredibly hard to plan for, so it was about having some fun. On the run, I actually remembered the exact root that tripped my brother up (Glen Currie) a few years ago and caused some pretty solid damage to his knee - that kept me amused for a while!” Wānaka's dominance continued when Simone Maier broke the tape in the elite women's field for back-to-back victories, leading all the way to record 11hr 52min 18sec on what was also her 42nd birthday.
Cricket season resumes – for most After the long school holidays and Round Eight’s cancellation due to ‘Traffic Light’ headaches, Luggate Albion junior cricketers were absolutely ‘frothing’ to get amongst it over the weekend. Here’s how things shaped up… Youth: Playing in Luggate on a hot Friday afternoon, the Mt Aspiring Youth were sent into bat against the Dunstan High School ‘Whero’ squad. Will Anderson plundered a glorious 50 but the innings struggled through to 138/5. The bowling and fielding however was exemplary as DHS were restricted to 93/6 in reply. Division 1: It was ‘mate against mate’ on Saturday as the club’s two Div. 1 teams squared off with the result ultimately decided by the exploits of a newcomer. The ‘Volts’, strangled early on to a run rate of under five put Sam Harper, a former Nelsonian in to bat. Runs flowed freely as he added 74 from his 30 ball innings, cracking 10
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fours and 4 sixes in the process. The Heat chasing 175/7 were all out for 102, with Ryan Keenan bagging a superb 5 for 7. Div 2: L.A Thunder v Molyneaux Renegades. With gloomy Alexandra skies above our ‘Thunder’ put MCC into bat and with good lines and tidy fielding had the home team at 112 at the completion of their innings. With contributions from most and a slew of boundaries from Riley Anderson’ (44) the total was comfortably chased down. The L.A Flames, due to play Maniototo CC in Naesby were again rained off. Div 3: Albion Heat travelled to Alexandra to play the MCC Buffaloes and, apart from the experienced Shaya Byrne (18) found it tough, getting through to 56/6. In reply MCC struck 108/2. The Flames took on Queenstown Heat at
Hawea Flat and came away with a good win. Putting the opposition into bat first our lads gave up just 87 runs and then compiled a mature 128 in reply. The Volts played the powerful Queenstown Thunder at Hāwea, with the visitors taking a liking to the refurbished pitch, smacking 180 for their innings. In reply, our chase came unstuck as 12 wickets fell (contributing plenty to Queenstown’s nett score) and with 106 on the board, unfortunately a loss. Harrison Dickson and Willis McCarroll performed well with bat and ball and George Lamb fielded expertly all day. Div 4: It was ‘Star Wars’ in Luggate as the LACC Stars put away their Queenstown namesakes. Adjusting to losing four players to boarding school, the new lads bought in did well, including Joe Harper who’s 26 contributed nicely
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A brand-new pitch and glorious outfield await at Three Parks.
to their 110 total. A solid bowling and fielding display then followed to leave their cross-hill rivals 90 all out. Two plays to highlight – Flyn Robinson on debut and Hannah Radford. With players added across the teams, two pitches refurbished and new pitch at 3 Parks ready, this end of the season will be full of new beginnings – stay tuned! – Compiled by Duncan Spear
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