Referee in no doubt about reckless tackle rulings 

                                              By Brent Edwards

                                              International referee Paddy O'Brien is
                                              adamant he made the correct decision in
                                              sending Hurricanes and All Blacks wing Tana
                                              Umaga from the field at Carisbrook on
                                              Saturday.

                                              O'Brien said later he had red-carded Umaga
                                              after 25 minutes for a dangerous and reckless
                                              tackle.

                                              He declined to comment further, as Umaga
                                              would appear before the New Zealand Rugby
                                              Football Union judiciary in Wellington today.

                                              O'Brien was also emphatic he was justified in
                                              awarding the Highlanders a penalty try from
                                              the incident.

                                              "I believe the tackle prevented Ropati scoring,
so that's a penalty try."

O'Brien said Highlanders' halfback Byron Kelleher was sin-binned for kneeing an opponent.

Umaga believed his action warranted only a sin-binning and he was supported by Hurricanes' coach Graham
Mourie.

"But that's the referee's decision," Mourie said. "We probably played better with 14 men than 15. They tried
really hard."

It was an eventful match for O'Brien, who also sought the advice of the television official to adjudicate on
three tries. Two were awarded and one, when television replays showed Hurricanes' wing Brad Fleming did
not force the ball correctly, was ruled out. 

  Brown may have broken jaw - page 15

  Match report - page 16

Regional sports round-up 

By Terry O'Neill 

Oamaru: A superb bowling spell by Union off-spinner Paul Johnston, which included a hat trick, guided
competition leaders Union to a 103-run win over Oamaru at Awamoa Park on Saturday and enabled Union,
as top qualifier, to go straight through to the final in a fortnight's time.

Johnston was instrumental in Oamaru being dismissed for 61 in reply to Union's 164, taking five for 4 off 5.3
overs. His hat trick victims were Stu Dean (caught), Brett McLeod (lbw) and Mark Creighton (bowled).
Deans (22) top-scored for Oamaru.

Oamaru looked to be in with the chance of an upset when it had Union 46 for five, but an 80-run partnership
for the eighth wicket between Mark Wilson (68 not out) and Neville Donaldson (26) saw Union through to a
semi-respectable 164.

A solid batting effort from Albion saw the side make 230 for nine in its 50 overs against Valley at the
Showgrounds.

Although Albion lost Robbie Rankin early in the innings, Craig McDonald (40) and Chris Cunningham (28)
added 60 runs for the second wicket.

Chris Booth continued the momentum with 52, while further down the order Matthew Tait (24) and a
rejuvenated Kyle Adamson (26) gave the innings its substance.

Valley was never really in the hunt with the Mavor brothers, Jason and Stefan, who both made 20, the main
contributors.

Tait finished with five for 54 while Albion captain Chris Cunningham featured in six dismissals, taking three
wickets with the ball and taking three catches as Valley was dismissed for 127.

St Kevins College, mainly due to some sound batting from Daniel Gard (51) and some accurate bowling from
George Kean, who took five for 27, saw the College side beat Waitaki Boys High School by 53 runs.

St Kevins looked to be heading for a generous total at 108 for three but the lower order crumpled to be all
out for 151, with James McNally taking four for 37.

Only player coach Keith Gardner (31) showed any real resistance in the Waitaki innings as the side was
dismissed for 98.

                                      Bowls

In an abbreviated final round, Weston took the Anderson Bowl, the symbol of bowling supremacy
for country clubs, when it beat Maheno at the Phoenix club on Saturday.

Bob Wilson's four proved to be too strong for Colin Goldthorpe's Maheno rink, winning 24-12.

In the only other match played, Pukeuri beat Hampden 2-0 with Lyall Caldwell and Norman
Weller registering wins for Pukeuri.

                                     Softball

Kiwi Red Sox made it a double in senior women's softball, beating Kiwi Cougars 5-0 and scoring a
massive 41-1 win over St Kevin's College.

Bronwyn Wall and Kirsty Grant hit home runs against Cougars, while Grant and Holly McDiarmid
hit two home runs each against St Kevin's College.

St Kevins College almost pulled off the upset in senior men's softball when it was run down by
Rebels, which took the game 9-8.

St Kevins led 6-0 at the bottom of the second innings and went into the fourth innings with an 8-3
lead before the Rebels' pressure told.

Carl Banks pitched a "no hitter" against Waitaki Boys as it won 7-0. Banks also batted .1000.

                                       Golf

In the final of the Summer Cup at the North Otago Golf Club on Saturday Merv Godfrey beat Joe
Hunt.

In the single par competition, the best score was nine up from Albie Dick who also shared the
best gross of 74 with Keith Murray.

By Norman Woods 

The last round of interclub games in the South Otago bowls competition was played on Saturday.

Kaka Point managed to beat Balclutha White by three games to one, with the highlight being the premier
fours, in which Kaka Point won a closely fought match by 25 to 21. This win gave Kaka Point a good return
for the season in this section.

In the club section, the fours went to Kaka Point with Herbie McLaren's four winning 16-9, while McLaren,
who teamed up with Wilf Murdoch in the pairs, lost 18-12. The crucial game of the day saw Bob Cullens
paired up with Eric Michie and Kaka Point managed to win 12-8. Overall, Kaka Point won by two games to
one in the club section plus the premier victory.

South Otago champion of champion pairs was played at Clinton yesterday. In the early results, Clutha Valley
beat Kaka Point while Finegand beat Clinton.

In the second round, Clutha Valley team of Robert Wilson and Ken Rishworth won comfortably over
Finegand. Kaitangata team of Lindsay Miller and Murray Smith began their quest in good style, beating a
strong Milton pair 20-5.

Stirling was also impressive when it beat Lawrence and Balclutha team of Bill Barron and Roger Barron
were all class against a Waihola team that fought right to the finish.

Rain set in before lunch and at the late stage of the afternoon no more play was possible unless the rain
cleared; otherwise, games would be rescheduled for next Wednesday, with four teams left in Clutha Valley,
Balclutha, Kaitangata and Stirling. 

By John Fitzharris

Gimmerburn beat Oturehua to earn the right to play Ranfurly in the final of the Maniototo-Eastern Districts
limited over cricket competition at Oturehua next Saturday.

A second wicket stand of 121 runs between Shayne O'Neill (75) and Peter Johnston (43 not out), plus line
and length bowling by Hamish Wilson (five for 36), generated the eight wicket decisive spot for Gimmerburn.

Oturehua, taking first use of the wicket, made only 148, with No 3 Murray Becker (39) and No 7 Ken
McConnell (32) the only two to stand up to the variation of speed delivered by the big pace-man Wilson.

Gimmerburn coasted through to the final as its top order partnership saw the scoreboard quickly move
through to 149 for two.

Ranfurly fell below expectations and received a hurry-up call for next weekend's big game in going down by
76 runs, at Naseby.

Batting first, Naseby made 192, with Tim Greer (75) and Steve Cormack (46) featuring in a fourth-wicket
partnership of 108.

In reply, Ranfurly was never in the hunt and could only put together 116 as the slow in-duckers of Warren
Dobson claimed five for 33. Mark Inder (31) and Ryan Dowling (28) were the only contributors to avoid
total disaster.

                                  Vincent cricket

Vincent wrapped up the Central Otago Crosby Morris cricket competition with an outright win over South
Otago when the southerners defaulted through being unable to field a team at Molyneux Park yesterday.

This season the Vincent team has beaten Maniototo by seven wickets and West Otago by 177 runs, while
points were shared with Eastern Districts in a rained-out fixture.

Vincent secretary Mark Davidson has confirmed Alexandra as the winner of the local Koford Cup club
competition.

Alexandra, which also holds the Burnett Challenge Shield, finished on 48 points, Queenstown and Albion 36
points, Valley 24, Dunstan and Dunstan High School 1st X1 18. Queenstown won the early season
limited-over Scurr Cup round.

Two Queenstown teams, Wanderers and Hogs Breath, share the senior reserve Partridge Cup competition
with 30 points.

Cromwell and Dunstan High School 2nd X1 on 18 follow, Omakau with 12 are next. Wanaka and Dunstan
Reserves fell by the way during the year.

                                   Road cycling

Queenstown rider Oliver Coutts proved too strong for the rest of the field on the Wakatipu Cycling Club
Arrowtown Manse Road circuit yesterday.

Fellow Queenstown competitors Jeff Turner and Peter Box finished second and third.

Fun run turnout disappoints 

By Mark Hotton

A smaller than expected turnout at the Goldminers Fun Run at Gabriels Gully on Saturday has disappointed
organiser Wayne Smith.

The timing of the event - during the Highlander's rugby match in Dunedin - meant only about 40 people took
part in the event, Mr Smith said yesterday.

The fun run traced old goldminer's footsteps through the historic gold diggings in the Gully. 

An Englishman living in Lawrence, Robert Ball, won the event in 42min 56sec.

Mr Smith hoped the run would become a regular event.
First title 

By Allan Varcoe

The Dunedin Business Women's Bowling Club achieved its first Otago bowls title on Friday when Sue Johns
skipped its triples team to an emphatic 32-20 win against Judy Tonkies' Port Chalmers in the Uniform Centre
(SI) champion of champions triples event.

Playing at Logan Park, Johns and her team held a slight advantage over the Port Chalmers team in the early
stages.

But during a disastrous four-ends spell, Dunedin conceded 14 shots, before it recovered to trail 10-16.

With the score at 16-14, some brilliant leading by Linley O'Callaghan and great support play be Daphne
Hynes helped Johns take control of the game.

Highlanders withstand
          Hurricane-force attack 

By Brent Edwards

Taine Randell was one of the few players to maintain his standard and composure as the Otago Highlanders
scored a flattering 35-19 win over the Wellington Hurricanes at Carisbrook on Saturday.

Randell's towering personal form was in stark contrast to an often bizarre match plagued by indiscipline and
basic mistakes.

It should have been a showpiece of Super 12 rugby. Instead, the biggest favour referee Paddy O'Brien could
have done would have been to have blown his final whistle at half-time and sent us all to the beach.

The most extraordinary thing about this game was that on March 11 - well before the rugby season used to
begin - the players of both sides looked tired and stale.

There was little satisfaction, only relief; the Highlanders had gained the maximum points and head the table
after three rounds.

Highlanders coach Peter Sloane described the five points as "brilliant" but added tellingly: "It's the only time
I'll use brilliant about this match."

"It was pretty ordinary all-round, really. I think there were a lot of tired players in both sides. We've been
smacking away against each other for a while, and it showed."

There was a lot of niggle and tension, heightened when Tana Umaga was sent off after 25 minutes for a
left-arm neck-high tackle on Romi Ropati with the latter 15m away from an otherwise clear run to the line.

That meant double trouble for the Hurricanes for, as well as being reduced to 14 men for the last 55 minutes,
they also conceded a penalty try.

But the Highlanders, ahead 14-7 and with one more player on the field, were unable to nail the Hurricanes
and achieve an emphatic victory.

Indeed, the Hurricanes scored the next two tries after Umaga's dismissal and it was the Highlanders who
seemed the more dazed by the whole business. 

They lacked concerted grunt in the forwards, fluency in the backs and the ruthlessness to put away their
under-strength opponents.

All except Randell, who maintained his workrate in the warm sun, made three searing breaks through the
defence - the support play lacked urgency on each occasion - and led from the front throughout.

The Highlanders were upset by the swarming midfield defence, and the Hurricanes cunningly slowed down
their possession from rucks and mauls.

The Highlanders were too often knocked over behind the advantage line and generally strayed from the
basics coach Peter Sloane had drummed into them at practice.

There were other oddities about this match. Jeff Wilson played the last 28 minutes at first five-eighth when
Tony Brown was injured and Brendan Laney went into halfback when Byron Kelleher was sin-binned.

O'Brien called on the television official, Colin Hawke, three times, awarding two tries but adjudicating against
Brad Fleming - he did not force the ball properly - for a possible try which would have given him his hat
trick.

Fleming, the replacement for Jonah Lomu, displayed blistering pace to score two tries and, had he forced for
the third, the Highlanders could have been in real strife.

It would have given the Hurricanes a deserved bonus point, the lead and maybe even the inspiration to hold
on for a shock victory against the odds.

Brown scored his try after 20 minutes from a John Blaikie line-out drive; the penalty try gave the
Highlanders the lead for the first time; Kelvin Middleton scored his after a line-out drive initiated by Randell;
and Pita Alatini scored the last after Ropati came in on the cut and Simon Maling toed the loose ball into the
Rose Stand corner.

But, other than the five points, this match proved little for the Highlanders. They looked lethargic, in backs
and forwards, and their concentration levels seemed to fall away after Umaga's exit.

Fleming scored his first try from a ricochet from an Alama Ieremia grubber-kick; his second when he
outflanked the Highlanders defence with sheer speed; and David Holwell scored the other when Jason
O'Halloran and Ieremia opened up some sloppy defence down the blindside.

"We've come down here and worked hard for nothing," Hurricanes captain Norm Hewitt said later. 

It was almost, but not quite possible to feel sorry for him. In the final analysis, the Hurricanes lost through
their own poor discipline.

Match statistics: Line-outs, Highlanders, 18-17; rucks and mauls, Highlanders, 68-48; penalties, Otago, 13-10;
territory, Highlanders, 57%; possession, Highlanders, 60%. Kicking: Brown, 5-5; Laney, 1-2; Holwell, 1-3;
Lilley, 1-1. Half-time: Highlanders, 23-12. Crowd: 25,000. Referee: Paddy O'Brien (Southland).

Record haul for Otago sprinters 

                           By Alistair McMurran

                           Christchurch: Otago sprinting reached new heights at the New Zealand
                           athletics championships on Saturday when provincial 4 x 100m relay
                           teams won four medals.

                           It was the best performance by Otago sprint relay teams and was a
                           tribute to the coaching skills of Dunedin school principal Brent Ward.

                           The men's team of Lachie McLellan, Chris Donaldson, Scott Walsh and
                           Dallas Roberts held off a strong challenge by Wellington to win in
                           40.67sec.

                           It was the first time an Otago men's team had won the title since 1955. 

                           Peter Heidenstrom, the Athletics New Zealand historian, said the Otago
                           team that year, comprising Don Jowett, Sam Dawson, Peter Smith and
                           John Featherstone, won in a time of 43.5sec. 

                           The men's under-20 team of Jeremy Dixon, Walsh, Hamish Garland and
                           McLellan won their age group title by 15m in an Otago record time of
                           41.91sec, just a second off the New Zealand record set by a national
                           team in 1997. 

Walsh and McLellan won two relay gold medals in just 20 minutes on Saturday night.

It was Garland's second gold medal at the championship, and he won a silver in the men's under-20 110m
hurdles in 15.03sec.

The Otago men's under-18 team of Jeff Leckie, Justin Brimble, Scott McLaren and Chris Rushton won the
silver medal in 44.11s.

The senior women's team of Keryn Welford, Anita Sutherland, Kirsty Ogilvie and Anita Sutherland came
from behind to take the bronze medal in 47.52sec.

Kate Malcolm (16) won her second gold medal of the championships when she won the women's under-18
triple jump with 11.76m, a personal best by 20cm.

She won the the long jump title on Friday, and is the first athlete trained by coach Trevor Bent to win the two
women's under-18 jumping events since Shelley Stoddart in 1988. 

Malcolm took the lead with her first jump, of 11.02m.

"That was not good enough for me," Bent said. "I told her to attack the board with her last three jumps."

Malcolm had two no jumps but hit the board correctly with her fifth jump and set a new Otago record of
11.76m. She won the event by 83cm.

Steven O'Callaghan moved to the front with three laps to go but was not able to shake Liam Scopes
(Auckland) until he sprinted away in the last 30m to win in a personal best time of 15min 46.39sec.

O'Callaghan trailed early and was 30m behind Scopes after three of the seven laps but had too much speed
at the end and won by three seconds.

The Otago team won its best medal haul when it collected 29 medals at the championships - nine gold, 12
silver and eight bronze. The previous record was 26 medals at Wanganui in 1997.

James Simpson improved by 1.5m when he won the men's under-20 javelin with a throw of 55.64m.

Simpson has been a regular medal winner for Otago and won one medal in 1997, two in 1998 and four last
year.

His shoulder hurts when he throws and, satisfied with his first throw, he sat out the rest of the competition.

He gained his second silver medal in the shot put with 15.11m. It was a personal best by 62cm.

Debbie McCaw finished runner-up in the women's under-20 hammer throw with her second round throw of
44.30m.

Kirsty Ogilvie broke a 22-year-old Otago record when she won the silver medal in the women's 400m
hurdles in 61.03sec. Terry Yaxley set the old record in 1978. 

Jeremy Dixon reduced his time by a second when he finished runner-up in the men's under-20 400m in
48.27sec.

Haley Wilson took the silver medal in the women's javelin with a throw of 45.38m, 20cm behind the winner,
Andrea McBride (Waitakere City).

Taryn McLeod won the silver medal in the women's under-20 1500m with a time of 4min 49.82sec. Bronze
medals were won by Debbie McCaw, women's under 20 shot put (11.17m); Anita Sutherland, women's
100m hurdles (14.55sec); Anna Smythe, women's 100m (12.18sec) and 200m (24.65sec) and Lachie
McLellan, men's under 20 100m (10.93sec).

  Full results in Scoreboard - page 18

Trip confirmed for One Under 

Auckland: One Under cemented an Australian campaign when she resumed racing with a win over 1400m
at Ellerslie on Saturday under 58kg.

The Roger James-trained 3yr-old had not raced since a leg injury prevented her from contesting the VRC
Oaks in September.

In her first race in Australia at Caulfield last year, One Under carried 59kg and gave Miss Pennymoney
weight, before finishing a close third to her.

Miss Pennymoney ran the 1200m at Flemington on Saturday in 1.07.6, one tenth of a second outside the
track record. –

Showella ready for Australia 

Auckland: Showella heralded a successful Australian campaign with an impressive win in the $100,000 Lion
Red Stakes at Ellerslie on Saturday.

The 4yr-old daughter of Lord Ballina and Show Queen (Balmerino - Show Gate) was ridden by Eddie
Wilkinson, who is unable to ride the mare in Sydney as he has to fulfil Singapore contracts.

Damien Oliver will ride the Frank and Craig Ritchie-rained mare in Sydney.

The three race programme in Australia is the $A400,000 Ranvet Stakes, the $A1 million Mercedes Classic
and the $A800,000 Sydney Cup.

Showella had to win on class rather than fitness. It is nearly two months to the Sydney Cup and the Ritchie
stable could not afford to have her too far forward in fitness.

Wilkinson added: "She was never going to be beaten, but she felt like she would improve a lot with the run.
She had a good blow afterwards.

"Properly fit she'd have won by three lengths untouched."

The group one Ranvet Stakes is a weight-for-age event 2000m on April 1. The Mercedes Classic is over
2400m (wfa) on April 15. The Sydney Cup (3200m) is on May 6.

Showella has now won five of her 10 starts for $332,3898 for Terry Archer, of Northland. She won the
South Australian Derby under Wilkinson.

Adelaide on cards for Ed 

Wellington: Trainer Noel Eales will recommend an Adelaide campaign for Ed who won his 14th race from
57 starts when he was successful at Trentham on Saturday.

Eales considers the $A120,000 West End Stakes (2500m) on May 6 and the $A300,000 Adelaide Cup
(3200m) on May 15 would be ideal assignments for dual Wellington Cup winner.

"I would like to have another go at something big with him before he retires," Eales, who does not expect the
10yr-old to race next season, said.

The Adelaide Cup field usually lacks depth and this year is run only nine days after the much richer Sydney
Cup.

Ed is to contest the $80,000 Hawke's Bay Cup (2200m) at Hastings on April 15. He will be having his
second attempt at the Hastings feature after running sixth in 1997.

Ed has now won two open handicaps at Trentham this term and finished second in another. He showed
genuine dash to win over 2200m on Saturday after being held up for a run in the straight.

"He feels awesome when he stretches out," rider Jonathan Riddell said.

Riddell handled Ed well yesterday but had to waste hard to make 56kg and plans to ease out of flat riding
over the winter.

Lewinsky Franco impressive 

Christchurch: Lewinsky Franco, one of three runners John Hay had in the $25,000 Nevele R Stud Stakes at
the Cheviot meeting yesterday, led for the last 1400m to win decisively.

Hay drove favourite Rondel Franco who ran on late for fourth. His other runner Glorious Franco was
unplaced.

Lewinsky Franco was the only drive on the day for Weedons horseman Kevin Townley, and he was suitably
impressed.

"She was out in front, out of trouble, and too good," Townley said.

"She did everything perfectly and is a lovely pacer."

Lewinsky Franco is by Falcon Seelster from Looks The Part and was having her first start after qualifying in
a smart 3.03 for the 2400m (mobile) at Ashburton last month.

Looks The Part (Nero's B B - Living Doll) left three winners from her first three foals - Lika Lot, Let Loose
and Liberty Franco.

  Trainer-driver Patrick O'Reilly was successful with two hot favourites at the Cheviot meeting at Rangiora
yesterday and believes both are still very much at the improving stage.

The 3yr-old trotter Raymauwarrhen Sun recorded a smart 3.26.7 for the 2600m when he cleared out in the
run home.

La Motta came along the inner in the home straight to win the Cheviot Cup in 4.09.3, the final 800 in 57.2.

O'Reilly is confident Raymauwarrhen Son has the potential to graduate to the top grade.

"He was very solid today. Starting off the unruly helped him," O'Reilly said.

"This horse has as much speed as any 3yr-old trotter that I have handled. He reminds me a lot of Tobago the
way he races."

The New Zealand Trotting Stakes at Addington on April 22 is on the agenda for Raymauwarrhen Sun.

"He's good enough for that, even though he's only had the two starts," O'Reilly said.

"He has never been behind a mobile gate and we'll have to see how he handles that."

La Motta is likely to be racing in the United States in two years, O'Reilly said after the Cheviot Cup triumph.

O'Reilly, who races the strapping son of In The Pocket in partnership with Jock Austin, has resisted some
lucrative offers for the gelding and eventually plans to send him to the Kelvin Harrison stable in the United
States.

"We've already given it plenty of thought, and, if he isn't sold in the meantime, that's where he'll be going."

La Motta, now the winner of six races from just nine attempts, is well over 17 hands tall.

"That's his problem," O'Reilly said.

"He would have grown at least one and a half hands in the last 12 months. We just have to be patient with
him."

Henderson bides time on the Taieri 

By Max Scott

Sydney Olympic track prospect Greg Henderson had to wait until the final sprint before asserting his
authority over a strong category one field on a rain-drenched circuit near Henley yesterday. 

Henderson (Hill suburbs) launched a serious solo attack at the start of lap three of the Berwick block, only to
be caught on top of the Berwick Hill. From there on, the national representative was content to keep a
watchful eye on the opposition.

Henderson spurted ahead of the main group in the last 150m to win by four lengths from national under-23
road silver medallist Craig Thomson (Taieri), who just pipped North Dunedin rider Paul Billing on the line for
second.

Danny Hillary (Taieri), fourth, and Paul Odlin (North Dunedin), fifth, were prominent throughout.

The 1999 New Zealand junior under-17 pursuit champion, Simon Greenall, showed a fine return to form in
winning the category two race over 66km.

East Harbour's Steve Green claimed a photo finish decision over Steve Hurring (Hill suburbs) for second
place in the event.

Otago veteran two road titleholder David Stott (East Harbour) confirmed his reputation as a superb tactical
sprinter by gaining a comfortable victory over Barry Ellis (Taieri) in the category three contest.

Leith in sevens semifinal 

By Allan Varcoe

Leith has scored a coup in winning the section one round-robin of the Speight's Old Dark/Law Courts Hotel
Saturday Morning Sevens, finishing ahead of reigning champion Kaikorai.

Leith, which was mistakenly omitted from the original draw, achieved its remarkable feat having played in
one fewer round than the rest of the field.

In next week's semifinals, Leith will play Fairfield and Kaikorai will play Taieri.

Bottom-placed Brighton will face relegation next season.

In section two, Kaikorai finished on top and it will play fourth-placed Fairfield next week. Taieri and Tainui
will compete in the other semifinal, while Outram finished last. 

Balmacewen has maintained its healthy lead at the top of section three and it will face Taieri in one
semifinal. The other match will be between second-placed Leith and third-placed St Clair. At the bottom of
this section is Caledonian. 

West Harbour has won section four, earning it a semifinal slot against Kaikorai. Taieri and St Clair will
contest the remaining semifinal.

The Westaff Junior Sevens semifinalists were also confirmed at the weekend, with Taieri Gold winning
section one from Kaikorai and Northeast Valley finishing ahead of Fairfield in Section two.

The Saturday afternoon Premier Four Fours semifinalists were also decided at the weekend. In the Holmes
Feathers, top-placed St Clair will play Northeast Valley, while reigning champion Kaikorai will face Taieri.
Forbury Park finished last. 

In the Bridgman Plate, Fairfield finished first, giving it the top semifinal berth against St Clair. Taieri will play
Caledonian in the other match-up. Port Chalmers will be relegated. 

In the Speight's section, Kaikorai finished way out in front and must go into next week's semifinal against
Tainui as clear favourite. Wakari and Taieri are the other contenders in this section.

Papatowai mark cut by 4min 

By Wayne Parsons

A sensational run from Debbie Withington saw her slash more than 4min from her own senior women's
record in the annual Papatowai Challenge on Saturday.

Withington, a 32-year-old teacher from Waianiwa, competed in the Catlins event for the first time last year,
when she set a record of 1hr 10min 29sec. Her time on Saturday was 4min 17sec better at 1hr 6min 12sec.

Injury plagued her soon after last year's race, but since returning to full fitness last October, she has picked
up a series of victories, including the ILT and St Pauls half marathon titles, as well as the Southland 5000m,
3000m and 1500m titles.

Second home in the senior women's section was top multi-sport athlete Tracey Pringle (Roxburgh), who
recorded 1hr 14min 13sec, with Lara Temple third in 1hr 16min 20sec.

Ricky Gutsell, of Edendale, completed a Southland double when he headed the senior men's field home. 

Although challenged early by 1998 champion Ken Bate (Dunedin), Gutsell was able to power away on the
beach section and hold on for the remainder of the race, to win by 32sec over Bate in a time of 1hr 38sec.
Third home was Darryn Blackhurst (Queenstown). 

Gutsell last competed in the challenge two years ago when he finished in fifth place. 

Competing in the women's field was his wife Sandra, who came home third in the veteran women's section. 

Bate, although finishing second overall to Gutsell, headed home a highly competitive veteran field that saw
Queenstown's Eion Smith and Russell Williams dead-heat for second place in a time of 1hr 4min 17sec, with
Bruce Chisnall (Dunedin) close behind.

First home in the walkers' section was Dunedin's Gail Sharp (1hr 51min 54sec).

NZ beats Belgium in second qualifier 

Wellington: New Zealand made a courageous comeback to beat Belgium 5-4 in their
second match at the Olympic Games qualifying hockey tournament in Osaka, Japan, on
Saturday.

Canterbury's Craig Reynolds (28) scored the winning goal from a penalty corner 10 minutes from the end.

New Zealand was down 3-0 by the half hour, but turned around after Brett Leaver narrowed the deficit with
a goal from a penalty corner.

Then Auckland's Ryan Archibald (19) belted in from another penalty goal and North Harbour's Darren Smith
equalised with a fine field goal.

Belgium went ahead with a fourth goal but the Kiwis equalised again through Umesh Parag, before Reynolds
added a solid finishing touch to a penalty corner for New Zealand's victory.

"Only a good team can come back to win from 3-0 down. That was very creditable but, at the same time, I
was disappointed we were in that situation," New Zealand coach Robin Wilson said.

The Kiwis drew 2-2 with Great Britain in their opening game on Friday and Saturday's victory raised hopes
of a top two finish in their group. 

That would guarantee them a place at the Sydney Olympics.

Wilson said one of the key players in the team, Auckland's Craig Russ, had a slight hamstring problem.
Yesterday's rest day would help him recover for the next game, against Japan, today.

New Zealand 5 (Brett Leaver, Ryan Archibald, Darren Smith, Umesh Parag, Craig Reynolds goals),
Belgium 4. Half-time 1-3.

U-21 side recovers from losses 

By Kerry Williamson

Queenstown: The New Zealand Under-21 netball side proved the surprise package at the weekend's
Southern Fresh Milk quadrangular netball tournament in Queenstown. 

Just a week after suffering a two heavy losses at the hands of the Australian Institute of Sport team, the
junior Silver Ferns came back to beat the Otago Rebels and the Canterbury Sting.

And they came close to beating Coca-Cola Cup champions the Southern Sting yesterday, in the best game of
the tournament.

The Under-21 side, captained by Rebel and Silver Fern Adine Harper, beat the Rebels 62-58 and the Flames
53-43 on Saturday, beforegoing down to the unbeaten Sting 71-62 yesterday.

Coach Georgina Salter was yesterday pleased with her side's performance and was thrilled with the way her
players picked themselves up after the losses to the Australians.

"I am really pleased with the progress they have made. We were thrilled.

"The confidence and consistency has grown within the team and there is real solidity there now," she said.

The side was based in Queenstown for a week and last week visited Central Otago schools, playing
secondary school sides and meeting younger schoolchildren.

Salter said the players had gelled well and had benefited immensely from their week together.

Otago players Tara Pate, Jenna Swan, Jasmine Douglas and Melanie Clement were impressive. However,
the stars of the side were shooters Adine Harper and Danieka Wipiti, of Taranaki.

"Our shooters played very well. We have a solid combination there that we can really build on," said Salter.

Sting coach Robyn Broughton was also pleased with her team's work at the weekend. The Sting did not drop
a game and was the dominant side throughout.

"Anything like this (tournament) is good. We just need to keep playing," she said.

"We had to reshuffle because of an injury on Saturday and I think that that showed the team has good depth.
Everyone gave 110%, and we just kept plugging along."

Broughton was particularly impressed with shooter Janine Topia, who made her Sting debut at the weekend
after moving from Counties.

Taieri, St Hildas women triumph 

Tennis Writer

Taieri and St Hildas women registered wins in the Dunedin premier competition on Saturday, while the men's
matches, postponed until yesterday, were unable to be completed because of rain.

Jackie Hawkes (Taieri) continued her impressive form since shifting to Dunedin, beating Otago
representative Hania Klobukowska 6-0, 6-0.

However, Victoria Broughton took one back with a three-set win over Jo Cahi. The Taieri pair took the
deciding double 7-5, 6-0.

Jacinta Gunn (St Hildas 1) showed the benefit of her experience at national level, beating Kate King 6-0, 6-2
as she led her team to a clean sweep over Balmacewen.

Rebels take triple fall 

By Kerry Williamson

Queenstown: The Otago Rebels lost all three games at the Southern Fresh Milk netball tournament in
Queenstown at the weekend.

A depleted Rebels side was beaten by the Southern Sting, the Canterbury Flames and the tournament's
surprise package, the New Zealand Under-21 side. 

The Rebels side, which last year finished second in the Coca-Cola Cup, struggled at the tournament and lost
to the Sting by 29 points on Saturday night.

The Rebels lost to the New Zealand Under-21 side 62-58, the Sting 76-47 and the Flames 60-43.

However, the side bore little resemblance to last year's Rebels team. In fact, it bore little resemblance to this
year's team, with five Rebels - Jenna Swan, Tara Pate, Jasmine Douglas, Melanie Clement, Jenny Ferguson
and Adine Harper - playing for the national junior side and key player Belinda Colling on the sidelines with an
injured leg. 

It meant mid-courter Leonie Matoe had to be drafted into the team, while coach Megan Anderson, who
retired at the end of the 1998 season, took the court during yesterday's game against the Flames.

Anderson said the Rebels were disappointed with their results but took many positives from the tournament.

"It gave everybody in our squad the opportunity to perform and measure up," she said.

The Rebels missed the spark of Silver Fern mid-courter Lesley Nicol, who moved to the Sting during the
off-season. However, Anna Rowberry was solid in centre court throughout the tournament.

Anderson could also take heart from the performance of the Rebels in the Under-21 side. Clement
impressed at centre, Douglas was assured at wing attack and Pate was strong at wing defence.

Harper, who captained the national side, was outstanding in the shooting circle.

"The Under-21 girls really grew. They put a real effort in over the weekend and it will be good to have them
back," said Anderson.

She was impressed with the standard of netball during the tournament and predicted South Island teams
would once again dominate this year's Coca-Cola Cup, which begins next month.

"It will be South Island teams all the way," she said.

Carisbrook-Dunedin makes run late 

                           By Carey Clements

                           Although out of contention for the first Dunedin senior club cricket title
                           of the millennium, Carisbrook-Dunedin put on a champion display on the
                           penultimate day of the 1999-2000 competition on Saturday.

                           After winning the toss and electing to bat first on a rare windless day at
                           Tonga Park, Carisbrook-Dunedin began well when Tony McEntyre (49)
                           and Mike Hesson (40) put on 98 for the first wicket in 109 minutes.

                           But the hard work was soon undone when Mike Austen broke through
                           with his medium pacers to see only one more run added for the loss of
                           three wickets.

                           However, Scotty Waide anchored the middle order with 31 in 77
                           minutes, while Karl O'Dowda took the more direct approach in making
                           70 in 80 minutes with 11 4s and three 6s. The real fun came when
                           Richard Johnson (41 not out) and Gary Lockhart (31 not out) put on an
                           unbeaten eighth-wicket partnership of 70 in just 28 minutes.

                           This gave Carisbrook-Dunedin an imposing 304 for seven declared made
                           from just 58.5 overs. Austen was the only bowler to remain unscathed,
                           with three for 27.

Kaikorai, in reply, lasted just 23.3 overs before it was dismissed for a dismal 52 with Gary Paine the only
batsman to make double figures, 11 in 38 minutes.

The reason for the calamity came down to some superb bowling, with Otago representative Warren
McSkimming taking four for 17, Hawke Cup representative Daryll Reddington three for five and Channel
Nine cameraman leg-spinner Dick Quirk two for seven.

Kaikorai was asked to follow on facing a 252-run deficit and by stumps was two down for 16, which
included valuable allrounder Mark Billcliff for just one.

On the other Tonga Park pitch, honours were even between competition leaders Albion and second-placed
Colts.

Albion went into the match with just a five-point competition lead over the Colts and, after losing the toss and
being put out into the field first, the red and blacks did well to contain the young side for just 198.

The Colts did not start well and were reduced to 93 for six before a fine 70-run partnership for the seventh
wicket between Rupesh Puna (37) and Mark Joyce (38) started to turn the fortunes around, as both Brendon
Hunt and Mark Richardson picked up three wicket bags for Albion.

Albion, in contrast, began well. Richardson (32) and Chris Davies (24) put on 60 for the first wicket and a
77-run third wicket partnership between Stephen Mather (46) and Darin Smith (44) gave them a score of
138 for two before the Colts hit back.

Joyce finished the first day in fine fashion with six for 78 from 20 overs to have Albion 194 for nine, five runs
away from a first innings lead and six runs from reaching a bonus point.

Green Island was dismissed for 200 after electing to bat first at Sunnyvale, with Darin Swan, Bradley Scott
and Haden Finch all only a few runs from making half-centuries, while Otago captain Robbie Lawson was
the best Northeast Valley bowler with three for 30.

Valley began well when Lawson (41) and Thomas (35) put on 70 for the first wicket, although Thomas was
lucky to make such a score by being dropped in the slips on three separate occasions before he was finally
leg-before to Mike Hawken, who picked up three for 32.

Valley reached 113 for five against a side that has won the championship for the last two seasons and may
yet beat Albion and the Colts for the title.

The fourth game was also an even affair, as Taieri was dismissed for 190 at the University Oval after being
sent into bat first. First drop Tim Elkin top scored with 66 in 157 minutes, while number eleven Kendall
Stewart made his highest senior score of 24 in 29 minutes.

Aaron Gale played his usual "Mr Reliable" hand for University-Grange in clean bowling four batsmen on the
way to taking five for 51, before swapping leather for willow in making an unbeaten 24 in his side's dismissed
total of 160.

University-Grange wicketkeeper Matt George top scored for his side with 42 in 34 minutes added 65 for the
ninth wicket with Gale.

Taieri blower Jarrod Stewart found the variable bounce on the pitch to his liking with four for 19, while his
new ball partner Glen Jonas took three for 55.

New star emerges at NZ championships 

By Alistair McMurran

Christchurch: Anna Thomas (16) emerged as the new star of Otago diving when she won her first open
women's title at the national championships on Saturday.

The Otago Girls High School form 6 pupil won the women's 3m title with 438.99 points after a see-sawing
contest with training partner Catherine Lawrie at the Queen Elizabeth 2 pool in Christchurch. Lawrie
finished six points behind. 

Lawrie (17) led by three points after the first five dives and remained in front until the eighth dive.

This was the pinnacle of the competition for Thomas who scored a meeting best of 61 points with her inward
two and a-half somersault tuck. It was a tricky dive with a degree of difficulty of 2.7. It was well executed
by both divers, with Lawrie scoring 57 points. Coach Kate Stevely was impressed.

"Any score over 50 points is an excellent dive," Stevely said.

The improved standard of the Otago divers was a tribute to the coaching partnership of Stevely and Cara
Thomson. They have demanded that the basics are done well. This includes height and entry off the board.

"We have made sure the little things and basics are done well," Thomson said. "The rest of the dives then fall
into place."

Thomas won four gold medals and Lawrie three. Otago divers continued to dominate the championships and
won two gold and two silver medals on the final day.

The Moana Pool divers won 26 medals at the three-day championships. 

The other Otago diver to win a gold medal on the final day was Simon Latimer in the men's open 3m with a
personal best score of 526.89 points. It was a good championships for Latimer who won three open gold
medals.

The other Otago medal on Saturday was won by Laura Ware who finished runner-up in the girls aged 13
platform with 168.20 points.

  Results in Scoreboard

Nuggets to name squad this week 

By Hayden Meikle

An Otago Nuggets squad for this season's national basketball league may be named later this week. 

The recruitment of two American players is likely to prompt the announcement of a squad of 13 or 14 by
Friday. 

Nuggets coach Todd Marshall held an open trial on Saturday to help him in the search for players which can
deliver him a season with more wins than losses. 

The trial was attended by about 20 players, including most of the squad which finished ninth in the NBL last
season. 

"There was no-one I hadn't seen before, but it was still useful to get the guys together for a game," Marshall
said. 

"We just have to tie up a few loose ends now, but hopefully we'll have a squad within a week. 

"We're talking to some agents and it looks like a couple of American players will soon be on their way," he
said. 

Likely members of the Nuggets squad include captain Stacey Lambert, guards Robbie Dahlberg and Hayden
Allen and forwards Murray Clarke, Ian Monk and Andrew Parke. 

Marshall, a former Otago player, is in his third year of coaching the Nuggets. 

Otago's first match of the season is against Auckland at Dunedin Stadium on April 29.

Wickets tumble but NZ keeps
                          hopes alive 

Auckland: New Zealand cricket captain Stephen Fleming believes his team can still win
the first cricket test against Australia here, despite chasing a likely target of at least 200
on a difficult pitch.

New Zealand kept itself in the game yesterday with accurate last-session spells from Daniel Vettori and
Paul Wiseman to leave Australia 114 for five in its second innings on the Eden Park spinners' haven.

With 25 wickets falling in the first two days of the test, Australia had a handy lead of 165 with class batsmen
Damien Martyn and Adam Gilchrist still at the crease.

Fleming said the much-talked-about pitch would probably not get much worse and he backed his batsmen to
make a good job of their chase.

"I still think we're behind, but we certainly fought back well in the last session," Fleming said.

"The wicket's not deteriorating; it's obviously turning and it's not easy to bat on but it's not getting any worse.

"If we can get wickets first thing tomorrow and chase a score of around 200-250, with a good partnership in
our innings it's going to be a very good game."

Vettori and Wiseman bowled 42 of New Zealand's 49 overs between them yesterday afternoon after
Wiseman opened the bowling, a clear signal of what the pitch had to offer.

After Chris Cairns knocked over troubled opener Michael Slater for his fourth successive single figure score
of the tour, Vettori and Wiseman applied the clamps to the innings.

Vettori removed Greg Blewett, Justin Langer and Mark Waugh to a sharp Adam Parore catch while
Wiseman chipped in with the vital caught and bowled of captain Steve Waugh for 10.

Langer, following on from his first day 46, again started with ominous intent in getting to 47 off 64 balls
before he tried to hit Vettori once more into the stands and miscued.

That reduced Australia to 67 for three and after the Waugh brothers went it was 107 for five and the New
Zealanders ended the day with a welcome spring in their step.

Vettori ended with three for 38 off 21 overs, leaving him on 99 test wickets, one short of becoming the
world's youngest spinner, and just the 10th New Zealander, to take 100 test scalps.

After a committed first-day effort to skittle the confident Australians for 214 on Saturday, New Zealand
spent yesterday battling back into the game after being 26 for four at stumps on Saturday night.

Unlike Mark Waugh, whose first innings 72 not out took him 197 minutes before running out of partners,
New Zealand's longest stint at the crease came from Fleming, who took 79 minutes over his 21.

Fleming and Nathan Astle handled the first hour from Brett Lee and Shane Warne comfortably to see New
Zealand to 80 for four, adding a swift 54 in 62 minutes for the fifth wicket.

But when both were out within three balls of each other, New Zealand's brief fightback nose-dived and
barely recovered.

From then on, it was a regular procession, with Cairns hitting Warne into the first tier of the South Stand but
getting a soft edge to Glenn McGrath on 35 with his team 134 for seven.

A brief last-wicket flurry by Vettori and Simon Doull pushed the total past 150 but McGrath came back to
finish the innings with three for 21 off four overs.

Warne's three wickets left him tantalisingly one wicket short of Dennis Lillee's Australian test wicket record
of 355, a mark he will surely break in the second innings.

Saturday, oddly for the first day of a test, was also dominated by the spinners with Vettori taking his fourth
bag of five wickets in his five for 62 off 25 overs.

Wiseman started Australia's collapse from 77 for one, taking the early wickets of Blewett and Langer before
Vettori claimed five of the last seven wickets.

But there was little back-patting for New Zealand, who lost Matthew Horne, Mathew Sinclair, Craig
Spearman and nightwatchman Paul Wiseman in a frenetic last hour.

Warne and Lee did the damage, both taking wickets with their second balls. 

  Eden Park groundsman Warwick Sisson yesterday joined both teams in saying the pitch for the first cricket
test here was not up to scratch.

Sisson said the new couch grass had contributed to the problems by providing the spinners with steeper
bounce.

"It is disappointing. We knew it was going to turn a lot, but I've been a bit surprised by the bounce," Sisson
said.

The couch grass, which was hoped to provide more pace and bounce for the quicker bowlers, had been hard
to manage but Sisson had not expected such conditions for the spinners.

"We've had Shell Trophy matches played on very similar pitches and they've been good games," he said. -
NZPA

Alatini's verdict: `strange' 

By Brent Edwards

Pita Alatini found it difficult to maintain his concentration levels during the Highlanders' win over the
Hurricanes at Carisbrook on Saturday.

Alatini said the ordering-off of Tana Umaga and the Hurricanes' reduction to 14 players made things "a bit
messy".

"You keep telling yourself to maintain your focus, but the game tended to lose its structure after that. There
can't be any excuses, but I found it quite difficult."

Alatini said emotions started "exploding" after Umaga's dismissal - "We knew it was going to be a physical
match and it was."

"They shut down our options quite effectively and we've just got to keep on working to get things right."

Not that the controversies prevented Alatini celebrating his 24th birthday in some style.

He scored the fourth try that yielded the Highlanders a bonus point, forcing the ball in the corner after it had
been toed on by lock Simon Maling.

"It was probably Donkey's [Maling's] try, but I just saw the ball over the line and thought I'd go for it. And it
was certainly nice to get the five points from the match."

But Alatini's overall description of the game - "strange" - probably echoed those of the fans as they drifted
away from Carisbrook.

Brown facing further X-rays 

By Brent Edwards

Highlanders' first five-eighth Tony Brown will have
further X-rays today to check whether he suffered a
broken jaw against the Hurricanes at Carisbrook on
Saturday.

Brown was struck by a stray elbow to the jaw early in
the second spell and, after battling on in discomfort, he
left the field 28 minutes from the end.

X-rays to his badly swollen jaw on Saturday night
revealed nothing but he will have more X-rays at the
Dental School today to assess possible damage.

"There are enough positives there to give us some hope
but we won't have the final word until tomorrow,"
Highlanders' coach Peter Sloane said yesterday.

Brown, who has scored 48 points in the Highlanders'
first three Super 12 games, also had stitches inserted
around his left eye from another incident.

He attended the Highlanders' pool session yesterday,
where he seemed quite chirpy, but he and the
Highlanders will have their fingers crossed he gets the all-clear today.

"He's as game as Ned Kelly and, if there's half a chance, I'm sure he'll be there against the Cats next
Friday," Sloane said.

Marc Ellis, who should be available again this week after missing Saturday's game because of a knee injury,
is one option should Brown be ruled out.

Another is Mal Arnold, who has had Super 12 experience and who will play for Southland in the national
championship this year.

Rico Gear, who replaced Brown, also left the field after straining medial ligaments in his knee but it will be
another day or two before the extent of his injury is known.

Carl Hoeft, who had missed the previous game because of a calf muscle injury, played the first 60 minutes
before he was subbed by Joe McDonnell.

"Carl came through it OK," Sloane said. "It [the calf] was just tightening a bit so we got him off."

Romi Ropati, who was dazed by the stiff-arm tackle which led to Tana Umaga's dismissal, recovered and
played out the game.

"To get five points and not play well gives us plenty to work on before we play the Cats," Sloane said.

The Highlanders are four points clear at the top of the table after three rounds but Sloane said that was
merely a statistic.

"We don't even look at the points table at this stage," he said. "It's far too early. It doesn't mean anything
yet."

  Match report - page 16

Top high-jumper to visit Dunedin 

By Alistair McMurran

Christchurch: New Zealand's new athletics star Glenn Howard (Bays Cougars) will be competing in the
international invitation athletics meeting at the Caledonian Ground on Wednesday.

Howard (23) set the final day of the New Zealand athletics championships at Queen Elizabeth 2 Park alight
when he set a New Zealand record of 2.30m for the men's high jump and qualified for the Olympics.

At Sydney later this year, he will become the first New Zealand male high jumper to compete at an
Olympics.

Howard confirmed last night that he would be competing in Dunedin against Chinese star Tao Rui, who
finished runner-up at Christchurch with 2.14m.

Howard's jumping at Christchurch was the best by a male high jumper in the history of New Zealand
athletics.

The dark horse of the championships, Howard improved by 5cm when he broke his own New Zealand
record three times with a faultless display of jumping which brought the crowd to life.

He first broke the record with 2.26m, reached the Olympic qualifying standard of 2.28m and became the first
jumper to crack the 2.30m barrier.

The 2m barrier was broken by Murray Jeffries (Auckland) in 1956, 2.10m by Terry Lomax (Canterbury) in
1977, 2.20m by Roger Te Puni (Wellington) in 1983.

In 1994, Howard predicted at an Athletics New Zealand training camp that he would be the first New
Zealand jumper to clear 2.30m.

It happened six years later, after a series of niggling injuries and a back operation 18 months ago when he
had had a pin inserted into his lower back.

He has been coached by Russian Yovica Petrovich in Auckland for the last 18 months.

Donaldson takes titles despite break in 100m 

By Alistair McMurran

Christchurch: Dunedin sprinter Chris Donaldson, unfazed by being
called for a false start, went on to win three gold medals at the New
Zealand athletics championships at the weekend.

Donaldson (24) won the 100m in 10.39sec, the 200m in 20.88sec and
was a key part of the Otago men's 4 x 100m relay team at Queen
Elizabeth 2 Park.

The 100m was first and the field was called back when Donaldson
broke.

"I didn't think it was me," he said. "I was . . . a bit slow out of the blocks
on the next attempt. I was concerned they might call me again."

Donaldson had just returned home after gaining Olympic qualifying
times in the 100m (10.23sec) and 200m (20.58sec) in Australia over the
last two weeks and was feeling a bit flat.

Gus Nketia (Bays Cougars), who had been in good form and expected
to beat Donaldson, shed tears of disappointment at the end of the race.

But at halfway an upset looked possible, with Nketia half a metre in
front.

"I know I'm a good finisher and didn't panic," Donaldson said. "I just attempted to run my own race."

Donaldson caught Nketia at the 80m mark and won by 0.06sec.

Donald MacDonald (Wellington) was third in 10.62sec and Dallas Roberts (Otago) fourth in a personal best
time of 10.63sec.

Roberts ran a personal best time by 0.27sec when he finished behind Donaldson to take the silver medal in
the 200m. 

Zion Armstrong (Bays Cougars), another Brent Ward-trained sprinter, broke his own New Zealand resident
record in the men's 400m hurdles with a time of 49.95sec, just 0.03sec outside the Olympic Games qualifying
standard. 

Olympian Toni Hodgkinson (Bays Cougars) impressed in her solo women's 800m win in a time of 2min
00.95sec, just outside her own New Zealand resident record.

She passed the 200m in 28sec, 400m in 57sec, 600m in 1min 28sec but slowed in the head wind down the
final 200m.

"I knew I had the gold medal and became a bit lazy down the final straight," Hodgkinson said.

Silver Fern netball international Julie Seymour (Wellington) was second in 2min 06.85sec. 

Tasha Williams (Canterbury) threw a New Zealand resident record of 62.31m to win the women's hammer
throw. It beat her own record by 3m.

Olympian Craig Barrett (Hamilton) was a comfortable winner of the men's 20km walk in 1hr 25min 52sec.
He was eight minutes in front of Tony Sargisson (Bays Cougars) who won the silver medal.

Former Southland athlete Jane Arnott (Bays Cougars) was just half a second short of the Olympic qualifying
standard when she won the women's 400m in 52.44sec.

Pre-race favourite Shaun Farrell (Canterbury) harmed his Olympic Games prospects when he was
outsprinted over the final 20m in the men's 800m. Team-mate Mark Rodgers won in 1min 47.6sec and
Farrell was second in 1min 47.67sec.

Former world champion Beatrice Faumuina (Auckland) was well below her best but won the women's
discus with a throw of 62.06m.

  Great day for Otago sprinting - page 16

11 April

Dunedin Casino new NPC sponsor 

By Alistair McMurran

The Dunedin Casino yesterday signed a contract to sponsor the Otago NPC rugby team for a six-figure sum
for the next three years.

This was announced by Otago Rugby Football Union executive director John Hornbrook, who said the figure
was in excess of $100,000.

"It's becoming increasingly difficult to get sponsorship because head offices are moving from Otago," Mr
Hornbrook said.

"We are always pleased to get sponsorship from within the Otago community."

The Dunedin Casino will be one of a group of sponsors supporting the Otago NPC team. "We are hoping to
continue the sponsorship for more than three years," Mr Hornbrook said. 

Mr Hornbrook referred to his lack of betting skills by saying he was a "regular contributor to casino funds".

Netball tickets 

The Otago Daily Times has 40 tickets to give away to netball fans for the big game at the Dunedin Stadium
on Friday night when the Otago Rebels play the Capital Shakers.

Ten sets of four tickets will be given away so family members can enjoy the match.

To win tickets, tell us how many Silver Ferns are in the Otago Rebels. Fax your answers to (03) 474-7422,
e-mail to odt.contest@alliedpress.co.nz, post to Netball Tickets Contest, Otago Daily Times , Box 181,
Dunedin, or drop answers into the newspaper office in lower Stuart St.

Answers must be in by midday on Thursday. Please include a day-time contact number.

St Steven to spearhead team 

Wellington: St Steven, an impressive hurdles winner at Waverley on Sunday, will
spearhead the John Wheeler team for the Oakbank Easter meeting.

Wheeler won three races at Trentham on Saturday and three at Waverley, He saddled six horses at each
meeting and also gained two seconds, a third and a fourth.

His Trentham wins came with 3yr-olds Precocious and Star Rating and 2yr-old The Almighty One, who was
having his first start. His other winners at Waverley were Famous Spi and Judge.

Wheeler will be represented at the Sydney and Queensland carnivals and Oakbank in South Australia in the
coming weeks. He has Maybe Rough in the $US1,420,560 Nakayama Grand Jump in Tokyo on Saturday.

He has Conference, Zexzabeel and Midnight Babe in Sydney. 

Conference will attempt to make the field in the $A100,000 ($NZ121,580) Parramatta Stakes (1500m) next
weekend.

Venue under threat 

By Tayler Strong

Forbury Park is again under threat as a venue for harness and greyhound racing, with the proposed reduction
in the number of permits for greyhound meetings.

Three and a half years ago, the Forbury Park Trotting Club was in a dire financial position and received a
suspensory loan from the Racing Industry Board, guaranteed by Harness Racing NZ.

An RIB appointed board of control took over the management of the club. The board maintained a tight
control on spending, refurbished the track and took the initiative of leasing the members' facilities for a
tavern. The number of greyhound meetings increased to 11. A replacement board was approved by
members of the club in September.

The RIB proposes to reduce the number of greyhound meetings at Forbury Park by six, a proposal that will
impact on the viability of the Otago Greyhound Racing Club and the FPTC. The Forbury Park club will be
affected as it receives rental from the greyhound club based on 5% on betting turnover.

"The Otago greyhound club is a profitable club but, if it is reduced to five permits, it will probably be curtains
for it," Ian Woodhouse, the secretary of the club and the chief executive of the FPTC, said.

"It will cost the Forbury Park club $11,070 in rental which is quite significant income."

The OGRC has made submissions to the RIB to maintain the present level of 11 permits.

"I understand we may retrieve one or two dates taken from us in the draft calendar." Mr Woodhouse said.

He said the rationale behind the reduction in the dates was centralisation of greyhound racing in
Christchurch, close to the major population of dogs, with less travelling for trainers.

"The aim was to reduce the number of permits in Otago and Southland from 22 to 16. Unfortunately all have
been taken from Otago," Mr Woodhouse said.

"I believe the reason dates were not taken from Southland is because they can support dual code meetings
and the galloping code needs the support of greyhound meetings to survive."

The meeting at Invercargill on Friday featured 15 greyhound races and 11 galloping races, commencing at
11.35 am.

"The TAB want lunch time product and, with Forbury Park mainly racing at night, the set-up is not in that
time frame."

"On the other hand, the Otago greyhound club wanted to install lights but the RIB advised that it would not
be in the interest of greyhound racing in NZ."

Canterbury greyhound trainers have supported the retention of dates at Forbury Park, despite the travelling
involved.

"We have had support from trainers. They like the track for younger dogs and the good stakes for lower
class dogs. The facilities are considered the best of any track in NZ," Mr Woodhouse said.

"I am am struggling to follow the line of thinking of the RIB over retaining all the permits in Invercargill as
Canterbury trainers have further to travel."

He said the Forbury Park Trotting Club is operating efficiently.

"Only one of our meetings this season has been below budget. The RIB has gone on about efficiencies -
well, the only full-time member of the staff at Forbury Park is the caretaker."

He said further efficiencies in administration could be achieved through amalgamation of the trotting and
greyhound racing clubs.

Addington for 3yr-old winners 

By Tayler Strong and NZPA

To Ri Arnold and Eastwood Jaunty, the 3yr-old pacers who won against older horses at Motukarara on
Sunday, are set to back up at Addington on Friday night.

Eastwood Jaunty, who won a c1 pace by seven lengths, is rated by his Washdyke trainer-driver George
Shand, as the best horse he has prepared in 20 years.

Shand (70) races Eastwood Jaunty with his daughter Pauline Hillis, of Invercargill, on lease from Timaru
breeder Lester Melhopt. Eastwood Jaunty had his other win at Reefton in December. 

Eastwood Jaunty is by Holmes Hanover from Southern Poplar, by El Patron. Southern Poplar and her dam
Friendly Poplar were unraced. Friendly Poplar was out of Afire, a half sister to Byebye Bill, who won the
1967 Waikouaiti Cup.

Shand prepared Pointer Hanover (1979 Canterbury Park Trotting Cup), Mighty Gay (1976 Ashburton Flying
Stakes) and Borana (17 wins at two, three and four in the early 1980s).

To Ri Arnold has won two of his four starts and been placed in two others for Ashburton trainer and
part-owner Simon Adlam, who shares ownership with mid-Canterbury trainer Laurence Hanrahan and his
father, Laurence Hanrahan.

"I had a return service to Cam's Trickster after a foal I bred died. I had given the mare away for a hack and
offered to go shares with the Hanrahans for the use of their mare Legalong," Adlam said.

To Ri Arnold is the second foal of Legalong, a winner and half sister by Transport Chip to Innocent Mac
(eight wins in NZ and further in Australia).

Trainer Hanrahan has The Tough Nut entered for the $25,000 Nobilos Wines Free-For-All (1950m) at
Addington on Friday night.

The Tough Nut has won his last eight races.

Under Cover Lover, who is to race free-legged, OK Royal (last raced on December 26), Facta Non Verba
(a c5 winner last Friday night), Kym's Girl (winner of the NZ Standardbred Breeders Stakes and NZ
Premier Mares Championship last month) and Tact Halsey (a ffa winner at Addington last month) are
entrants for the ffa.

Tact Halsey, who will be driven by Peter Jones, will be on trial for the Easter Cup. Anthony Butt, who drove
him last time, is required for Happy Asset.

"He [Tact Halsey] has done really well. He won a workout at Winton on Sunday and blew a bit. It should
have cleaned him up," Jack Lynch, his Nightcaps trainer, said. 

"The 1950m on Friday is really not his thing but it will help us decide whether to start in the Easter Cup or a
discretionary handicap the same night."

Southern Motoring, winner of his last five races, has been entered for a c3 discretionary handicap on Friday
night.

Classic Wizzer Dee, an easy winner at Cambridge on Thursday night, travelled to Christchurch the next day
for the 3yr-old trotting races at the Addington Easter meeting.

He is in a $50,000 Yearling Sales Trot, a non-totalisator event on Friday night.

"The owner was keen to make the trip. I have a reservation considering the amount of racing he has done,"
John Dickie, his Cambridge trainer, said. " At the same time he is better on left-handed tracks than
right-handed."

Classic Wizzer Dee has won four races, all on the left-handed Cambridge track this season, from 13 starts.

The Gee Whiz gelding had his first four starts as a 2yr-old at Addington last autumn, with his best effort a
third to Enthusiast and Flip Flop in the NZ Trotting Stakes.

Dickie has put aside his c6 trotter Last Sunset (14 wins from 27 starts).

"He is in the paddock for three months. He is just not quite right but we cannot put the finger on what is
wrong," Dickie said.

He will send the 2yr-old trotting filly Glowing Gold to Christchurch for a race at Addington on May 5.

Glowing Gold qualified at Cambridge on March 3 in 2.57.6 for 2200m (mobile), 4.1sec inside the required
time. She is by Britewell from Staka Pride, winner of 15 races, including the 1992 NZ Trotting Free-For-All.
Glowing Gold was an $11,000 premier yearling sales purchase.

Dual cup winner Ed retired 

Invercargill: Ed, the Wellington Cup winner in 1995 and 1997, has been retired.

Trainer Noel Eales, of Palmerston North, last night said he had sent Ed home to Southland for "an
honourable retirement that he so richly deserves".

"My place won't be the same without him around here - he was part of the furniture. Most trainers only
dream of getting a horse like him," Eales said.

He said Ed had suffered a "very minor strain of a check ligament" and retirement was in his best interests,
rather than risk him further. The trainer and his staff were thrilled the 10yr-old had bowed out on top with
wins at his last two starts.

Ed, who was raced by Margaret Crooks, of Longbush, and her late husband Bert, won 15 of his 56 starts
and stakes of $478,000. The gelding won 10 races for Southland trainer Cecil Beckett and five for Eales. –

High performance directorship for ex-Dunedin
                                    man 

By Alistair McMurran

Martin Toomey, a former Dunedin sports scientist, has been appointed
one of the three high performance centre directors by the New Zealand
Sports Foundation. But he will be based in Auckland and not in Dunedin.

The New Zealand Sports Foundation announced the appointment of
Toomey, badminton administrator Chris Bullen and Australian Timothy
Mahon as the three directors yesterday.

Dunedin has applied to have one of the three high performance centres.
Six cities have submitted applications.

"The tendering process is in the final stages and a decision is expected to
be announced within the next two weeks," Karen Jones, of the New
Zealand Sports Foundation, said from Wellington yesterday.

Toomey, who started his sports science work in Dunedin as director of
the University of Otago's High Performance Centre, said the full details
of his new job would be revealed at a three-day seminar in Wellington
next week.

"It is a new position and has not been done in New Zealand before,"
Toomey said from Auckland yesterday.

"It's a challenge and I'm looking forward to it."

Toomey has had 10 years' experience as a fitness consultant working
with elite New Zealand sports people in a variety of team, individual and
Olympic sports, including the All Blacks and Team New Zealand.

He has an extensive background in sports science as a lecturer at the
University of Otago and was director of the Human Performance Centre
at Otago from 1989 to 1996.

The New Zealand Sports Foundation said the three directors would assist
sports with their strategic plans and would co-ordinate programmes at
the new high performance sports centres.

Sports Foundation chief executive Chris Ineson said there was strong
interest from within New Zealand and from overseas in the new
positions. There were 160 applicants.

"The successful candidates bring a range of useful experience to the
positions," Ineson said.

"They have backgrounds in coaching and sports science, big and small
sports, Olympic and non-Olympic, and knowledge of the Australian high
performance system."

Bullen has had a long experience with sport as a player, coach and administrator.

He represented New Zealand at badminton throughout the 1970s and 1980s and was appointed director of
coaching for Badminton New Zealand in 1990.

Bullen established his own successful business, STA Ltd, in 1998, which provides training and education.

Mahon has five years experience as the high performance manager with the Olympic athlete programme
based at the Victorian Institute of Sport in Melbourne. 

He has also been a high performance programme manager of badminton, fencing, pentathlon and
weightlifting.

He has tertiary qualifications in sport management, computers and education.

Basketball injury leaves cloud over Tony Brown 

By Brent Edwards

Highlanders first five-eighth Tony Brown is in doubt for Friday night's game against the Auckland Blues,
after spraining an ankle.

Brown, who has scored 90 points in the Highlanders' six matches, suffered the injury while playing basketball
on Sunday.

"It's another setback to us," Highlanders coach Peter Sloane said last night.

"We haven't had a great run with injuries recently, but we'll see how Tony is later in the week before we
make a decision on whether he'll travel with us.

"I don't think it's fair for people to say Tony shouldn't have been playing basketball. The guys have to have
some relaxation and it was just one of those things that could have happened doing any recreation."

Brown was a spectator at training yesterday, along with centre Rua Tipoki, who rolled his ankle in the game
against the Brumbies in Canberra.

There is optimism that Tipoki will be fit for selection, while Romi Ropati, who has missed the last three
games, is rated a better-than-even chance of playing.

"We'll see how he pulls up at training tomorrow," Sloane said.

The Highlanders' contingency plan for Brown's possible absence was put into action yesterday, with Marc
Ellis running at first five-eighth and Jeff Wilson at fullback.

However, the Highlanders are hopeful Brown, a rugged player with rapid healing powers, will be fit to take
his place in the side.

Kiwis' captain confident squad has what it takes 

Wellington: Captain Richie Barnett said he would be leading a Kiwis team capable of
scoring its first victory over Australia in Australia in nine years in the Anzac league test
on Friday week.

Barnett, who returned from injury and health problems to play 60 minutes for his Sydney City Roosters in the
national rugby league on Sunday, was reinstated as captain of the side yesterday.

The national selectors, including England-based coach Frank Endacott, did not cause any major surprise in
their squad selection and stuck largely with proven players.

The squad has a powerful look about it, with four prop forwards, including Joe Vagana, selected.

"There is plenty of power up in front," Barnett said.

"We're very fortunate to have guys like Craig Smith, Quentin Pongia and Jason Lowrie who, I think, is in
magnificent form.

"And big Joe (Vagana) always, when he puts on that black jersey, steam-rolls through any pack," Barnett
said.

"We seem to have a roll on with our big forwards, but at stages through the game we just seem to go to
sleep. We can't afford to do that against the Australians."

The last time the Kiwis beat Australia in Australia was in 1991.

"I think we have got it over them in the last couple of years. I just think at stages a player or two have lost
concentration and they (Australia) have come through with a try in the last minute. It happened twice in the
tri-series.

"If we can just go through the routines before the test so everybody can be 100% and stay focused it will go
a long way towards remedying some of our problems from last year.

Included in the 19-member squad are Auckland Warriors Ali Lauiti'iti and Melbourne Storm's Tasesa Lavea,
both newcomers to the international scene.

Both, depending on the injury situations and the Paul brothers' late arrival from England, appear to have been
included in the side with some thought to the World Cup in October-November.


SA agrees to play first Olympic leg in NZ 

Auckland: New Zealand Soccer has won the first battle in its Sydney 2000 Olympic bid.

Its South African counterpart has agreed to the first of the home-and-away qualifiers being played in New
Zealand, thus ensuring the best possible crowd.

"They are relaxed about it," NZS chief executive Bill MacGowan said yesterday. 

"They know no matter what the result here, they will still have a sell-out for the return (match)."

Soccer is the biggest spectator sport in South Africa, attracting far greater interest than rugby.

The first match will be played in Auckland on May 19. The return will follow eight days later at the
Vosloorus Stadium in Johannesburg.

The battle now is between North Harbour Stadium and Ericsson Stadium for the right to host the home
game.

MacGowan said both countries were confident Fifa would agree to the dates, even though they are outside
the May 15 deadline for completing all Olympic play-offs.

It is expected Ken Dugdale and co-coaches Ronnie Armstrong and Ricki Herbert will name 18 players for
each game, but not necessarily the same for both. 

The players will be in camp by about May 12

Club rises again from ashes 

                 By John Gibb

                 The Otago University Rowing Club is fighting back after being devastated by arson
                 last year.

                 "There were plenty of tears," club captain Glen Sinclair says, recalling the early
                 morning phone call advising him of the fire.

                 The November 22 arson attack destroyed the club's Magnet St, Dunedin, rowing shed
                 and all 15 of its boats.

                 The boats were insured for $100,000 but had a replacement value of about $300,000.

                 Boats are not cheap - some cost up to about $35,000 each.

                 "We were in a state of desperation. It could have very easily been the end of the
                 rowing club," he said in an interview yesterday.

                 But the club quickly bounced back.

                 The insurance money and another $150,000 raised through strong community support
                 has enabled the club to buy seven new and three second-hand boats.

                 The club still needs another four boats and must raise a further $60,000 to buy them.

                 However, when the New Zealand University Games begin in Wellington at Easter,
                 120 of the club's rowers will be there, eager to defend Otago's reputation as the
                 country's top university rowing club.

                 Adversity seems to have improved the club's recent performances. At Lake Karapiro
                 in March, a lightweight eight from the club, with Sinclair as stroke, won the club's first
                 national championship title since its formation in 1929.

                 In the club's fightback, several charities had been of "massive assistance," he said.

Mr Sinclair and his fellow rowers are feeling a little happier these days. They are buoyed by a recent Otago
University Students Association referendum, which strongly supported a club proposal to build a $950,000
aquatic centre to replace the rowing shed.

The club also plans to raise several hundred thousand dollars towards the cost of the project.

Asked how the club managed to bounce back so far, so fast, Sinclair emphasises the community support and
the determination linked with daily rowing sessions starting at 6am.

"I'd like to think that rowers are a group of doers, rather than talkers."

Auckland win spurring Wilson 

By Brent Edwards

Jeff Wilson has yet to be part of a winning Otago-based side at Eden Park and that, rather than his critics,
will serve as motivation for him when the Highlanders play the Blues on Friday night.

"I've been going to Auckland for seven years with Otago teams and we've yet to register a win," Wilson said
last night.

"It would be nice to get our season back on track there, but it's a big ask. They're wounded after last
weekend's loss to the Stormers and Auckland always bounces back from games like that."

The All Blacks' record try-scorer - named player of the match after the Highlanders' last home game at
Carisbrook - is not concerned by radio talkback criticism of his play in recent weeks.

"I was disappointed in my last game, in Canberra," he said. "I made a couple of mistakes I don't usually
make.

"But I don't really care what other people have got to say. They can bag me as much as they like. 

"I'm not concerned about it one little bit.

"I'm out to play rugby for this team (the Highlanders) as best I can. This is a talented side and it's a lot of fun
playing in Otago.

"I can't see why people would ever doubt my commitment. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else. For people
from far away to doubt my enthusiasm for what I'm doing - I just can't take it seriously."

Wilson said it was disappointing and frustrating the Highlanders had lost their last two matches but
emphasised it was not for lack of effort.

"We've come up against two of the better teams in the competition. Every game is a damn tough ride and, if
you're not on top of your game, you lose.

"I don't think people should lose faith in us yet. This team has plenty of energy and we can definitely turn
around the last two games into a good win in Auckland."

Wilson, who played on the right wing for the first six matches, will be back in the No 15 jersey against the
Blues if Tony Brown does not recover in time from a sprained ankle.

"I could be playing anywhere, by the look of things," Wilson said with a grin. "It's unfortunate, but we're
hopeful Brownie will be all right If not, I'm sure Marc Ellis will step up to the plate, as he always does."

Wilson said it was important the Highlanders started strongly against the Blues after slow starts in their
previous two games.

"I'm not really sure why," he said. "We've made fundamental mistakes we usually don't make and that has
given the opposition opportunities.

"We've shown we've got mettle but there is such a fine line between success and failure in this competition.
We have to try to get back on the right side of that line."

`Painful' injury hampers Colling 

By Hayden Meikle

Otago Rebels shooter Belinda Colling is playing in pain as she attempts to recover from an injured knee.

The Silver Ferns captain strained ligaments around her left knee joint during a Rebels training session a
month ago.

She is only training every second day and is in a race against time to be fit for the remainder of the national
netball league and a New Zealand women's basketball camp in Wellington starting on Saturday.

"It's been a bit of an ongoing problem since I did it," Colling said yesterday.

"It was very painful when I played against Auckland last week but it's been better this week."

There were fears she had done major damage to the cartilage in her knee but a scan in Auckland returned
positive news.

"It's just a muscular problem at the back of my knee and with a bit of rest and rehab, it should come right,"
Colling said.

"I won't be 100% at the basketball camp but if I take things slowly, it should just be a matter of time."

Colling said the injury had nothing to do with Rebels coach Megan Anderson's decision to play her at
goal-shoot, where less mobility is required, in the first half of the loss to the Diamonds in the opening round of
the Coca-Cola Cup.

Colling, who played her 20th match for the Rebels against Auckland, will turn out against the Capital Shakers
in Dunedin on Friday night but will miss the match against the Northern Force on Sunday.

Her absence is likely to see the accurate Krista Priscott promoted to the starting line-up at goal-shoot, with
Silver Fern Adine Harper playing at goal-attack.

The alternative is leaving the versatile Harper at goal-shoot and giving Angelina Yates a chance at
goal-attack.

Neither Priscott, who has played three matches for the Rebels since debuting against the Cometz last year,
nor Yates, who is yet to make her Coca-Cola Cup debut, played against the Diamonds.

`Monster' two-car attack on hillclimb 

By Dave Smith

Wanaka: Japanese racing driver Nobuhiro "Monster" Tajima has shown how serious he is about scoring
three successive wins in the Silverstone Queenstown Gold Rush Hillclimb.

Tajima will drive two cars in the three-day event on the twisting 15km Waiorau Snow Farm access road at
Easter.

Event director Grant Aitken said yesterday Tajima would bring the most powerful Suzuki car seen in New
Zealand, as well as a twin-engined racing version of the Suzuki Baleno.

Aitken said the Baleno was powered by two 1995cc double overhead camshaft engines, mounted front and
rear.

"The engines effectively give a capacity of 4 litres, producing a combined 800bhp," Aitken said.

Tajima's second entry, the Grand Vitara Suzuki which he drove to win the 1999 Gold Rush event, has been
improved to produce nearly 200hp more than the 1999 800bhp version.

Hollywood stunt man Mike Ryan will return to the event in his 4.5-tonne Freightliner semi-truck powered by
a 1200hp, V6 Mercedes Benz engine.

Ryan, known for his stunt work in films such as Independence Day , Terminator 2 and Thelma and
Louise , last raced in the event in 1998.


Keogh ready for NZ title 

By Max Scott

A frustrating six-month wait is almost over for Dunedin veteran cyclist Geoff Keogh, who is poised for a tilt
at a national road title at Te Awamutu on Thursday.

Keogh (35) looked in line for a New Zealand championship medal at Arrowtown last October until he was
sidelined by a broken collarbone.

Returning to the road scene earlier this year, Keogh wasted no time in making his presence felt, claiming
convincing victories in the three-day Masters Games tour and Otago veteran title races.

A creditable ninth placing in the recent Tamahine Tour points to Keogh being ready for the big 99km test. 

The inclusion of in-form Taieri rider Danny Hillary, Paul Odlin (North Dunedin) and current national road
silver medallist Craig Thomson (Taieri) should give Otago some strong representation in the under-23 race.

10 May 2000
By Tayler Strong 

Garry Chittick has resigned as chairman of the New Zealand Racing Industry Board to concentrate on
business interests.

Mr Chittick, the owner of Waikato Stud, took over the chairmanship of the RIB in 1996. He has been a
board member since 1994.

"The demands of running both the RIB and Waikato Stud are great. I've decided my priority must be
Waikato Stud," Mr Chittick said in a supplied statement.

"I do so with some regret because the industry is facing a number of exciting challenges, including the
legislation which could see the long awaited merger of the RIB and the TAB."

Jim Leach, the acting chief executive of the RIB, said Mr Chittick had given much to the RIB.

"During his tenure he had overseen the revision of the funding policy and he has been instrumental in
instituting a co-ordinated approach to industry issues.

He has made a significant contribution and his leadership will be missed.".

  Lotsofice, a flat winner at the Riverton Easter meeting, will have his first start over hurdles at Wingatui on
Sunday.

"It is a good race to start him off hurdling with the distance 2400m. He can come back to the flat at Queen's
Birthday weekend," Paul Richards, his Wingatui trainer.

"He has been to two jumping schools and has had a couple of hurdle trials."

Megan Prendergast has been engaged to ride Lotsofice, a 4yr-old St Hilarion gelding who won a class 1
1400m at Riverton.

Richards bounced back from a fall to ride Thumper and Black Pete to win at the Marlborough meeting
yesterday.

Richards, who was dislodged from Vinotica in race one when his mount clipped the heel of Xena Star, who
shifted out 200m from the finish in race one. He was bruised and sore at the end of the day. He will continue
his association with Black Pete on the second day of the meeting on Friday.

Thomas Russell, the rider of Xena Star was suspended for two riding days until Friday inclusive, in relation to
the incident.

  The $A20,000 ($NZ24,000) late entry fee has been paid for Cheiron and Testa Rossa to start in the
$1million Stradbroke Handicap at Eagle Farm.

Shane Dye has been booked to ride Testa Rossa, who is 4-1 favourite. He is the topweight with 56.5kg,
3.5kg more than Cheiron.

  Zespri Gold will return to Waiuku from Adelaide without racing due to a muscle problem. She made the trip
for the South Australia Oaks.

Hero draws well 

Hero is drawn to win the $160,000 Final of the Sires' Stakes for 2yr-old pacers at Addington on Friday night.

Hero drew four in the Civic Video sponsored event.

The fields for Friday night:

  The passing lane regulations have been amended by Harness Racing New Zealand, making it mandatory
for a horse to maintain a straight line in the run home if it has a clear and unimpeded run in the home straight,
leaving the passing lane clear for other horses.

The whip may be used only forward of the shoulder or with an up and down arm action in amendments to
the whip regulations. Backhanders with a wrist action may only be in the confines of the sulky.

Shirl's Atom, who is engaged at Addington on Friday, is now trained by Cran Dalgety. Other stable changes
include: Stratocaster (P O'Reilly), Kilarney Girl (to A Beck), Holly Loch (P Burgess), Unique Black Magic
(P Boag).

Northerners Otago rally favourites 

Reigning national champion Geof
Argyle, last year's event winner Bruce
Herbert, and former national
titleholder Joe McAndrew have been
awarded the top seeds at the head of
the classiest field ever to contest the
Shoreline Hotel Otago Rally.

The trio head a 15-strong contingent of the
North Island's top drivers who, together with
Australian guest Cody Crocker, will make life
very tough for the leading southern contenders
on the May 20-21 event.

Argyle (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 6) is fresh from
fifth place on round two of the Asia Pacific Championships. A past winner of the Otago event, his goal for
2000 is to become the second driver (after Rod Millen) to win a hat-trick of national titles.

The flying Herbert, who like Argyle comes from the Manawatu, included Otago in his tally of four major
rally wins last year. Having updated the Dynalink Group A Lancer Evo 6 over the summer, he is back with a
vengeance after winning the recent Canterbury Rally. 

Always fast and spectacular, third seed Joe McAndrew has won at Otago twice before. This year marks his
return to national competition after a season out. The fact that it started poorly - with a crash in his opening
North Island event - makes it all the more important for McAndrew to leave Otago with a win.

Two other drivers are serious contenders for victory. Leading that pair is fourth seed Todd Bawden, an
Aucklander who has been very quick here in the past, and will run a Group A "open class" Lancer Evo 6 for
the first time.

Fifth-seeded Brian Green (Palmerston North) is also capable of winning in his Ford Escort WRC.

Sixth and seventh seeds Ross Meekings and Chris West will go head-to-head in the fight for Group N
production class honours. Meekings, from Hamilton, is one of the country's most experienced drivers, while
West is the South Island's up-and-coming star.

The top 10 is completed by North Islanders Lewis Scott, Marty Roestenburg and Andrew Hawkeswood.
Behind them, Australian Group N champion Cody Crocker - brought here to promote road safety to schools
as well as rally - will start as a dark horse in his Subaru Impreza. 

Twelfth-seeded Chris Haldane (Auckland, Lancer Evo 3) is another driver to watch. Son of leading Kiwi
co-driver Bob Haldane, he has stunned the rallying fraternity by finishing runner-up twice this year. Wearing
the 13th seed on his Mazda 323 GTX, former Mainland champion John Silcock is another driver to watch.

LEADING LOCALS 
Mike Turfus and Gwynn Gilmour will start from 14th and 15th places. Both drive Lancers, but Turfus runs
his in Group N production class trim, while Gilmour is entered in the modified Group A class.

Turfus scored solid Group N championship points at Canterbury, but was disappointed to finish outside the
top 10 overall. I'm picking him to run more strongly on home stages. Fast gaining a reputation nationwide for
combining speed and consistency, Gilmour should also be a comfortable top-10 finisher.

Five other Otago drivers are contesting their home rally, led by 28th seed Jason West (Suzuki Baleno), who
with Turfus and Gilmour is entered for the national championship this year. The other four are Craig Molloy
(Lancer RS), Mike Verdoner (Toyota Corolla), Richard Bethune (Lancer RS) and Jamie Newall (Corolla).

                               BOURNE TO SPEAK

Kiwi rally ace Possum Bourne will be a guest speaker at the pre-event rally forum, to be held at the
Carisbrook Lounge from 8pm on Friday 19 May.

Bourne, whose focus this year is the Asia-Pacific Championship, will be joined behind the microphone by
Cody Crocker, and several leading New Zealand championship drivers. 

The forum is open to the public for a gold coin donation, and is an excellent opportunity to hear the country's
top drivers talk about the sport.

The forum will be preceded by the rally car show at Turners Car Auctions, off Portsmouth drive. The show
runs from 6-8pm, and once again many of the leading drivers will be there to meet fans.

Saturday night is rally quiz time, again at the Carisbrook lounge. There will be a general motoring theme to
the questions. Teams of six can be registered by calling Mark Laughton on 455 5594, or alternatively show
up on the night and join a team.

                                 CLASSIC RALLY

Once again, the main rally cars will be preceded by the Otago Classic Rally field for pre-1982
two-wheel-drive cars.

Brent Rawstron (Christchurch), last year's winner, returns as top seed with his Ford Escort RS1800. So does
spectacular Triumph TR7 V8 driver Garry Adcock, who fought tooth-and-nail with Rawstron last year.

But third-seed Garry Cliff (Christchurch) is the man I'm picking to win. A former Mainland champion with
unrivalled experience in the sport, he will drive a potent Nissan 240RS.

WHERE TO WATCH 

There is no substitute for getting out to see the cars racing through the high-speed special stages. Detailed
maps of the route and entry lists will be available free of charge from next week - try your local BP station -
and are a must for those keen on serious viewing.

For those interesting in watching just a stage or two, the most accessible are as follows: 

Saturday morning: McLaren Gully Rd, between Brighton and Taieri Mouth. The first car starts the stage at
10.05am. Good viewing at several intersecting roads including Big Stone Rd, Daphne Rd, and Christies Gully
Rd.

Saturday afternoon: Whare Flat. First car at 3.45pm. Excellent viewing around the Pineapple Track car park.

Sunday morning: Corkscrew Rd, south of Lawrence. First car at 8.40am. Viewing at the intersections of
Hunter or Tuapeka Flat Rds.

Sunday afternoon: Super special, held on tarmac in the wharf area of Dunedin, with cars running in reverse
order from slowest to fastest. First car at 2.15pm. Best viewing from the Anzac Ave. overbridge.

Wherever you choose to view, please obey the instructions of event officials, stand well off the road
(preferably up a bank) and definitely not on the outside of a corner.

Otago athletes perform well at
                                games 

                                              By Alistair McMurran

                                              Dunedin athlete Peter Cox (Otago Boys)
                                              broke a New Zealand record, won three
                                              medals and was the best performed of the
                                              Otago competitors who returned home
                                              yesterday from the Pacific Schools Games at
                                              Sydney.

                                              Cox (16) broke the New Zealand under-18
                                              record when he finished third in the 110m
                                              hurdles in 14.02sec.

                                              Cox also won a silver medal in the long jump
                                              with a leap of 6.82m and was a member of the
                                              New Zealand under-18 4 x 100m relay team
                                              which finished second in 42.28sec.

                                              Other athletes to reach the finals were Corey
                                              Innes (Otago Boys), who finished eighth in the
                                              boys aged 14 and 15 200m in 23.51sec and
                                              was in the New Zealand relay team which
was fourth; Ella Clark (Kavanagh) who was ninth in the hurdles aged 14 and 15 3000m in 10min 53.17sec
and Flynn Morris-Clark (Otago Boys) tenth in the boys aged 14 and 15 3000m in 9min 33.50sec.

Craig Sneddon (Tahuna Intermediate) was in the New Zealand boys aged 12 and 13 relay team which
finished fifth.

The best performed Otago diver at the championships in Sydney was Blair Hamelink (Tahuna Intermediate)
who was third in the boys aged 12 and 13 3m.

Anna Thomas (Otago Girls) was fourth in the girls aged 16 to 18 platform.

Other diving results were: 

Laura Ware (St Hildas), girls aged 12 and 13 3m, 17th, and platform, 16th; Jessica Smith (St Hildas), girls 14
and 15 3m, 16th; Catherine Lawrie (Otago Girls) girls 16 to 18 3m, 12th.

School teams have busy start to season 

  Cross-country

The Westpac Trust Secondary School Cross-Country Relay begins today at 1pm at Tokomai-riro High
School in Milton. Twenty six girls teams of four runners and 17 boys teams of six runners will start the
event.

This is the second of four cross-country events organised for secondary school students. The series will be
completed by the Dunedin City Ford Road Race, at Logan Park, on Thursday next week and the Westpac
Trust Otago Championship at Kettle Park on May 29.

The first event took place last week with the road races based at Kings High School and organised by the
Caversham Harrier Club.

  Road relay

The secondary schools road relays organised by the Caversham Harrier Club were held on May 2 at Kings
High School.

Thirty-two teams took part, 19 girls' teams and 13 boys'. 

Kings High School 1 was first in the senior event with a time of 27min 59sec, with Otago Boys High School
1 and 2 taking second and third places in times of 29min 57sec and 30min 09sec respectively.

The fastest individual leg was recorded by Max Smith (Kings) in 6min 47sec, with Leon Dickison (Kings)
second in 6min 58sec and Will Smith (Kings), sharing third place with Elliot O'Sullivan (OBHS) in a time of
7min 02sec.

Bevan Stevens ensured Otago Boys secured a win in the junior race, in a time of 30min 11sec with Kings
High School second (30min 42sec) and Kavanagh College 1 third in a time of 31min 51sec.

Stevens improved by four seconds on his fastest time from last year, recording 6min 55sec with two Kings
boys, Matt Seyb second (7min 13sec) and James McInnes third in a time of 7min 28sec. 

The senior girls' event was won by Otago Girls High School 1 in 32min 58sec, with Queens High School
second in 36min 50sec and St Hildas 2 third in 36min 59sec.

The junior girls' event was won by Otago Girls High School 1 in 34min 34sec, with St Hildas 1 second in
34min 40sec and Columba College third, in 36min 58sec.

The event ran very smoothly, with prize-giving held at the conclusion of the girls' race. Next year it would be
great to see a team from every Dunedin secondary school take part in the event.

Thanks must go to the Caversham Harrier Club, which is the main sponsor and organiser of the event, and to
its team of marshals and result recorders who give their time to allow this event to take place.

  Rugby

The midweek girls rugby competition kicks off tonight with some changes from previous years. With the
support of clubs in town it is hoped to play games, or at least the second half of them, under lights.

Peter Johnstone Park will have games starting at 4.30pm. Games taking place today are:

The Taieri High School v Otago Girls A, Peter Johnstone 2

Queens v Logan Park, Logan Park 4

Otago Girls B v St Hildas, Oval 1

Kavanagh v Kaikorai Valley, Kaikorai Valley 1

Bayfield a bye

Twenty four teams took part in last Sunday's Girls' Coca-Cola College Day at Peter Johnstone Park. To
encourage teams from as many schools as possible to participate, entries were taken for 10-a-side, 12-a-side
or 15-a-side.

The day was marred by persistent drizzle for the last 90 minutes but there were many pleasing aspects that
emerged. Eight 15-a-side teams were fielded including two from each of St Kevins and Southland Girls.
These schools are taking up the challenge of having a developmental team so their A team is more
experienced as the players come through.

Some schools had two 12-a-side teams and others, like Lawrence, entered for the first time.

The most enterprising team award went to St Hildas, with Waitaki Girls judged the fairest team. The best
turned out team was Otago Girls High B and Dunstan was considered the best tackling team. The best team
try went to Blue Mountain and the best individual try to Katie de Jong of Otago Girls High.

These awards were judged by the Otago Rugby Supporters Club.

The previous week the teams were joined by the Sassenachs who helped with similar awards at the Boys'
Coca-Cola College Day. On that occasion the most enterprising team award went to Kavanagh College 1st
XV.

The Sassenachs plaque for fairest team went to Verdon 1 and Taieri 1 was judged the best turned out team.
The best tackling team was Tokomairiro with Central Southland College scoring the best team try. Jonathan
Bentley of Otago Boys 2 was judged to have scored the best individual try.

  Swimming

The South Island Secondary School Swimming Championships were held at the end of April. Entry numbers
were down from the previous year, when the event was held during the school break. 

Stella Johnston (Otago Girls) and Raymond Neil (Otago Boys) were swimming their last competitive events.
It does not seem quite right to say 15 and 17-year-olds are retiring, but in terms of training for competitions,
this was their last.

Xiaonan Wang (Bayfield), an exchange student, had a good meeting. Simone Hudson (Otago Girls) made a
pleasing return to the pool after concentrating on rowing. Otago Girls was the only school to enter both a
senior and a junior relay team. Next year the event moves to Christchurch.

  Orienteering

The Dunedin Orienteering Club continues to provide excellent events for secondary school students.
Orienteering is a sport involving map reading, running and walking. It is a combination of mental and physical
challenges which make it a sport that develops both the mind and the body.

The first schools event was held last Sunday at Kuri Bush and the next is at Gladbrook on June 25. Other
events in the series are at Pyramids on July 23, Narrowdale on August 13 and at Waikouaiti on September 3.

Anyone requiring more details should contact Bruce Collins at 465 8255 or bruce.collins@clear.net.nz.

  Basketball

Basketball Otago is setting up a junior refereeing programme. Each senior referee will be responsible for
training and encouraging three junior trainees. 

The students involved must be available to referee on Friday evenings at the Dunedin Stadium. They will
attend two training sessions, which last about one hour each. At the end of the season, these junior trainees
will sit a basic junior referees examination.

Any students interested in being part of this programme should contact Aileen Solomon (work ph 477 0225)
as soon as possible as the courses are about to get started.

  Aerobics

Gemma Lowther and Alayna Renata of Queens High competed recently in the Aerobics New Zealand
Youth Cup in Auckland. Both girls were among the five top competitors who qualified for finals in their
respective categories.

Gemma was second in the 13 and under section. This means she is eligible for selection in the junior world
cup.

Alayna was fourth in the 18 and under open section. This was a very competitive category with a high
degree of skill shown by all finalists.

Both girls are now working towards the Otago-Southland Aerobics and Dance Championships which will be
held in Invercargill in August.

In brief 

  NZ finishes fourth

Triathlon: New Zealand failed to close the gap on the leaders over the final stage in Sydney yesterday to
finish the five-team Xerox Triathlon Tour in fourth place.

The final stage involved three races, each comprising a 300m swim, a 7km bike ride, and a 2.4km run, with
competitors in each team doing a different leg in each race.

Final points table. -


  McCaw has NZ link 

Yachting: A billionaire linked to bids to lure Team New Zealand crew to a new United States America's
Cup challenge donated $1 million to the New Zealand defence.

Craig McCaw made the unconditional donation to Team New Zealand, then led by Sir Peter Blake, late last
year, according to a yachting source close to the team.

McCaw and his brother John McCaw have been named as two men behind a new syndicate making bids for
up to 20 New Zealand sailors, designers and shore crew, totalling millions of dollars, but their involvement
has not been confirmed. - NZPA

  Daughter for Slater

Rugby: It's a girl - two weeks early, but too late for father Gordon to join the Hurricanes in South Africa.

Debbie Slater, wife of Hurricanes prop Gordon Slater, yesterday gave birth to daughter Olivia at Taranaki
Base Hospital.

Hurricanes public relations manager Brett Jackson last night said Olivia was 3742gm (8lb 4oz) and both
mother and daughter were doing well.

Olivia is the Slaters' second child and a sister for Hannah. - NZPA


  Success for pitcher

Softball: Black Sox pitcher Marty Grant has made a good start to the North American softball season, being
named in the tournament team at the Red Rock Invitational tournament in Utah.

Grant is one of five members of the New Zealand team for July's world series who will be playing on the
competitive North American scene over the next couple of months.

Auckland's Donny Hale is playing in Wisconsin while Canterbury's Greg Newton is playing in New York.
US-based Kiwis Dean Jordan and Paul Algar are playing for teams in Kansas and Wisconsin respectively. -
NZPA

Country rugby still on Topp as far as character is
                                concerned 

Another season of Otago sub-union rugby matches began yesterday and, while some
things have changed, others have stayed the same.

Not so many years ago, the Otago selectors used to prowl the sidelines in search of rawboned country
forwards to wear the dark blue jersey with the golden "O".

Sadly, that no longer happens. Promising players are whisked off to clubs in Dunedin andit is from those
teamsthey claim higher honours.

Otago reps Kelvin Middleton, Tony Brown, Joe McDonnell, Matt O'Connell, Andrew and Charles Hore all
have country origins but they came to the city - for rugby, education, jobs, or all three.

As a trivia question, you may like to ponder over the last player to represent Otago from a country club. The
answer is at the end of this column.

It's a sign of the times, as they say, and, where once there was resentment at Dunedin clubs gobbling up the
most ambitious country players, there is now a widespread acceptance it is one of life's realities.

They go with the blessings of their communities and, if they "make it", well that's a damned good reason to
celebrate.

Meanwhile, they just get on with life in the regions. The cream might have been skimmed off the top but
there isno lessening of passions.

They are more than rugby matches. They are gatherings of folk from the surrounding districts who chew the
fat over all manner of things apart from rugby.

Then there the after-match functions. Forget the dainty finger-food. The last one I attended, in Tapanui, it
was lashings of mashed spud, swedes and a magnificent stew. No-one went hungry that night.

The Topp Cup is still the symbol of sub-union supremacy and it is contested with all the intensity of the
Ranfurly Shield. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, South Otago dominated the way Auckland did during its
fabulous shield era.

Mind you, they had some pretty useful players. I recall the Town forwards being put to the sword at the
Balclutha Showgrounds by a pack including Frank Oliver, Wayne Graham and Ken Bloxham and the Town
fullback trying to dodge the "bombs" lobbed in his direction by that crafty little first five-eighth, Bevin Guthrie.

In 1981, the Otago side which lost 13-17 to the Springboks included seven country players in Graham,
Bloxham, Ralph Milne, Barry Wright, Gary Goodfellow, Kevin Hill and Andy Hollander.

And there were six in the side which lost 10-20 to France three years later, Matakanui Valley winger Milne
ensuring a profitable night for the pubs in the Omakau area by scoring the only try.

But gradually, inexorably, the number of country players in Otago teams has diminished as the drift to the
cities continues. But, if it is any consolation, they still have a major influence on Otago rugby.

Rugby is all about character and you don't get many with more than the likes of Tony Brown and Middleton.
It's something you can't teach. You're born and bred with it.

Answer: Matt O'Connell (Eastern) played for Otago last year but the last player to represent Otago from a
country club was Owaka prop Allan Pullar, who made the last of his 15 appearances in 1997.

Powerful start from Central 

By John Fitzharris

Central Otago started its rugby representative season on a high note yesterday, scoring a 55-6 win over
West Otago and retaining the Topp Cup in ideal conditions at Molyneux Park, Alexandra.

In the first half, Central showed a willingness to run the ball and, but for poor handling and wrong options,
could have led by more than the 20-6 half-time score.

The pressure told on West's defence midway through the second spell and a further six tries were generated
by Central's fleet-footed backs.

Captain Ryan Dowling said it was a great win.

"In the first half, the forwards put in the hard yards to hold their own, then in the second the backs got some
space, the ball finally stuck to hand, the cracks opened up and our continued running at them paid off," he
said.

The best try of the day came when the Central forwards produced clean ball from a midfield ruck on
halfway and halfback Colin O'Neill spun a wide pass on the blind to a fast breaking Nathan Cooney, up from
fullback. Cooney beat two defenders before feeding left wing Carley Thompson who scored in the left-hand
corner.

Right wing Owen McKee also left a mark on the match, with three tries resulting from aggressive elusive
running. 

Flanker Guy Hills had a strong game in his first representative match, while No 8 Paul Dougherty looked
dangerous with the ball in hand, especially charging up the middle of the paddock.

For the losing team, prop Ritchie Nicolson and hooker David Biggs never gave up.

Scores. -


Taylor steps down as Otago coach 

                       By Brent Edwards

                       Chris Taylor has stepped down as Otago cricket coach but double All Black
                       Jeff Wilson is unlikely to be his replacement.

                       Otago Cricket Association chief executive Graeme Elliott said yesterday he
                       was disappointed in a Sunday newspaper story which speculated on the
                       possibility of Wilson taking on the role of player-coach.

                       "No-one spoke to me, or to Jeff, which I find a bit disappointing.

                       "No Otago cricket official has spoken to Jeff about next season yet but we'd
                       be delighted to have him back. He'll make up his mind about what he wants to
                       do in his own time. He enjoys his cricket and he enjoys the company of the
                       Otago players."

                       Taylor, an Invercargill schoolteacher who coached Otago in the Shell Cup
                       and Trophy competitions last season, will not be available to continue next
                       summer.

                       "Chris has indicated to me that the time factor, with two rounds of the Shell
                       Trophy to be played next season, is just too great," Elliott said. 

                       "He's keen to remain involved with Otago cricket but not as Shell team
coach."

Elliott said he hoped a replacement Otago coach would be named by the end of the month.

The new coach will be Otago's third in as many seasons, Taylor having taken over from former New
Zealand coach Warren Lees.

Oval redevelopment expected next summer 

By Brent Edwards

Otago Cricket Association chief executive Graeme Elliott hopes development of the University Oval into a
first-class cricket venue may start next summer.

The Dunedin City Council confirmed $200,000 towards the project in its budget on Monday night.

"It's my expectation that we should be ready to start the project next summer," he said yesterday.

However, he emphasised a starting date could not be confirmed until "some issues" between Otago
University and the Otago University Students' Association had been resolved.

The issues relate to the ownership of the University Oval grandstand.

"They are working through that and, as soon as it's been resolved, planning should be able to go ahead.

"I'm confident they'll have things resolved in the next couple of months," he said.

OUSA president Andrew Campbell could not be contacted for comment yesterday.

Board soon to appoint director 

By Alistair McMurran

The director of the Dunedin-based Southern High Performance Centre is expected to be named by a
newly-appointed board next month.

Katie Sadleir of the New Zealand Sports Foundation met the Dunedin steering committee this week to
discuss procedures.

Paul Allison, the chief executive of Sport Otago, said the proposed governance structure had been developed
by the steering committee with input from experienced independent sports administrators.

The model will be discussed with the wider community, with the aim of getting as many viewpoints as
possible.

The role of the new board will be to liaise with the New Zealand Sports Foundation to appoint the chief
executive and set the policy direction for the centre. 

On Friday the steering committee will discuss the plans and hear from groups and individuals who helped
with the tender bid.

Old friends renew partnership 

                                              By Alistair McMurran

                                              It is 18 years since the rowing partnership
                                              between Jan Brosnahan and Robyn Cameron
                                              (nee Greer) ended with a bronze medal at the
                                              national championships at Lake Waihola.

                                              They both grew up in the Port Chalmers
                                              district and were talented rowers with the Port
                                              United Club, winning the bronze medal in the
                                              women's pairs.

                                              They renewed the teamwork at this year's
                                              Masters Games, when they won the teams
                                              gold medal in the women's aged 40 to 44
                                              duathlon. Brosnahan also won the individual
                                              title. 

                                              Brosnahan (43) had rowed for five years but
retired soon after the medal win to bring up a family.

Greer (38) continued rowing until the end of the 1980s, gaining two more fourth placings at national
championships.

She also ran two marathons after joining the Leith Harrier Club in 1992.

The old partnership was renewed when Brosnahan joined up two years later.

"We ran and cycled together and found we still had so much in common," Brosnahan said. 

This included working. looking after their children, and keeping fit.

Brosnahan has always been a skilled sportswoman. She was in the Northern soccer team that won the
Dunedin women's competition for two years and represented Southern Districts in squash. She has always
run for fitness and was encouraged to compete for Leith after the 1994 Masters Games.

Brosnahan has always been successful at Masters Games, winning three gold medals in 1998.

This year she won two gold medals in the duathlon, three silver medals in cycling and two silver and a bronze
medal in athletics.

She likes running because it is a low cost sport and she can fit training around her other plans.

"I have a wind trainer that I use for cycling and use it when the kids are in bed at night," she said.

Cameron's injured knee meant she spent more time on her bike over the last few years.

Osteopathic treatment has improved her knee and she expects to start running again soon.

Brosnahan has advice for women who are keen to get fit.

"Start slowly and enjoy it," she said. "Don't push yourself. Just to finish a race is an end in itself and an
important achievement."

Panel may make midfield
                              changes 

By Brent Edwards

Midfield backs are among the main problem areas for the All Black
selectors as they ponder the composition of their squad for the first test
of the season.

The team to play Tonga at North Harbour Stadium on June 16 will be
named soon after the Super 12 final on May 28 and there are certain to
be changes to the squad from the ill-fated World Cup campaign.

Christian Cullen will be at fullback, not centre, where he was placed in
combination with Alama Ieremia at the World Cup.

Ieremia has had a handy Super 12 and played well against the Stormers
on Monday morning, and there are those would like him to be paired with
Hurricanes team-mates, either Tana Umaga or Jason O'Halloran.

Others would like an O'Halloran-Umaga combination and, while it has
possibilities, the main drawback is Umaga's lack of recent experience in
the No 13 jersey.

New Zealand in recent years has simply not produced midfield pairings
with the nous of Queensland's Tim Horan and Daniel Herbert, or the
Brumbies' Rod Kafer and Stirling Mortlock.

The two to have impressed me this season have been Mark Ranby, of
Waikato and the Chiefs, and Mark Robinson, formerly of Taranaki but
now of Canterbury and the Crusaders.

Both highly-intelligent young men with solid temperaments, they are not
flashy but do the basics efficiently and at pace.

They have been promising players over several seasons but now they are
on the verge of being able to take the next step.

The Crusaders' combination of Justin Marshall and Andrew Mehrtens
will almost certainly be the inside back combination but there will be
much interest in whether the gutsy Tony Brown or the erratic genius,
Carlos Spencer, will be Mehrtens' understudy. Speculation Spencer is
turning his back on New Zealand rugby to join English club Leicester
may count against him.

My team is not an attempt to match the official selection and is chosen
only partly on Super 12 form. New Zealand teams have contested the
finals of the Super 12 in each of the past two years but that has not
translated into successful All Black sides.

No 8 will be another contentious position. Isitolo Maka has played well
for the struggling Chiefs, Filo Tiatia has had some big games for the Hurricanes but Ron Cribb, of the
Crusaders, has been consistently dynamic.

He still has some rough edges to his play but he is aggressive and hungry and he has a ready-made
combination with halfback Marshall.

Todd Blackadder, Norm Maxwell, Troy Flavell, Glenn Taylor, Royce Willis and Dion Waller all have their
supporters at lock but I would go initially to he Crusaders' combination.

However, Flavell is right on their tails and he will surely make the test squad as a utility reserve, for he has
played a lot of rugby as a blindside flanker.

The influence prop Gordon Slater has on the Hurricanes' scrum was emphasised by its problems without him
in Cape Town and he is putting pressure on Kees Meeuws - injured for the last two matches - for the
tight-head berth.

Greg Somerville has had a solid season for the Crusaders, Craig Dowd has seemed rejuvenated and his
ability to play either side makes him a certainty for the squad.

He may get the nod ahead of Carl Hoeft for the loose-head spot but, either way, it seems he and the Otago
pair will be the three props.

Anton Oliver is under pressure from Mark Hammett for the No 2 jersey while Southlander Davin Heaps has
played extremely well for the Blues.

Oliver has been outstanding in everything but line-out throwing and, while that question mark remains, he
may just edge out Hammett.

There will be some unlucky players. Wings Caleb Ralph and Doug Howlett would make most international
sides, and midfielders Ieremia, O'Halloran, Daryl Gibson and Pita Alatini are thereabouts.

Jason Spice is steadily moving up the pecking order among the halfbacks and, as usual, there is an
abundance of left-over loose forwards - Tiatia, Maka, Andrew Blowers, Dylan Mika, Koula Tukino, Reuben
Thorne and Kupu Vanisi.

Captain? I have no strong preference for Randell or Blackadder and I doubt whether they are losing sleep
over the matter, either. I suspect the nod may go to Blackadder but I would be interested in Randell with the
job under a less domineering coach than John Hart.

This is no time for egos. The public wants the All Blacks as a team to grow up and that means
strong-minded players in every position working towards a common cause. That did not seem to be the case
for much of last year.

8 June

Impressive line-up of Otago finalists 

By Brent Edwards

An impressive line-up of sporting talent was named yesterday to contest the Otago Sportsperson of the Year
title.

The finalists for the awards dinner, which will be held in the Dunedin Town Hall on June 23, were
announced yesterday by Paul Allison, chief executive of Sport Otago, joint organiser of the function.

Golfer Greg Turner, sprinter Chris Donaldson and indoor bowler Grant L'Ami are the finalists for the
Speights Otago Sportsman of the Year title.

Donaldson retained his New Zealand 100m and 200m sprint titles, Turner won the Australian PGA
championship and L'Ami won the New Zealand champion of champion singles and skipped the men's fours
and triples to victory over Australia.

Belinda Colling, golfer Wendy Hawkes and athlete Shireen Crumpton are the finalists for the Newstalk ZB
Sportswoman of the Year award.

Colling captained the Silver Ferns and also played for the Tall Blacks, Crumpton dominated New Zealand
women's distance running while Hawkes, who won the national amateur championship, was also a member
of the New Zealand team which won the Queen Sirikit Cup.

The team of the year award, sponsored by Clear Communications, will be contested by the Dunedin
Technical Chatham Cup-winning soccer side, the Otago diving team and the Hill City relay team.

"Some of the codes had a relatively disappointing year, but the standard of the finalists was once again very
high," Allison said.

Other awards to be presented include the Hillary Commission contribution to coaching, the Champions Bar
services to sport and the Lion Foundation Otago Sportsperson of the Century.

A limited number of tickets are still available from Sport Otago.

  Profile on Sportsperson of the Century finalist Jenny McDonald - page 30

Otago supplying eight
          members of Colts team 

By Brent Edwards

Eight Otago players, including Highlanders Carl Hayman and Tom Willis, were last night named in the New
Zealand Colts team to compete in the southern hemisphere tourna-ment later this month.

Otago has the biggest provincial representation in the 28-player squad for the under-21 tournament, which
will be played at North Harbour between June 21 and July 1.

As well as Hayman and Willis, Otago supplies halfback David Gibson, loose forwards Josh Blackie, Grant
Webb and Hale Tu'uhoko, lock Filipo Levi and centre Seilala Mapusua.

Hayman and Blackie played in the southern hemisphere tournament in Argentina last year,but the others
have made theColts for the first time.

Eleven unions contribute players to the squad, Auckland (five) having the biggest contingent after Otago.

The squad will be captained by first five-eighth Aaron Mauger, the Crusaders' understudy to Andrew
Mehrtens for their Super 12 triumph.

Other notable selections include Super 12 players Orene Ai'i and Kevin Mealamu (Auckland Blues),
Wellington NPC flanker Jerry Collins and Gavin Williams, the son of former All Black great Bryan Williams.

Highlanders coach Peter Sloane will coach the side, with former All Black centre Bruce Robertson as his
assistant. They selected the squad along with Colin Cooper (Taranaki), Murray Roulston (Otago) and Dennis
Brown (Waikato).

The defending champion, South Africa, will play in pool A with Australia, Scotland and Fiji (to be confirmed)
while New Zealand will play England, Argentina and Samoa in pool B.

The team will be managed by former All Black captain Sean Fitzpatrick.

Golf course redevelopment delayed 

By Gail Goodger

The proposed development of the Chisholm
Park Golf Links into an international course is
in limbo for at least a year.

A request for half the $200,000 development
cost from the Dunedin City Council in the
2000-01 financial year has been refused, with
councillors agreeing in principle only to
guarantee a loan.

Golf club president MacK Stephens said, when
approached yesterday, the club would present
the funding request again when councillors
were debating 2001-02 spending.

It had been hoped the development, proposed
by international golfer Greg Turner, could be
completed by early next year.

Seeking council funding had not seemed unreasonable because it would improve the council-owned course
which the club has leased and administered for about nine years, he said.

When the council ran the course, it cost the council about $60,000 annually, whereas the club paid $42,000 a
year in rent, so the council was essentially "saving" about $100,000 annually.

The club had also raised funds and contributed its own money to a $700,000 clubhouse which opened earlier
this year.

However, the club realised the council had to prioritise overall spending. But the club could not finance the
entire development itself by early next year because contractors would cost too much.

The club board was not prepared to ask members for a commitment to spending $200,000 and a written
agreement with the council included green fees staying low.

If the course was developed with the club's regular income and existing staff, it could take up to five years.

The club had hoped an international links course would attract tourists and Tourism Dunedin wanted to
promote city package golf holidays, he said.

The club had also wanted to attract major tournaments, which would benefit the city through people paying
for accommodation, eating out and shopping. Golf professionals were keen to play on links courses such as
Chisholm Park which were sand-based and subject to prevailing winds. 

The course's 15th green was developed to an international standard recently, under Turner's supervision,
when the council gave the club surplus sand. The new green cost about $10,000 and would open towards the
year's end when the grass had grown.

The proposed development did not include work on every green as some met international standards.
However, it involved creating bunkers and altering teeing areas, Mr Stephens said.


Positive thought spurs Duncan 

By Alistair McMurran

Dunedin Olympian Jonathan Duncan spends an hour each day
developing a positive mental approach. It has transformed his
swimming.

He has worked with motivator Rakesh Pandey for the last 12
months and it has paid dividends.

Duncan (18) has always had the physical attributes and strength to
become an international swimmer, but Pandey has taught him to give
direction to his powers.

Duncan started the season as a "long shot" for the New Zealand
Olympic team with his best 400m freestyle time of 4min 03sec.

But he reduced this by a remarkable eight seconds when he qualified
for the Sydney Olympics with a time of 3min 55.74sec at the
Australian age group championships at Perth in April.

At the New Zealand championships at Auckland in March, he won
four men's open freestyle titles - 200m, 400m, 800m and 1500m -
and narrowly missed the games qualifying standard in the 400m.

It is a confident Duncan who has begun his build-up for the
Olympics.

"I felt fantastic when I heard the news," he said. "I was relieved."

Although Duncan qualified for the Olympics well within the qualifying period, there was still the possibility
another swimmer could better his time before the cut-off date.

He first developed his Olympic Games dream when he watched the Barcelona Olympics on television eight
years ago.

"It looked cool," he said. "I wanted to compete and be an Olympian."

Duncan, the latest member of coach Duncan's Laing's squad to become an Olympian, first represented New
Zealand at the Australian age group championships at the age of 14.

He gave notice of his potential when he won Australian age group titles in the 400m and 1500m freestyle
events at Adelaide two years ago.

Duncan was born in Papua New Guinea when his father, Stephen Duncan, was a dentist in that country. 

The family settled in Dunedin when Jonathan was six and his secondary education was at John McGlashan
College.

It will all be hard work for the next 10 weeks as Duncan gets himself into the right physical condition for the
Olympics.

His typical day starts at 4.45am when the alarm rings at the family's Maori Hill home and he drives to
Moana Pool.

He swims 8km in the morning two-hour session.

Before going back to bed for a two-hour sleep, he devours a breakfast of rice bubbles, bananas and toast.

He is back at Moana Pool for an hour-long weight-training session at 11am, before returning home for a
lunch of rolls, sandwiches, meat, lettuce and tomatoes.

Duncan is able to relax during the next three hours, watching television, reading or listening to pop music.

This week he finished reading Jeffery Archer's book The Eleventh Com mandment .

Another two-hour, and 8km, swimming session starts at 5pm with the senior Moana Pool squad.

After a dinner of proteins and carbohydrates, he watches television or talks with friends before going to bed
about 9.30pm.

Saints show interest in Dickel 

Wellington: Wellington will offer injured star Mark Dickel the chance to relaunchhis Olympic selection claims
with a spot in the Saints' National Basketball League team.

The 23-year-old point-guard will be out of action for at least another month after dislocating his shoulder and
suffering concussion in a fall on court in Las Vegas last month.

But he is reportedly keen to play in the NBL as soon as possible in an effort to be selected for September's
Sydney Olympics.

Dickel was omitted from Keith Mair's shadow Olympic team named yesterday despite attending the final
two days of the week-long Tall Blacks trial in Nelson.

But Mair has hinted Dickel is one of the few players he would consider for his final Olympic team if he
recovers in time and performs in the NBL.

Saints chairman Rob Virtue confirmed last night that coach Natu Taufale would ring Dickel to sound out the
former Otago and Wellington player's future playing plans.

A fit Dickel would provide Saints with a ready-made option for their problem point-guard position.

"You could never turn down a guy who is capable of making the NBA draft . . . we'd love to have him,"
Taufale said.

Dickel could not be contacted last night. - NZPA

  Tall Blacks squad - page 30

Dye confident 

Christchurch: Jockey Shane Dye is confident about the chance of his mount Diaga in the
$A500,000 Brisbane Cup on Monday, in spite of a wide barrier draw.

Trainer Les Didham said Dye blamed himself for the failure of Diaga to finish closer than sixth in the O'Shea
Stakes last Saturday.

The O'Shea was at weight-for-age. Diaga has 5.5kg less (50kg) on Monday. She ran second in the New
Zealand Cup (3200m) to Wake Forest at her only start over 3200m. Wake Forest is also an acceptor on
Monday.

"Shane set Diaga alight early and she never really settled. He told me after the race he had made a mistake
and if he could get her under him early in the race on Monday she was a good win chance," Didham said.

The trainer is thrilled with the condition of Diaga.

"I'm not the least bothered about a wet track. I reckon it will suit her and it won't suit some of the others."

Didham is based with Bevan Laming, who trained Desert Chill to the Brisbane Cup in 1995 and 1997.

The Sledge will be tried in blinkers on Monday but he will not start if the track remains firm.

La Chatelaine, who disappointed in the Queensland Oaks on Saturday, will be spelled when she returns to
Canterbury next week. 

  Zastov, the former Riccarton-trained mare, was sold for $A400,000 at the four day Inglis Australian
Broodmare Sale. The top price was $440,000 for Joy and Zedegal.

Joy, an unraced Bluebird mare in foal to Danehill, was bought by the Wakefield Stud. Joy was in work when
she injured a knee, preventing her racing. She is a half-sister to multiple stakes winner Light Up The World.

Joy was one of two mares in foal to Danehill at the sale. The fee for Danehill has risen to $A200,000. The
other mare was also sold to Wakefield for $380,000.

Zastov (Zabeel - Standing Ovation) won at Oamaru, Gore (Princess Mellay Stakes) and Riccarton in the
1997-98 season when trained by Gay Goble. She showed useful form in Australia. - AAP.

In brief 

  Regulation change

New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing has approved an amendment to Stud Book regulations which means that
the age of a foal will be determined by the covering date of the dam.

From 2001, horses foaled between July 1 and December 31 will have their age set from August 1, providing
the dam was covered on or after September 1. If the mare was served before September 1, the age will be
determined from the previous August.

This will bring NZ into line with Australia

  Kennedy recovered

Debbie Kennedy, who stood down from riding at Wingatui on Sunday with pneumonia, has recovered. She
has taken the mounts on Touch Of Rainbow, Blazing Girl and Lucky Penny at the Otago meeting at Oamaru
on Sunday.

"I was rushed to hospital on Friday night and I just could not afford to get wet," Kennedy said.

She missed the winning ride on Oyster. Stephanie Clark was her replacement. The next four horses home
behind Oyster were ridden by female riders.

  Belsham cleared

Tane Belsham, who had a fall in the steeplechase at Oamaru on May 26, has been cleared to ride on
Sunday. He has taken the rides on Our Piano Man and Ima Highlander.

  Winner cost $2000

Oregon Seal, who took her record to five wins from seven starts at Sandown on Saturday, was sold for
$2000 at the select fillies yearling sale at Karaka in 1998. 

The 15 hands 3yr-old filly, part-owned by the estate of Maureen Skelton, whose husband Bob is the trainer,
was bred by the Lambourn Stud, Palmerston North. Oregon Seal is by Oregon from Signet, an Imperial Seal
mare who has left four other winners.

  Toe cogs trialed

Sydney: Toe cogs, a device used to ensure jockeys do not get their feet stuck in the stirrup irons, are being
trialed in Sydney.

Track rider Wayne Mortell was seriously injured last week when he was unseated from a horse and got his
foot stuck in the stirrup irons.

Mortell was dragged for more than a circuit of the Randwick track.

Several jockeys have suffered a similar fate in races.

The cogs are a cup-like device with straps so the feet cannot go through the irons, and are similar to gear
used in pony clubs.

Fastest 2yo over mile for Nevele R Stud 

Christchurch: Nevele R Stud has secured the southern hemisphere breeding rights to
Badlands Hanover, the fastest 2yr-old pacer in the world over a mile.

Badlands Hanover, winner of the 1998 Breeders Crown at Colonial Downs in 1.50, is the first son of
champion American sire Western Hanover (1.50.8 and $US2.5 million) secured for stud duties in Australia
and New Zealand.

Now four, and the winner of over $US750,000, Badlands Hanover maintained his unbeaten run in four starts
for the year with success in the $US54,000 Governors Cup at Rosecroft, Maryland, last weekend.

Badlands Hanover is scheduled to arrive in New Zealand in September.

He will return to the United States in February.

  Stable changes advised by Harness Racing New Zealand:

Change to dividends imminent 

Third place dividends will be paid from mid-July on races with seven or more starters at official scratching
time.

"The TAB will trial an amendment to totalisator regulations and our target date is July 17 for the payment of
three dividends with fields of seven or more at official scratching time," Glen Maguren, the chief executive of
the TAB, said. "It will be across the three codes [gallops, harness racing and greyhounds]."

"The NZTR [New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing] board supports the initiative," a statement from that body
said. 

Third dividends are paid at present with eight or more starters.

The official scratching time for gallops meetings is 7.30 am on raceday. The time for harness racing
meetings is 5 pm the day before the meeting.

Blackadder expected to play 

Wellington: All Black rugby captain Todd Blackadder should definitely be fit enough to
lead his new side against Tonga on June 16, say coach Wayne Smith and team manager
Andrew Martin.

But Blackadder will not be pushed to play if his foot injury has not completely healed.

Blackadder is not taking a full part in team training at present.

Martin said Blackadder's foot injury was similar to one suffered by Wellington's Alama Ieremia a couple of
years ago, and the same as that which forced Mike Brewer out of the World Cup in 1991 - the tendon is
coming away from the instep of the foot. Brewer was back on the field a week after being ruled out of that
tour, leading Otago to an NPC win over Wellington at Athletic Park.

"The injury's been with him [Blackadder] since the Super 12 semi and final," Martin said.

"And he played those two matches with it. So there were some running repairs to keep him on the track."

But Martin said there are no thoughts at present that Blackadder will not be fit to make his test-captaincy
debut against Tonga.

Smith is nowhere near as confident about No 8 Ron Cribb, who suffered an AC joint injury in the Super 12
final, and has introduced Wellington's Filo Tiatia as cover for the loose forwards.

"We needed to ensure that if Cribby's not right, we had to have someone here working with us. Filo gives us
a similar mix to what we've got with Cribby - a bigger ball-carrier and explosive player, and probably he was
pretty close to making the squad originally," Smith said at Massey University in Palmerston North on
Tuesday as the All Blacks practised.

Smith's words could be a valuable preview of how this selection panel views the No 8 position - probably a
preference for the bigger, stronger man, with Taine Randell concentrating on the blind-side flank. Tiatia was
in the mix.

"That's the signal now - everyone can see that for themselves now. He's got potential that we're interested
in, so we'll see how it goes."

Martin said no pressure would be exerted on anyone to show they were fit to play during the season.

"We've got 27 players there now, and we want everyone to be 100% fit. There's no benefit for anybody in
putting an unfit player on a test pitch.

"The heart of the matter is this. We're not going to rush Ron Cribb into All Black rugby. The guy is clearly a
talented footballer and we want him at 100% fitness throughout a long season. So there's no rushing," Martin
said.

Halfback Justin Marshall and tighthead prop Kees Meuws are both back running, although not at full pace.
But they are rated as being available for the Tonga match. –

Tie in winter league 

Tennis Writer

The two leading teams battled the clock to record a tie in the final round of the first men's Dunedin premier
winter tennis league competition on Tuesday night.

Team Becker, consisting of Simon Phillips and Chris Wilkie, ended the first round of the timed competition
unbeaten, while Team Sampras, consisting of Sam Phillips and Sam MacDonald, had one narrow loss before
the tie.

All four players are students from out of Dunedin and all played with an intensity not seen in most local men.

After Wilkie and Simon Phillips took Tuesday's doubles 9-4, it was left to the two singles matches to decide
the result. MacDonald played with purpose and held on for a 9-9 draw, which effectively counted against
Simon Phillips.

Meanwhile, Sam Phillips had raced to a comfortable 12-1 win over Wilkie to leave the result at 1½ wins
each.

A decision is yet to be made about an overall winner after leading Wellington player Nic White was used to
substitute a lower ranked player last week.

If the games count-back applies, MacDonald and Sam Phillips will be declared winners. 

The feature of the women's matches was the return of Paula Ferguson from Nelson. She had not played
since the national teams event in March and went down to Darya Korobanova 4-10, but will remain in
Dunedin and is expected to be available for Otago.

Team Davenport, containing Jacinta Gunn and Canterbury student Annabel Nutt, are the unofficial winners
after winning their last-round tie 2-1.

Gunn went down to the improving Kiyoko Kasuga 8-4, but Nutt beat Hunia Klobukowska 11-4 and combined
with Gunn for an 11-5 doubles win.

Nutt is a valuable addition to the Dunedin scene.

Three Giants guards in Tall Blacks squad 

Nelson: The Nelson Giants form the core of the New Zealand men's basketball team,
with four players named yesterday in the squad for next week's pre-Olympic tournament
in Sydney.

Guards Nenad Vucinic, Phill Jones and Ralph Lattimore, along with centre Tony Rampton, were among the
12 players selected by coach Keith Mair.

The squad includes Otago Nuggets centre Rob Hickey, but missing from the list is Nuggets forward Andrew
Parke, who was in the running for the squad.

Mair said the final choice was "almost a coin toss" for a couple of positions and several players were
desperately unlucky.

The Tall Blacks will play in the national league this weekend before leaving in the early hours of Monday
morning. The Sydney tournament begins with a test against Canada on Tuesday and New Zealand will also
meet Russia and Australia.

While Mair said the squad would form the basis of his Olympic team, he would reselect for the William
Jones tournament in July and again for the Sydney games in September.

NZ call-up for St Clair junior 

By Bill Trewern

Brent McEwan (St Clair) leaves Dunedin this morning on his way to Japan as a member of the New
Zealand under-19 men's golf team which will compete in a world teams tournament.

McEwan (18) was named team reserve two months ago and received a late call-up yesterday afternoon
while playing golf at Chisholm Park.

He replaces promising North Harbour junior Mathew Bray, who was forced to withdraw after a wrist injury
last week.

McEwan will join Eddie Lee and Mathew Walkington (both Canterbury) and Matthew Holten (Waikato) in
his international debut.

"I am just delighted with this opportunity to play for my country and hope I can perform well and have four
counting scores," McEwan said.

Although he was named reserve in March, McEwan has jumped up both the national junior and senior
ratings after two recent performances. He scored 70, 72 and 71 to finish second in the South Island under-19
championship at Oreti Sands in Invercargill in April.

One week later, he eclipsed several Eisenhower golfers when finishing eleventh in the North Island men's
championship.

Since leaving Otago Boys High School last December, McEwan has attended the Sports Academy for one
term and currently works with Peter Stoddart, the St Clair Club professional, as well as playing plenty of
golf.

The team will play in Auckland on Saturday before flying to Japan on Sunday for the world teams
tournament, on the Asahikokusai Tojyo course in Hyogo province in Japan.

After two days of practice, the boys will compete in an "am-am" on Wednesday before the teams event
starts with one round a day, with the best three of four scores counting.

Next Coast to Coast race will be a dash for cash 

Wellington: Cash prizes of $10,000 will be handed to the first man and woman to finish
the Longest Day section of the next Coast to Coast endurance race.

The organiser of the event, Robin Judkins, yesterday confirmed a cash prize would be introduced for the first
time in the race's 18-year history. 

"There's been a lot of pressure over the last couple of years from the top athletes for prize money to be
added to the barrel."

Last year, $60,000 worth of travel and sports equipment was provided, included a package of $3500 for the
victorious man and woman.

The total package is expected to be $105,000, including a $45,000 Subaru Legacy car if the Longest Day
record is broken.

There will also be a corporate section next year.

OGHS post has Mene advantages 




                                 By Johann Vannisselroy

                                 New Silver Ferns captain Bernice Mene capped off a big week
                                 with a special presentation from her pupils at Otago Girls High
                                 School yesterday.

                                 Mene (25), a languages teacher, was treated to a performance
                                 by the Otago Boys High School choir before receiving a bouquet
                                 of flowers from sports prefect Kelly Graham.

                                 On Tuesday, Mene was named captain of the Silver Ferns for
                                 the second time, having led the Southern Sting to victory in the
                                 Coca-Cola cup final on Saturday night.

                                 Throughout the season, Mene had to travel from Dunedin to
                                 Invercargill each week to train with the Southern Sting, but
                                 yesterday she said she had not found clocking up so many
                                 kilometres "too stressful".

                                 There was no problem with her living and working in Otago
                                 Rebels territory but playing for their traditional rivals.

                                 "Some of my students have divided loyalties, but on the whole
the girls have been very supportive."

Mene said it was "quite an honour" to be named captain again.

"It only seems to happen when I'm at Otago Girls. Last time I was here as sports co-ordinator I was named
[captain] as well."

She led the Silver Ferns in one test in 1997 before injuring her knee. She was replaced by Otago's Belinda
Colling for an end-of-year tour of the United Kingdom.

Mene admitted the captaincy brought added pressure but she was looking forward to the job.

"It's certainly an exciting team. I'm quite thrilled. We definitely have the players to beat Australia."

The Silver Ferns were now looking forward to an unbeaten season.

"Everyone's keen to put the Silver Fern back on. It's been quite a while. It's going to be a great season."


Melomai set for the Flemington
                             National 

By Tayler Strong

Melomai leaves for Melbourne today, now targeting the Grand National Steeplechase at Flemington.

Melomai and Bush Star depart North Taieri in the care of co-trainer and rider Shane Anderton.

The two horses are booked to fly from Auckland on Tuesday.

"There may be another change of plans but I felt Melomai would be better suited over the steeplechase
fences in Melbourne rather than the low hurdles," Brian Anderton, the senior training partner, said. 

He will be the sole licence holder in Australia as jockeys are not permitted to train.

"Melomai will school twice over the steeplechase fences at Moonee Valley on June 19 to qualify and Bush
Star will school once because he has started in a steeple."

It is planned to give Melomai his first race over country in the $A50,500 Ian Macdonald Steeplechase at
Moonee Valley on June 24. Bush Star has the $50,000 Crisp Steeple at Flemington on July 1 as his
immediate assignment. 

The GN is on July 8. There is a $40,000 handicap steeplechase for Bush Star at Moonee Valley on July 15.

Both horses could contest the $100,000 A V Hiskens Steeple at Moonee Valley on July 29.

  Joy Birkett, a qualified welder, with a yearning to ride jumpers, has her introduction to race riding at
Oamaru on Sunday.

Birkett (22), who is apprenticed to the West Melton trainers Tony and Lyn Prendergast, had been engaged
for Byapai (steeplechase), Ordantic (hurdles) and Feeny Lass (apprentice race). She began work with the
stable six months ago.

Byapai transferred to the stable from Neil Coulbeck after racing over hurdles at Wingatui on May 14. He
has been five times placed from 16 starts over hurdles. He has raced once over country.

Birkett qualified Boy Filou for steeplechasing when she schooled him at Riccarton yesterday. Boy Filou was
a hurdle winner at Oamaru last June when trained by Len Casey at Winton. Casey did not wish to pursue a
steeple career with the 10-year-old.

The other stable apprentice, Kylie Williams, injured a knee in a fall when her saddle slipped at Riccarton
yesterday. She is expected to be fit to ride at Oamaru.

More than $15,000 raised for swimmers 
By Murray Kirkness
 
and Alistair McMurran 
Otago organisations got behind Olympic swimming trio Jonathan Duncan, Liz van Welie and coach Duncan Laing yesterday - to the 
tune of more than $15,000. 
Dunedin company Wickliffe Ltd kicked things off with a donation of $10,000. 
And the Dunedin East Rotary Club - which, with the Bank of New Zealand, set up the Duncan Laing and Otago Olympic Swimmers 
Trust - chipped in $5000. 
The Bank of New Zealand contributed $500 and several other smaller donations were made by members of the public. 
For Wickliffe Ltd managing director Warren Leslie, the $10,000 was money well spent. 
"We're a loyal Dunedin company and like to help where we can," Mr Leslie said. 
Wickliffe had made about $1 million worth of donations to various Dunedin causes during the past 10 or 15 years, including the 
albatross colony, the Taieri Gorge Railway trust, the university, Carisbrook and to the arts. 
The trio went public in the Otago Daily Times with an appeal for help to raise funds to attend a high altitude training camp in the 
United States later this month. New Zealand swimming cannot afford the $11,000 per person bill and the swimmers, along with coach 
Laing, are expected to pay their own way. 
Dunedin East Rotary Club publicity officer Bevan Meddings said the campaign "was exactly the sort of thing we're here for" and said 
the club was pleased to help with a "great start" to the fund-raiser. 
Laing, Duncan and van Welie all expressed their gratitude. 
"My goodness! That's so good. Awesome!" was van Welie's response. 
And there is more money to come. 
The New Zealand Racing Trust is also supporting the swimmers - through a telemarketing campaign. 
Trust general manager Kevin Patterson said telemarketers would offer a book by photographer Anne Geddes for $20 to the public and 
also to businesses. The book retails for $29.95. 
Funds raised would be added to the swim trio's trust account. The telemarketing campaign would continue until the end of July. 
Anyone wanting to donate money to the Duncan Laing and Otago Olympic Swimmers Trust can do so at any Otago or Southland 
branch of the Bank of New Zealand. 
Chris Donaldson needs $1000 - page 25

Jones hangs on for win in series 
Mark Jones held on to a slender lead to win the New Zealand Junior Drivers' Championship at Addington last night. 
Jones began the night with eight points, a lead of one point. He gained a second (Top Chief) and fourth (Arvee Bee) to end the night 
with 15 points, one more than Glenys Buchanan, who drove both heat winners - Sunvette and Flight Dujour - to give her 14 points. 
Jones drove the winners Them There Eyes and Eastwood Lady last night to give him 90 wins for the season. 

In brief 
Leuchs seventh in Canada 
Mountain biking: Dunedin rider Kashi Leuchs was seventh in the latest round of the World Cup mountain biking series in Mont-
Sainte Anne, Canada, recently. 
Leuchs, who recently won a bronze medal at the world under-23 championships, finished 6min behind the winner, Volvo-Cannondale 
team-mate Cadel Evans. 
It was his best finish in a cross-country event on the World Cup circuit. 
Tickets overpriced, ARU admits 
Rugby: The Australian Rugby Union yesterday admitted overpriced tickets prices were contributing to poor ticket sales for Australia's 
test against South Africa at Colonial Stadium, Melbourne, tomorrow night. 
Just 27,000 tickets had been sold for the 55,000 capacity stadium, with tickets costing between $A50 ($NZ65) and $A130 ($NZ168). 
The figures for the inaugural Nelson Mandela Challenge match compare with 92,000 and 75,000 for the two Bledisloe Cup tests 
against New Zealand which the ARU brought to Melbourne in 1997 and 1998. - AAP 
Olympic Games team complete 
Yachting: America's Cup sailors Gavin Brady and Jamie Gale will race the Star class and Peter Fox the Laser for New Zealand in the 
Sydney Olympics. 
Their selections yesterday completed the New Zealand yachting team for the games. 
New Zealand qualified in all 11 yachting classes for the September-October games. - NZPA 
Team - Scoreboard 
Rea, Radovanovich make exits 
Tennis: Auckland's Simon Rea has been eliminated from the boys' singles at Wimbledon, bowing out in straight sets to French top 
seed Nicolas Mahut yesterday. 
Mahut was too strong, defeating the world No 26 6-2, 6-3 in their third-round clash. 
Rea and partner Lee Radovanovich exited in the doubles, beaten in a tight match 5-7, 6-7 (7-9) in their first-round clash with Olivind 
Alver (Norway) and American Matthew Emery. 
Fellow Kiwi Tracey O'Connor and her Japanese partner were still to complete their rain-interrupted first-round match against 
Australians Samantha Stour and Christina Wheeler. The Australian duo won the opening set 6-3.

$1000 required 
By Alistair McMurran 
Otago sprinter Chris Donaldson is still $1000 short of the $8000 he needs for his European racing campaign. 
Donaldson (25) needs top class races in Europe to prepare for the Sydney Olympics. 
Lindsay Dey, his manager, said yesterday there remained a shortfall in funding and he hoped that a signing session at the Front Runner 
today will close the gap. 
Donaldson will be in the shop from 1pm to 2pm to sign T-shirts emblazoned with a caricature of himself drawn by former 
international cricketer Murray Webb. 
Donaldson leaves for Europe next Tuesday and will have his last training session at the Caledonian track on Monday. 
He will compete in the glamour men's sprint events at the Olympics. His best 100m time is 10.17sec and best 200m time 20.42sec.

Upsets feature of girls' games 

Giving it her best shot . . . Brooke Callaghan (10), from New South 
Wales, is all concentration as she plays a forehand shot during a 
match in the New Zealand-Australia under-12 test at the Edgar Sports 
Centre yesterday. 
Tennis Writer 
Two dramatic upset results featured in the national girls 16s indoor tennis championships in Dunedin yesterday, while the boys' 
singles went according to seedings. 
Julia Erakovic (Auckland) beat top-seeded Jane Volmuller (Bay of Plenty) 6-3, 6-7, 7-5 in a tense match in one semifinal, while third 
seed Natalie Dean (Manawatu) overcame second seed Ashley Siddal (Auckland) 7-5, 7-5 in the other. 
Top seed G. D. Jones will find today's 16s final against Gareth Dowdell (Western Bay of Plenty) much harder than Wednesday's 14 
and-under final. 
Dowdell has raced through the draw with a series of straight sets wins and yesterday ousted James Redpath (Canterbury) 6-2, 6-0. 
Jones dropped a set 3-6 to Canterbury's Jim Meredith yesterday before winning the next two 6-3, 6-0. 
The older Dowdell, who recently represented New Zealand at the World Youth Cup, looks well suited to the slow surface and could 
belie his lower seeding. 
Meanwhile, in the 12 and-under invitation challenge between Australia and New Zealand, the visiting boys proved too strong, winning 
five of the six rubbers. The only New Zealander to win was Edward Tyler. 
The Kiwi girls proved more competitive, winning three of the six rubbers, with Marina Erakovic and Ellen Barry prominent. 
The reverse rubbers in this tie will be played today. 
Results - Scoreboard

Top apprentice on Say Magic 
A 1.5kg claim will be made for smart 3yr-old Say Magic when he resumes racing at Riccarton tomorrow. 
Jason Laking, the leading South Island apprentice, has been engaged for Say Magic, who has not raced since he won a class 4 1600m 
by eight lengths on a heavy track at Riccarton in April. He is racing over 1200m tomorrow with the prospect of soft footing. He will 
be required to carry 57.5kg in race 2. 
Say Magic began his racing career with a maiden win over 1100m on soft footing at Riccarton in October. He has added four wins, 
including the Southland Guineas (by seven lengths). 
Judy Jamison will take the mount on Black Pete in the open 2000m, with Paul Richards on vacation in Perth. 
Black Pete won a graduation open double at the Marlborough meeting in May with Richards up. Black Pete lumped 61kg in his 
second success. He drops to 57kg tomorrow. 
Bruce Herd has been engaged for the topweight Faiross who, along with Big Softee, will represent Ken and Ann Browne. Both horses 
have previously won at Riccarton. 
Faiross has won an open 2100m at Trentham, a premier quality 2100m at Tauranga and a c2 2000m at Avondale this year which is 
form to respect. 
Beech Sky, the topweight in the open 1400m, will be having his first start for Fleming tomorrow. 
Nicola Bellew decided to transfer the 10yr-old to Fleming, rather than travel from Invercargill.

Silver Ferns coach Willering focuses on task at hand 
Hamilton: Embattled Silver Ferns coach Yvonne Willering wants the media to back off questions about herself and the team that do 
not involve the current netball series against the World 7. 
Under pressure after an unconvincing season, Willering has no time for anything not related to the here and now. 
Willering was stunned by a television item on Silver Ferns captain Bernice Mene last night, asking where the star defender might play 
her national league netball next year. 
That day, the Silver Ferns were preparing for probably their most important match of the season, the second test against the World 7, 
which they won 52-51. 
"I keep getting questions which are really not relevant at this time," Willering told NZPA. 
"Anyone can talk to me after the series about those sorts of issues. Right now my focus is on this series and I'm happy to talk about 
that, not what could happen afterwards." 
Was Willering referring to the almost constant references to her own and players' futures? 
"Yes, that sort of stuff," she said. 
"Players have been asked where they're going to be living and what they're going to be doing after this. Well, right now we're focused 
on what we're trying to achieve in this series. We've got a responsibility to what we're doing now." 
World 7 and Australian coach Jill McIntosh has shied away from commenting on such matters, but said the level of netball coverage 
in New Zealand far exceeded anything overseas. 
"We don't attract the same sort of media as here, and we're a bit jealous of that and the public support that they do get." - NZPA

Colling confirms city shift 
Bernice Mene

By Hayden Meikle and NZPA 
Belinda Colling may have played her last game of netball for Otago - at least for a while. 
The former Silver Ferns captain revealed in May she would be leaving Dunedin for an indefinite period after representing New 
Zealand in basketball at the Sydney Olympics. 
She has accepted a sports representative role with Vodafone, the major sponsor of the Silver Ferns, and is to be based in Auckland. 
Colling (24) yesterday confirmed the move but refused to say who she would be playing for in next year's Coca-Cola Cup. 
"I guess with the shift to Auckland - and the fact I want to play netball - it's come about but I haven't spoken to anyone and basketball 
is really my focus right now," she said. 
Colling has been a senior Otago representative since 1995, has played 23 matches for the Otago Rebels and won 38 test caps. 
Her 2000 season was cut short when she had knee surgery in May. 
Bernice Mene, who succeeded Colling as Silver Ferns captain, has dismissed speculation she is also heading to Auckland. 
The Dunedin-based Southern Sting star was surprised by radio reports suggesting she would play for the Auckland Diamonds next 
season. 
"I'm in the middle of the Fisher and Paykel Series and that is where my focus is," she said. 
Mene teaches at Otago Girls High School and her partner, cricketer Dion Nash, lives in Auckland.

St Petrus set to continue form today 
Wellington: The rejuvenated St Petrus and leading rider Michael Walker are an appealing combination for race seven at Trentham 
today. 
St Petrus has managed three wins and and five placings in his last 10 starts after failing to win in 15 attempts last season. 
St Petrus won a class three 2000m at Hastings in October before a spell. He won a 1600m highweight fresh up at Avondale in May 
with 67kg, then won an open handicap (2000m) at Te Rapa. He has won twice on heavy tracks. 
He also ran third in the Cornwall Handicap at Ellerslie and the Kiwifruit Cup at Tauranga. 
Walker has finished second and third in two rides on St Petrus. The second was a neck from Aide De Camp over 2100m at Otaki on 
June 17. 
St Petrus is trained by Keith Hawtin and Graeme Rogerson, who are second equal with Paul O'Sullivan, two wins behind Mark 
Walker in the trainers' premiership. 
Genuine Strike (race 8) is another top chance for the Hawtin - Rogerson stable today. Genuine Strike failed at Tauranga at his last start 
but is a much better horse on left-handed tracks. 
"We decided to give him another try [right-handed] because it was close to home. He wouldn't change stride at Tauranga," Hawtin 
said. 
Genuine Strike has gained his five wins on left-handed tracks He won a 1400m open handicap on a heavy track at Te Rapa in May. 
The meeting will be telecast live on free to air Trackside. 
Weather, fine; track, heavy (5.5).

Baron Blue ready for bold bid 
Hamilton: Baron Blue is capable of a bold bid fresh up in the Te Awamutu Cup tomorrow. 
The Vice Regal gelding won the Te Awamutu race last year at his first start for six weeks. He has not raced for four months this time. 
"He had a muscular injury in March and we had to give him a break, but he's working along well," Jim Wallace, his Opaki trainer, 
said. 
Baron Blue was trained last year by his Takanini part-owner Di Bowbyes. 
"His owners are keen to win the race again." 
Te Atatu Chap, who ran third to Baron Blue and Clarify last year, could be hard to beat. He won his last start over 1600m at Ellerslie 
on June 17. 

Reihana at first-five a talking point 

Bruce Reihana 
Hamilton: The naming of Bruce Reihana at first five-eighth is the most intriguing of 10 personnel or positional changes in the Waikato 
rugby team to defend the Ranfurly Shield against North Otago tomorrow. 
While from Waikato's point of view the need is to establish Reihana in the position, with Glen Jackson being the only specialist first-
five in the squad, the implications are wider. 
Former All Blacks coach John Hart was interested in Reihana's ability to move into the pivot spot and after he was tried there for the 
New Zealand Academy against the Australian Barbarians last year, his proven versatility got him to the World Cup as a back-up 
player. 
Now the word is new national coach Wayne Smith is also interested in the possibilities. 
Whether Smith will be in Oamaru tomorrow for Waikato's 17th successive shield defence after he travelled to Greymouth to watch 
Tuesday's match against the West Coast is uncertain. 
But there is little doubt that plenty of interest will surround Reihana's play at first-five. 
Damian Karauna, who will start on the wing tomorrow, is another whose tremendous versatility allows him to play at first-five, where 
he has turned out for the Hautapu senior A club side this season in some games. 
As Waikato coach Kiwi Searancke promised after the West Coast match, 20-year-old utility Grant McQuoid will get to start, this time 
in his favoured fullback position, while Mark Ranby starts at second five-eighth. 
Rhys Duggan will captain the team from halfback, with No 8 Deon Muir taking a spell on the bench. Nick Holten takes the No 8 spot 
and Chresten Davis moves from lock to blind-side flanker, while Tony Petero comes in at lock. 
Young front-rower Deacon Manu, Anton Edwards and Tony Philp have all played for New Zealand Colts. 
The changes mean every player will have got a start on the two-match South Island tour. 
Todd Miller, who played fullback on Tuesday, is the only player who will not take part in the match, with flanker Marty Holah 
returning home yesterday with a broken thumb. 
A feature of the North Otago team, which has not been able to organise a warm-up match, is the selection of St Kevin's College 
schoolboy centre Matt Saunders. 

Southerners fancied in Sissons Trophy 

Simon Latimer 
Catherine Lawrie

By Alistair McMurran 
Simon Latimer is expected to dominate the men's events and help the Southern Districts team win the Sissons Trophy at the New 
Zealand winter championships that start in Wellington today. 
Latimer is relishing the new coaching system adopted by former Sri Lankan national coach Fiasz Marikar and has made some 
important technical improvements. 
Marikar believes in land-based training using a harness, which minimises injuries to the divers. 
Latimer is expected to win the triple - 1m, 3m and tower - and improve his personal best scores in all disciplines. 
The talented Catherine Lawrie will make a strong challenge in the women's events in the 1m and 3m dives and will be unstoppable in 
the girls aged 16 to 18 grade. 
Jessica Smith, who competed at the Pacific Schools Games in Sydney two months ago, is a gold medal prospect in the 1m and 3m 
dives in the girls aged 14 and 15 grade. 
The other members of the Otago team are Aimee Sim (girls aged 16 to 18), Becky Marquet (girls aged 12 and 13) and John Grant 
(boys aged 11). They will all compete in the 1m and 3m dives. 
Otago divers have played a significant role in helping the Southern Districts team win the Sissons Trophy for the past four years. 
Former international Cara Thomson will officiate at the national championships as a registered judge for the first time. 

Crucial game for Nuggets tonight 
By Hayden Meikle 
Willie and the Jets can strike a mortal blow to the play-off hopes of the Otago Nuggets at Dunedin Stadium tonight. 
The national basketball league match between Otago and Palmerston North is shaping as a make-or-break fixture for the home side. 
The Nuggets, seventh in the NBL with a 3-6 record, will almost certainly not make the semifinals if they lose tonight. 
Palmerston North, however, has an excellent chance of getting to the play-off for the first time since 1994 if it can leave Dunedin with 
two points. 
The Jets are 5-6 and a win would put six points, or three wins, between them and the Nuggets. 
Four of Otago's last five games of the season are outside Dunedin and, considering the side's dismal away record in recent seasons, it 
should not be banking on getting points on the road. 
Two things stand out when looking at the Jets - they are big and they are experienced. 
Willie Burton, a seven-time member of the all-star five, has played for the Hawks, New Plymouth, the North Otago Penguins and the 
Jets, is 38, stands 2.01m tall and can get 20 points and 12 rebounds without raising a sweat. 
Sprightly guard Tyrone Brown, the only 40-year-old playing in the NBL, and former Nuggets centre Ed Book, a dominant presence in 
the paint, bring a wealth of experience to the team. 
American guard Rick Randall and forward Callum Brock could complete a starting five as formidable as any in the league. 
The Jets showed what they were capable of last week, thrashing Auckland 101-84 with six players scoring in double figures. 
The Nuggets have not played for two weeks - they lost to North Harbour in Dunedin on June 23 - so can be expected to look fresh 
tonight. 
The match starts at Dunedin Stadium at 7.30pm following a conference league clash between Otago and the Penguins. 
In other NBL matches tonight, Waikato is at home to the Nelson Giants and the North Harbour Kings travel to Napier to play the 
Hawks.

Experienced rower features in NZ University women's eight 

Emily Ross 

Emily Liddell

By Alistair McMurran 
Dunedin medical student Emily Ross will play a key role in the New Zealand University women's eight that defends the Trans Tasman 
trophy in Melbourne next week. 
Ross, who comes from Christchurch, is an experienced rower and was a member of the New Zealand women's four that won a bronze 
medal at the world junior championships at Scotland in 1996. 
At that time, Ross was being tipped as a strong prospect to make the Sydney Olympics, but the demands of her medical studies meant 
that she was not able to put enough time into her rowing. 
She is one of seven University of Otago students named in the women's crew to contest the three test series against Australian 
Universities. 
The first test will be held next Wednesday, the second the following day and the final test on Saturday, July 15. 
The other Otago University members of the women's eight are Jamie Drew (cox), Nicola Dudley, Elizabeth Ryan, Emily Liddell, 
Kristy Marsden and Cristy Munro. 
Dudley also grew up in Canterbury, and learnt her rowing at Rangi Ruru, which is the top girls rowing school in the country. She has 
been a member of the New Zealand Development team for the last three years. 
Munro, a physical education student, was a member of the Otago club crews that were successful at the national championships at 
Lake Karapiro last March. 
The Otago club crew won the teams title at the Otago Rower of the Year Awards. 
This will be Liddell's third year in the New Zealand University women's eight. 
She first became dominant as a sculler, but has extended her skills to the rowing events. 
The three Otago members of the men's eight are Glen Sinclair, Shane Kay and Bruce McGee. 
Included in the women's quadruple sculls are Carrol De Monchy and Vicky Adlam. 
This is the fourth year of the annual student test series against Australia. 
New Zealand won the men's eight in 1997 and last year and the women's eight last year in Dunedin when New Zealand made a 3-0 
clean sweep of the series. 
Otago University also has six rowers in the New Zealand University lightweight eight to compete in an international university regatta 
in Taipei in September. 
They are Sinclair, Kay, Michael Maze, Ben Lowe, Joseph Earles and Graham Maltby.

5 August

Otago women off to good start 

                         By Hayden Meikle

                         Otago made a winning start to its defence of the national women's
                         basketball league title in Manukau yesterday.

                         The Donna Solomon and Carl Dickel-coached team beat Taranaki 83-58
                         and Counties 88-73 to safely progress to today's semifinal.

                         Against Taranaki - a game played at 8.30am - Otago started sluggishly and
                         led just 47-38 at half-time.

                         Tall Fern Donna Loffhagen scored a game-high 31 points as Otago pulled
                         away in the second half and comfortably disposed of last year's beaten
                         finalist.

                         Loffhagen was also impressive against Counties, scoring 36 points as
                         Otago led 49-34 at half-time and cruised to its second win.

                         Otago will play Porirua in the semifinals and is likely to meet Waikato if it
                         makes the final.

Laney so near and yet so far 

By Brent Edwards

Wellington: It was bitter-sweet for Brendan
Laney when Otago was beaten 22-21 by
Wellington in a rugby cliff-hanger at the Hutt
Recreation Ground last night.

Laney scored the try which brought Otago
within reach of victory in the last minute when
he jinked through from a tap penalty and was
driven over by his forwards.

He had kicked his four previous goals but his
conversion attempt from 17m from touch,
which would have won the match, drifted to
the left of the posts.

So Laney and his Otago team-mates left the
ground with their first loss of the season, but
coach Kevin Gloag was philosophical about the
last-minute drama going in Wellington's favour.

"That's the way it goes," he said. "There are a
lot of pressures in being a goal-kicker and
Brendan has won a lot of games in the past."

Gloag was "quite encouraged" by the Otago performance, which he described as an improvement on that
against Southland.

Otago started strongly but lapsed just before half-time and during the third quarter, when it had the
advantage of a stiff northerly breeze.

Fullback Shannon Paku scored after 35 minutes from an overlap to give Wellington a 14-6 lead at half-time
and it increased its margin to 22-9 when replacement fullback Colin Sullivan scored in the corner 14 minutes
into the second spell.

But Otago lifted its work rate when the forwards, well led by captain Kelvin Middleton, played with a lot
more urgency and began to smash forward at the Wellington line.

Middleton burrowed over 13 minutes from the end from a maul after a John Blaikie line-out take and drive,
and Otago was within a converted try of victory.

Charles Hore almost scored three minutes later but first five-eighth Tanner Vili came across in cover
defence to make a try-saving tackle.

Then came the jubilation of the Laney try, and the subsequent chagrin when his conversion narrowly wafted
to the left of the uprights.

Otago continued to batter away through the forwards and Wellington played the last seven minutes with
seven forwards when prop Kevin Yates was sin-binned for indiscriminate rucking.

The 26 penalties, and numerous unforced errors by both sides, disrupted the flow of the game and Otago had
trouble in cracking a well-organised defence.

Its situation was not helped by losing halfback David Gibson in the first few minutes with ligament damage to
his left knee, and strong-running centre Mathew Priscott after 30 minutes with a recurrence of the hamstring
problems which have plagued him in recent weeks.

Donovan Hall played the last 70 minutes at halfback; Roy Hawker moved into centre and Hayden Reid,
usually a fullback, played on the left wing.

Otago almost scored after seven minutes when the ball just eluded Hawker by the line after a chip ahead by
fullback James Jowsey.

And Otago also missed another possible chance 10 minutes before half-time when Laney, in space down the
wing, was unable to find his supports with his infield pass.

Jowsey impressed on attack and defence at fullback, Laney had a sound all-round game, and Charles Hore
ran strongly and showed some nice touches at first five-eighth.

Middleton and Josh Blackie were tigerish and hard-working loose forwards; lock John Blaikie was solid and
reliable and the front row gave as good as it got.

"We made some unforced errors but it's given us some-thing to work on next week," Gloag said.

No 8 Filo Tiatia gave Wellington some strong go-forward. Dion Waller was valuable in the line-outs and
general play, and Norm Broughton and Jason O'Halloran both broke the line in midfield.

A draw would have been a better indication but Otago, in the final analysis, had cause to rue its unproductive
third quarter with the breeze behind it.

Home advantage could prove
              to be deciding factor 

By Brent Edwards

Wellington: Home advantage and hunger to succeed will be on the side of the All Blacks as they seek to
regain the Bledisloe Cup against the Wallabies today.

The New Zealand public is solidly behind the All Blacks and the atmosphere in the 35,000-capacity new
stadium is likely to lift them as they strive for the double.

Victory today would not only give them the Bledisloe Cup but assure them of the Tri-Nations title for the
fourth time in five years.

The All Blacks did not freeze before the crowd of more than 109,874 at Stadium Australia - indeed, they
relished the occasion as they sprinted to an early 24-0 lead - and they are unlikely to be fazed by the
atmosphere today.

Home advantage proved crucial last year - the All Blacks won 34-19 in Auckland before the Wallabies
triumphed 28-7 in Sydney to retain the cup - and it will be a factor again today.

The Australians, at the start of the season, were unquestionably the better-organised side and, overall, they
probably still are.

But the All Blacks are steadily improving while the impression is the Wallabies may have reached their peak.

They are still a magnificent side but, without match-winners Tim Horan, Matt Burke and Ben Tune (on the
bench) and with Richard Harry, Jason Little and David Wilson having announced this is their last season at
international level, the desire may not burn so fiercely within them.

Australia is playing its second match in consecutive weeks and, while the Springboks are not what they used
to be, the Wallabies may still be feeling the effects of that physical encounter.

Stirling Mortlock kicked six out of six in the 26-6 win over South Africa but the impression lingers that his
technique is unsound.

The Australians are disciplined, patterned, masters at recycling the ball, but they do not have the lethal
finishers of the All Blacks in their back three.

All Black coach Wayne Smith said yesterday the players were clear about the game plan and it was "just a
matter now of going out and foaming at the mouth".

"The Aussies are world champions for a reason. They're not going to lie down and die," he said.

Smith said the fear of failure loomed within the present All Black side, as it did in those of the past.

"It's part of the heritage and that's why the expectations are so high. All Blacks hate losing, they know that
All Blacks are supposed to win, and we're no different."

But Smith said that, while excitement would be at fever pitch in the stadium, his players had to retain their
composure.

"Everyone knows how significant it [the game] is, that our season is made if we win. What we need to do is
divorce ourselves from that and just go out and do the job properly."

The All Black line-out needs to be much better than it was in Sydney - the significant improvement made
against South Africa in Christchurch has to built on - and so does the defence.

"We coped quite poorly on defence in Sydney," Smith said.

"We need to take more responsibility individually for the tackles, and make them count. Our collective
defence also needs work."

Australian coach Rod Macqueen said he would have liked to have seen his players use the ball more
effectively in the second half against South Africa after they led 19-6 at the break.

"That's one of the areas we have to improve. We are going to have to make sure we work on their defence,
particularly out wide around [Jonah] Lomu."

Australia has had plenty of success in Wellington in the past, winning in 1982, 1986 and 1990. But it was
trounced 43-6 in its last match in the capital, in 1996, and while the present All Black side has a long way to
go to achieve the standard of Sean Fitzpatrick's team of four years ago, Todd Blackadder's men should have
New Zealand fans celebrating tonight if they play to their potential.

Australia and New Zealand have played 111 tests, the All Blacks winning 75, the Wallabies 31, with five
drawn.

Early race start time defended 

By Max Scott

The decision to have an early start for the Cycling Otago road race at Mosgiel today to avoid clashing with
the rugby test, has not pleased all members.

"In these situations it's almost impossible to cater for everyone, so the best we can do is, hopefully, please the
majority", said Cycling Otago spokesman Barry Ellis.

"We appreciate that the noon report time virtually rules out those riders who have to work in the morning,
while a few may not even watch the All Blacks.

"However, this decision was made to satisfy officials and riders who are keen to do so."

A rider who did not wish to be named said: "I'm opposed to the change. After all, we are cyclists, not rugby
players".

However, an earlier start time for the race on July 22, the day of the New Zealand-South Africa test.
attracted a senior field of over 40 riders, only slightly down on the usual number.

Last NBL win would be
                  consolation prize 

By Hayden Meikle

Otago Nuggets coach Todd Marshall will call for one last effort from his weary players in tonight's national
basketball league match against the Canterbury Rams in Christchurch.

At face value, the Westpac Trust Centre clash between two teams seeking a positive end to a disappointing
season appears to be of little importance.

But there is plenty for the seventh-placed Nuggets to gain. A win in their final game would leave them with a
record of five wins and 11 losses.

That, surprisingly, would be Otago's best effort in the NBL for three years - some consolation, perhaps, for
again missing out on the play-offs.

"It would be nice to show some team spirit and finish things off with a good performance," Marshall said
yesterday. 

"There's always the possibility this could be the last game for the Nuggets for some of the players and
nobody likes to go out with a loss.

"The other big driving factor for the guys is that they never like to lose to Canterbury."

Marshall acknowledged it was not an easy task to get the Nuggets pumped up to play the bottom-placed
Rams.

"The attitude of the guys is still pretty good. They really want to play better against Canterbury than they did
against Hawkes Bay last week.

"But it's been a long season with some disappointing results so it can be hard to think of things to say to get
them motivated."

At the other end of the NBL table, an intriguing battle has developed in the run-in to finals weekend.

Nelson, North Harbour and Waikato are on 22 points at the top of the table and Wellington, Auckland and
Palmerston North, all on 18 points, are fighting for the fourth and final place in the play-offs.

In tonight's feature match, Auckland is at home to the Saints, while joint leaders Waikato and North Harbour
play in Hamilton and the Hawks host the Giants.

Meanwhile, Television New Zealand yesterday confirmed it would screen a replay of the William Jones Cup
final tomorrow at 2.55pm on TV1.

The Tall Blacks beat Korea 78-67 in the final in Taiwan to claim the cup for the first time in 20 years.

Warriors hit the ski slopes 

By David Williams

Auckland Warrior Stacey Jones must be a
glutton for punishment.

His injury-prone rugby league side finished
second to last in the NRL competition, with
Jones himself spending some of the season
recovering from a broken left arm.

Jones and nine of his team mates flew into
Queenstown yesterday for several days of rest
and relaxation. 

However, instead of putting his feet up and
enjoying the break, the fleet-footed halfback hit
the slopes for his first taste of snow and, you
guessed it, snowboarding - a sport with an
injury-rate probably rivalling rugby league.

In an interview with the Otago Daily Times
yesterday, Jones (24) admitted to trying
skateboarding and surfing "many years ago",
but had never stood on snow, let alone a
snowboard, until yesterday. His famous side-step did not help him much and he traded his usual pace for an
"easy does it" approach. 

Jones said the team was bitterly disappointed after the recently finished season, but it was something they
had to live with during the off-season.

"The biggest thing we struggled with was we had a lot of injuries - we never had our best team on the field."

The high point of the fifth season in the NRL was the performance of the young players coming through,
Jones said.

While the ownership wrangle did not affect the on-field performance of the team, he said it was in the back
of their minds. However, those players who had re-signed with the Warriors were confident they would have
a club to play for next year.

Jones, an automatic selection for the national side when he is fit, will be looking to add to his tally of test tries
later this year when the Kiwis play in the World Cup.

In brief 

  Aiming at Olympics

Skiing: New Zealand skier Claudia Riegler has her sights set on competing at the next Winter Olympics in
2002 and a top-five placing in the next World Cup series.

After a three-month break from skiing, Riegler (24) has been back on skis at Coronet Peak ski area near
Queenstown this week and will start training on Monday with her coach Patrick Rim, of Austria.

She will train at Coronet Peak until September 3 when she will head for Mount Hutt or Whakapapa. - NZPA

  Spurs offers refund

Soccer: English premiership soccer club Tottenham will offer a full refund on all season tickets following the
sale of French midfielder David Ginola.

Ginola (33), a favorite with Tottenham fans, joined Aston Villa for £3 million ($NZ9.95 million) on Monday.

Ginola, the Professional Footballers Association and Football Writers Player of the Year in 1999, scored 22
goals in 127 games for the London club after joining from Newcastle in July 1997.

The club said in a statement that some fans told it that they would not have bought season tickets if they
knew Ginola would be sold. - Bloomberg

  Night matches likely

Rugby: The 2003 rugby World Cup in Australia and New Zealand is likely to be a night-only event, with
European broadcasters insisting on late kick-offs to fit in with the time difference.

Australian Rugby Union chief executive John O'Neill had a meeting yesterday with World Cup organisers
and discussed issues including the sensitive match schedules.

O'Neill said the European broadcasters wanted to be able to telecast matches live mid-morning and so
7.30pm or 8pm kick-offs were likely. - AAP

  Nash improving

Cricket: Dion Nash's prospects of touring Zimbabwe with the New Zealand cricket team firmed yesterday
with an encouraging CAT scan on his troublesome lower back.

The prickly all-rounder was named last week in the 15-strong touring team, subject to a fitness test. – NZPA

Reigler finding new form 

                                 By David Williams 

                                 Lady luck is finally smiling on New Zealand skier Claudia
                                 Riegler, just as she ponders life beyond the sport.

                                 Last year, the Austrian-born skier changed coach, changed
                                 training habits and changed her attitude after two years fraught
                                 with injury and illness.

                                 Concentrating on simply finishing her slalom races rather than
                                 winning them, Riegler (24) managed to lift her world ranking
                                 from 20th to 11th and is this year within sight of a top-five spot -
                                 an elite club she belonged to four years ago when she was
                                 ranked second in the world.

                                 In an interview at her training ground on Coronet Peak
                                 yesterday, her third day back on skis since April, the upbeat
                                 skier said the changes had improved her technique and made her
                                 stronger, both mentally and physically.

                                 "I've got my consistency back, so, hopefully, I can ski faster
                                 again," she said.

                                 "I feel comfortable with my coach and physio. I'm having fun."

                                 Another boost is a $100,000 a year sponsorship from former
                                 New Zealand businessman Michael Watt, a major private
                                 sponsor of New Zealand Cricket. That money covers her
                                 coaching and no more.

"But without him, I couldn't ski," she said.

While her immediate goal is to break back into the top five in the world in her chosen slalom, Riegler has an
eye on competing in the 2002 Winter Olympics, in the United States.

And beyond that, she says ski racing may take another year of her life, but no more.

"I want to do something else . . . you have to sacrifice a lot of things to go down that road."

Her tentative plans include spending some time in Italy to "find herself", and then she may try acting, or even
stand-up comedy.

"Who knows, I may have a knack for it," she laughed.

Riegler will train at Coronet Peak with the United States Women's World Cup Team, and top-ranked grand
slalom skiers Sonja Nef, of Switzerland, and Alison Forsyth, of Canada, until at least September 3.

Decision disappoints 

Auckland: Anna Lawrence does not believe she deserved to be dropped as captain of the
New Zealand hockey team less than six weeks out from the Olympic Games in Sydney.

After five years in the job, Lawrence (28) was yesterday replaced as team leader by Auckland lawyer Kylie
Foy.

New Zealand coach Jan Borren said Lawrence had been struggling to handle both the captaincy and her
on-field form, so he wanted her to "selfishly" concentrate on her own play for Sydney.

But Lawrence, one of New Zealand's top goal scorers, does not agree her game has suffered from the extra
responsibility.

"I'm really disappointed because I thought I could still lead the team," she said.

"Everyone goes through troughs and peaks, and I really couldn't put any drop in my form down to any one
thing.

"I don't think it's about too much responsibility or distractions.

"But I accept Jan's decision and I'm just going to keep working on being in the best form I possibly can be
for Sydney."

Lawrence, who has played 132 tests for New Zealand and is the team's chief penalty corner striker, said the
decision had not come as a shock.

"We've been sharing the captaincy around the team since we've been playing in the Wellington men's club
league and our last tour to Australia was the first time I wasn't involved in the management group.

"The closer it got to Sydney, I guess the more anxious we were getting about it."

Borren said he had been considering taking the captaincy away from Lawrence since he became coach in
December, 1998.

"Her form has been inconsistent over the last 15 months. I think the captaincy was somewhat of a distraction
for her. So, I have tried to take some of that burden away from her," he said.

Like Lawrence, Foy, who captains her province, is a survivor from New Zealand's last Olympic appearance,
in Barcelona in 1992.

Foy said it was a privilege and an honour to lead the New Zealand team.

"But basically there's 10 or 11 people in this team who all have got good leadership," she said.

"It just happens to be me wearing the hat this time."

Lawrence said she supported Foy's captaincy.

Coutts still proving popular 

By Alistair McMurran

There is no evidence Russell Coutts' popularity with the Dunedin public has
been diminished by his decision to join the Swiss syndicate for the next
America's Cup.

Coutts will be the guest speaker at a fund-raising dinner next week to raise
money for a fleet of 29er yachts for youth yachting in Otago.

A spokesman for the Ravensbourne Boating Club said there had been a lot of
interest from the yachting fraternity in Dunedin and the club was confident of
a sell-out audience of 260 at the Glenroy auditorium.

Coutts sailed for the Ravensbourne club in the 1970s and remains a favourite
son.

Dunedin people feel Coutts paid his dues when Team New Zealand won the
America's Cup in San Diego in 1995 and retained it this year.

They understand that his concerns for his financial future and that of his
family led to his accepting the higher monetary rewards from the Swiss.

"Russell is the driving force to build a fleet of six 29er yachts to develop youth
sailing in Otago," the spokesman said.

The dinner on August 12 is in aid of the Ravensbourne Youth Yachting Trust which will be officially
launched by Coutts.

Pace Invader sold 

Hamilton: Pace Invader, a dual group one winner, has been sold to race in Australia.

The 5yr-old mare will join the Sydney stable of John Size.

Pace Invader won the Thorndon Handicap (1600m) at Trentham in January and the 1998 New Zealand One
Thousand Guineas when trained at Takanini by Alvin Clark.

  Royal Rebel won the Goodwood Cup in the hands of Michael Kinane on Thursday.

The Goodwood Cup is one of the top tests for stamina.

Kinane won the Sussex Stakes on Giant's Causeway on Wednesday and he rode Montjeu to win the King
George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes at Ascot the previous Saturday. He has also won the
Ascot Gold Cup on Kayf Tara this season.

  The 9yr-old Aide De Camp had his second win since being trained by part-owner Sylvia Kay when
successful in the open 2000m at Hastings on Thursday.

Aide De Camp joined Kay when Stephen Gray went to Singapore last year and his father, Kevin cut back on
the size of the stable.

Aide De Camp, who has won 10 races and $97.830, is owned by Kay and Kathleen Gray, wife of Kevin
Gray. –

Many fail to finish course 

Staff Reporter

Queenstown: The Japanese dominated ski racing at Coronet Peak, near Queenstown, on Thursday.
Yesterday, it was the mountain's turn. 

Twenty women and 38 men failed to finish yesterday's Coronet Cup giant slalom course which varied slightly
to that used during the Wigley Cup the previous day. 

Spain's Alberto Causo Rovira pulled out two blistering runs to beat Thursday's champion Masami Kudo, of
Japan, with a combined time of 1min 31.96sec. The surprise of the day came from 19-year-old Michael
Ross, of Wanaka, who finished third. 

In the women's race, the United States accounted for the top six places except for 15-year-old Nicola
Campbell, of Wanaka, who finished third. Quincy Young was first in 1min 40.08sec, followed closely by
Stacey Cook. 

Milo Ski Racing Academy member Alana Gould was leading after the first run, but missed a gate at the top
of the course on her second.

Smashem rated best of Dean
          Taylor team for Kurow 

By Tayler Strong

Dean Taylor, the Ladbrooks trainer, rates Smashem the pick of a five-horse team he will start at the Kurow
meeting at Oamaru tomorrow.

Taylor also has Bruzem, Westburn Victory, Scorched Arma and OK Bailey engaged.

"Smashem would be my pick of the team. He never got a look in at Addington. He hadn't raced for nearly a
year and had won a couple of trials beforehand," Taylor said.

Smashem resumed on July 20 and he was sent out the second favourite. Kerry Hadfield has retained the
drive.

OK Bailey is among his rivals in a C0 race tomorrow. The half-sister by OK Bye to Black Eyed Bailey [a
useful winner for Taylor] is having her first start." She is only a little mare," Taylor said.

Bruzem, winner of his two starts, will be in demand for the first leg of the TAB treble. Bruzem won at
Forbury Park last August and he was successful at Addington last month.

"He seems alright but he is not a terrific trackworker. He always seems to go better off the place," Taylor
said.

Taylor said Scorched Arma was fairly forward after a trial win at Addington on July 26 as a non-competitor.
She was driven that day by Stephen McNally, who has the drive in the junior drivers' race tomorrow.
Scorched Arma, who has not raced for five months, won fresh up last season.

Taylor said Westbury Victory "may find it a bit tough fresh up in the Kurow Cup against Chloe Hanover."

Green light for Football Kingz 

Wellington: The Football Kingz have been granted a life- line in Australia's National Soccer League until
2004, following a crucial Fifa meeting in Zurich, Switzerland, yesterday. 

"I got told an hour or so ago about the decision and everybody is rapt. I think both sides of the Tasman are
pretty pleased," a relieved Soccer New Zealand chief executive Bill MacGowan said yesterday. 

"We are very proud and happy indeed for the Kingz and New Zealand," added Oceania Football
Confederation representative on Fifa, Mohammed Samud-Din Sahu Khan. 

He argued for the team's inclusion in his debut meeting after replacing the controversial Charlie Dempsey. 

The Kingz, who have been in the competition for one season, were reluctantly given permission by Fifa to
compete beyond their national boundaries.

Fifa was not keen on the idea as several other clubs, notably London club Wimbledon which wanted to play
in Dublin, had applied to play in overseas leagues.

Otago aiming to storm home 

By Carey Clements 

After its excellent second half performance against the Hornets in Christchurch last Saturday, the Otago
Storm will be seeking its first win in the Mainland Rugby League Super 10 competition against the Linwood
Keas, at Tahuna Park in Dunedin this afternoon.

The Keas will start as favourites after winning both their matches so far in the competition, while the blue
and golds have yet to record a tick beside their name.

In the first round, the Keas recorded a 30-22 win over the Knights, while last week the team beat the West
Coast Chargers 28-24.

However, Linwood coach Troy Sweetman knows how dangerous Otago can be. He was the captain of the
Canterbury side in 1995 that lost to Otago for the first time in nearly 40 years.

Linwood has lost several players either through injury or unavailability, which include the 1998 Otago fullback
Johnny Soli and two Junior Kiwis Leon Boyd and Chris Bamford.

However, the 1998 Otago scrumhalf Joshua Heta is to play against his old team-mates at loose forward,
along with the former Canterbury representative Paul McDonald and second-row Phil Goodall.

The Storm also have a number of injuries, which resulted in coach Bruce Miller recalling 1999 loose forward
Naki Tairi, prop Mark Nafatali and wing Hala Mafi. 

One of the players likely to be out this afternoon is the Otago team captain and last weekend's player of the
match Stacey Russell. A replacement skipper and vice-captain has yet to be named.

The two squads for the match are. –

Otago game favourites 

By Alistair McMurran

The return of former Black Fern tighthead prop Mata Piho will strengthen the Otago Spirit women's rugby
team scrum against Manawatu today.

The Otago team beat Canterbury 14-10 in its first NPC game at Christchurch last weekend and can be
expected to win at the Palmerston North Showgrounds. 

Piho missed the Canterbury game because of injury and this will be her first representative game after
returning from a year's break.

"Mata will be important to us," Helen Littleworth, the Black Ferns coach, said. "She is in good form and keen
to get back into the Black Ferns."

A rib injury to Tracey Ward has forced a change in the Otago midfield, with Sonia Moar moving to second
five-eighth and Amanda Cahill moving to centre. 

"We set the bench mark for ourselves against Canterbury but will need to step up a notch this week,"
Littleworth said.

The coach's aim this week is for the Otago Spirit team to concentrate for the full 80 minutes and for the
team to achieve greater continuity on attack and better co-ordination between backs and forwards.

Injuries affect selection 

By Terry O'Neill

Oamaru: North Otago has been hit by injuries in the buildup to tomorrow's match against the Southland
Development squad in Oamaru.

Barry Fox, Nathan Archibald and Ross Skinner are sidelined, as is Hamish Pratt, who, according to North
Otago selector Glen Moore has not yet been confirmed as a member of the North Otago NPC squad.

Moore hopes to build on the Ranfurly Shield challenge a month ago but admits the side will be "a bit rusty".

"We only managed one run this week and injuries have taken their toll. But we'll be working on combinations
and continuity, retaining and recycling possession and putting players into space."

Southland coach Gus Dermody has a solid-looking side with Brett McCormack coming back after a cartilage
injury, while Josh Heke will probably play half a game at second five-eighth with Sean Hurley going to
fullback.

Supporters will be familiar with some of the Southland players who have played in the North Otago area.

Shane McDermott and Iona Sipa are named in the starting line-up while Tevita Asi is in the reserves.

The teams are. –

Jones fills gap left by Gregg 

By Rab Smith

Neil Jones steps into a central midfield role for Dunedin Technical in tomorrow's National Club
Championship soccer match against Nelson at the Caledonian ground.

The departure of Irish professional John Gregg leaves a gap that the former under-17 youth All White is
capable of filling, while on the left flank, defender Paul Hughes makes a welcome return.

Already in the Chatham Cup semifinals, with an away match against Central in Auckland, Technical needs a
win over Nelson tomorrow to confirm its place in the top four NCC play-offs.

All White Blair Scoullar will be out to impress in his final match before leaving for the Merdeka tournament,
and together with fellow midfielders Jon Smith and Jones, there should be enough energy and class to
dominate.

Changes in Nelson's travel arrangement now mean that the kick-off will be 2.30pm.

Coach Colin Tuua's side will arrive stronger than earlier expected.

Top striker Commins Menapi and his Solomon Islander team-mate Francis Wasi have returned from
Australia after trials with professional clubs and their presence will boost Nelson's hopes of a win.

Both Menapi and Technical striker Aaron Burgess are vying for the NCC Golden Boot. With only a goal
separating them, that aspect of the match will be worth observing.

Nelson's visit will also mean a return to Dunedin of former Technical player Jon Harahap as team captain.
The left wingback's attacking skills will require close attention.

Technical sits in third place on the NCC table with 18 points, four points better than the sixth-placed Nelson.

Kiwi selected for Bulgaria 

Hamilton: Cambridge show-jumper Samantha McIntosh (24), the daughter of New Zealand showjumping
selector Penny Stevenson, has won a place at Sydney - with Bulgaria.

McIntosh has dual citizenship and is seen as a top medal prospect in Sydney after victories in the Nations
Cup grand prix series over the past month.

Sport
In with a chance
The first cricket test between Australia and New Zealand was poised for an early finish 
after New Zealand took five wickets in Australia's second innings on the second day at 
Eden Park, Auckland, yesterday.
At stumps Australia was 114 for five after dismissing New Zealand for 163.
Fleming optimistic – p15
Sporting haul
It was one of the "great" weekends for Otago sport in Christchurch with the diving and 
athletics teams returning home with a bag full of medals from Queen Elizabeth 2 Park.
The divers dominated the national championships and won 26 medals – nine gold, 12 
silver and five bronze.
The Otago athletics team won a record 29 medals – nine gold, 12 silver and eight bronze.
Diving – p17
Athletics – p15-16

Gary Tansey's 1930 Austin 7.

Otago pair in Pan-Pacific race
By Blair Mayston

Motor racing

Two Otago men will take part in an American motor race later this month 
which recreates a race last held in 1913.
Gary Tansey, of Dunedin, will drive his 1930 Austin 7 in the 400km Pan 
Pacific road race from Los Angeles to Visalia,
in California, which starts on May 24. He will be accompanied by mechanic 
Phil Thomson, of Mosgiel.
The two and a-half day endurance event celebrates the 1913 Pan Pacific road 
race with all but 50km of its course the
same as in 1913.
About 50 cars will participate, only two from outside the United States.
Mr Tansey said he was looking forward to the race.
"I think it will be an opportunity to [do] something we don't have the 
opportunity to do in New Zealand ... driving an old
period racing car on the public highway for three days," he said.
"And it's a piece of American racing history which is being recreated. I've 
got the opportunity to be part of that."
Mr Tansey said he was a
motoring enthusiast, with a particular interest in racing.
His Austin 7, which was sent to the United States in February, is a replica 
of an Austin 7 Works Special.
It is built on a 1929 Austin 7 chassis. Austin parts from between 1929 and 
1931 have been used and its top speed is
about 160kmh.
Mr Tansey said it was rebuilt by a Nelson engineer who got carpal tunnel 
syndrome, meaning he was unable to grip things and could no longer drive.
Mr Tansey made an offer for the car, which was in storage, about a year 
ago. He declined to say how much the car cost.

Century's best women's hockey player
Otago Sportsperson of the Century

This is the third of 10 articles that profile the finalists for the Lion 
Foundation Otago Sports Person of the 20th
Century. The award will be presented as part of the annual Otago Sports 
Person of the year awards on June 23,
which is organised by Sport Otago and sponsored by Westpac Trust.
NEW ZEALAND women's hockey would like to have a player of Jenny McDonald's 
stature back in the national team
because she had the knack of scoring goals.
McDonald was an outstanding forward
and knew how to convert opportunities into goals. She scored more than 200 
goals for New Zealand.
Her ability was recognised when she was the only New Zealander named in a 
President's XI (virtually a world Xl) in
1980.
McDonald made an impact from the start of her international career and was 
the leading goal scorer at international
tournaments in 1973 and 1975. New Zealand finished third at both 
tournaments.
McDonald grew up on a dairy farm in Maungakaramea, near Whangarei, and was 
a promising hockey player when
she came south to Outram, where she settled with her husband, Rex.
She taught at the local primary school, had a milk round, helped in the 
family grocery shop and played hockey at the
highest level, competing internationally from 1971 to 1986.
McDonald was New Zealand's greatest women's hockey player of the 20th 
century and played 180 matches for her
country. This included 93 tests.
A big disappointment was to miss the Olympic Games in Moscow in 1980, when 
the New Zealand team took part in
the boycott protesting the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.
New Zealand had a team capable of winning the gold medal that year.
McDonald captained New Zealand from 1980 to 1985, including at the Los Angeles 
Olympics in 1984.
McDonald dominated Otago and New Zealand women's hockey during the period and led 
Otago to K Cup titles in 1976, 1986 and 1987.

Brosnan runners appealing chances for the Franklin TC meeting tonight

Auckland: Paddy Mayne and Aquinas are top chances for the in-form stable 
of Richard Brosnan at the Franklin
meeting at Alexandra Park tonight.
Paddy Mayne (race 7) was late working clear when runner-up to Ronaldo at 
Alexandra Park on June 23 at his last
start. The 3yr-old had won his previous two starts there.
"On what he has shown so far I think he should go further than this 
grade," Brosnan said.
"From this draw I would hope he can keep handy and if the pace is on that 
will suit him because he has been finding
the line well in his races."
Aquinas (race 8) has gained his three wins at Alexandra Park, two this 
season. He dead-heated for second to
Locanda's Mac at Alexandra Park last week.
"He has improved a lot lately and is far more grown up about racing than 
he used to be," Brosnan said.
Brosnan has won 12 races this season, the majority this year compared 
with a total of seven last season and three
the previous season.

Waikato No 8 Deon Muir showed off the Ranfurly Shield to former North Otago No 8 
Neville McNee when the Waikato squad arrived in Oamaru yesterday.

Shield arrives in time for game
By Sally Rae

Oamaru: Some important cargo was dropped off at Oamaru airport yesterday 
afternoon - the Waikato rugby team and
the Ranfurly Shield.
North Otago will challenge Waikato for the shield tomorrow at Centennial Park.
A scheduled Christchurch-Dunedin flight dropped the Waikato squad off at 
the airport shortly after 1pm.
Among those waiting was former North Otago captain Neville McNee.
Wearing the No 8 jersey, McNee played about 80 games for North Otago from 
1957 to 1966 and coached the senior
side from 1971 to 1973, which played two unsuccessful Ranfurly Shield 
challenges, against Marlborough and
Canterbury.
In 1966, McNee captained North Otago against a Waikato XV at Matamata. 
North Otago lost 8-6.
Also in the small welcoming
party were North Otago Rugby Supporters Club members Olive Cunningham, 
Dot Hawes and Snow Lloyd, all dressed
in North Otago's colours and carrying a mascot, Peppy the penguin.
The Ranfurly Shield will be on display in Oamaru Paper Plus today. A street parade with 
the shield and both teams will start at noon.
The shield will arrive at Centennial Park by helicopter on Saturday, accompanied by a 
surprise guest.



Event to challenge telemarkers
By Dave Smith

Organiser Anders Engstrom promises a challenging and exciting event at tomorrow's 
Telemark Classic at Cardrona Alpine Resort.
Mr Engstrom said yesterday he expected 50 telemark skiers to compete in the annual 
event.
Telemarking was introduced to New Zealand from Europe 15 years ago, he said.
A giant slalom course with 360-degree turns, jumps and turns off-piste had been 
prepared. The last gate was below the finishing line, forcing competitors to ski uphill.
The Swedish-born skier said there were about 1000 telemark skiers in New Zealand.


