Try these at Trentham

Ramble (race one): Jim Wallace runner who has trialled well. Can beat weak 
lot.
Star Harbour (race two). Rayner runner with enough class not to be starry 
eyed in this company.
Novacity (race three): Strongly backed last time and was getting home 
nicely. Sure to have improved further.
Hush Marie (race four): Winter mare with ability. Watch if going loose.
Zidane (race five): Been crying out for more ground and gets it here.
Kesia (race six). Chris Waller runner who deserves a win on consistency 
alone.
Dvorack (race seven): Backed and beaten after showing top-notch trials form 
when with Paeroa barn. Now with Matthew Enright. Watch closely.
Our Five Star (race eight): Back to best. Looks a bit smart for rivals.
Judge (race 10): Stormed home to bear maiden field in appalling conditions 
last start.

Trinity College sold

NEW PLYMOUTH - Exciting two-year-old filly Trinity College has been sold 
and will race for her new owner in the Gr1 $120,000 Ellerslie Sires Produce Stakes at 
Ellerslie next Saturday.
Part-owner and trainer John Wheeler confirmed yesterday the sale of Trinity 
College to Graham Mapp, of Hobartsville Stud, Sydney, had been completed.
He said conditions of the sale prevented him from disclosing the sale price, although 
he admitted it was substantial.
"It's always hard to sell a good horse, but business is business," Wheeler 
said from South Australia where he is campaigning a team of jumpers at the Easter 
Oakbank carnival.
Wheeler said plans for Trinity College will see her head to Sydney to join 
the stable of Gai Waterhouse following the
Sires Produce Stakes.
Trinity College was raced by Wheeler and his wife Lyndsey in partnership 
with Wellington couple John and Trudy
Donovan.
At her last start she went down to Little Jamie in the Gr 1 $120,000 
Manawatu Sires Produce Stakes (1400m) at Awapuni on April 1. - PA

Forecast looks good for a Gray day at Ellerslie
By Iain Hyndman
Racing Editor

Kevin and Stephen Gray have the goods to claim one back for Waverley when 
they line up two top chances in today's Gr 1 $100,000 State Insurance Easter 
Handicap at Ellerslie.
A win by either Volkaire or Country Rose would be fitting and provide a lift for the
Gray's home town after their club had a date taken from them in the draft 2000/2001
season calendar.
Kevin Gray said yesterday he would not swap either of his runners for any 
other in today's top-class field.
"Both horses have done very, very well, but if I had to go for one over the 
other I'd go for Country Rose because she
hasn't missed a beat. Volkaire was forced to miss his run at Tauranga 
(April 8) when the track turned to bog, but his
work this last week has been magnificent," Gray said.
"Both horses are up to this class and
wouldn't be in the race if they weren't. We have two top jockeys (Peter 
Johnson on Volkaire and Jim Collett on
Country Rose), we have ideal draws and a track that is expected to be no 
worse than easy - we've got it made. I
wouldn't swap my two for anything," Gray said.
Pre-post favourite Integrate looks an obvious choice to help Mark Walker's 
charge on the premiership lead with Opie
Bosson at the wheel, while Cinder Bella will have conditions in her favour 
after her grand
Tauranga win in the bog.
Trainer Karen Zimmerman said class alone got her home in atrocious 
conditions at Tauranga and predicted another
solid run today.
Roger James is still hopeful of making the field with classy mare Connate. 
Owned by the
estate of the late Dr John Broadfoot of Wanganui, Connate is first 
emergency and will be a real force if the track
predictions of easy are correct.

Lischner confident of Derby quinella

 CHRISTCHURCH - Ashburton- trainer John Lischner will not be surprised 
if his two leading
hopes, Stars And Stripes and Handoverbid, quinella
the $100,000 New Zealand Derby 
tonight at Addington
"But ultimately I just hope one of my three horses
in the race can win it," Lischner said. 
Stars And Stripes and Handoverbid are joined in Lischner's derby quest by Written In 
The Stars, a free-going type who earned a start with his consecutive Addington wins 
in class one company in recent weeks.
Stars And Stripes may have lost a little favour by only finishing third in 
last Friday's 1950m lead-up behind
northerners, Hunka Hickling and Mike's Pal, but Lischner has not lost any 
sleep over the defeat.
"A middle 800m in 65 seconds certainly didn't help his cause," Lischner 
said.
"He has extreme ability and given a run to suit him, he has to be hard to 
beat."
Stars And Stripes, winner of this season's Sires' Stakes Final, Great 
Northern and Victoria Derby, should bounce
back tonight. Indications are that the overall pace will be more true than 
was the case last Friday night.
Handoverbid showed with his Southern Supremacy Final win in a record two minutes 
58.8  seconds (mobile 2400m) at Winton on April 2 that he
has more speed than most, and from a handy draw, he has to rate highly.
His third runner, Written In The Stars, by way of his style of racing, 
could help the cause of his stablemates. "Mark Jones (driving Written In The Stars) 
will be told to drive his own race. 
"He has drawn wide, but he can be quite hard to hold and will probably want to get 
going if the leaders are going too slow," Lischner said. - PA

Joel's NZ honours go for skate again

A slowness in achieving New Zealand citizenship has cost Wanganui skater 
Joel Naes (above) a start in two
international skating tournament over the past year.
Swiss-born Naes, 17, was chosen in the New Zealand under-19 ice skating 
team for an international event in Thailand last year but missed the trip because his 
citizenship had not come through.
The same applied in in-line roller hockey when Naes was last weekend 
named in the New Zealand under-20 team for
the Oceania games in Auckland this weekend.
Again he has been forced to withdraw because of the lack of citizenship.
Naes, a former Wanganui Collegiate School student, went to St. Andrew's 
College in Christchurch last year so that he could continue his ice skating.
The skater last weekend helped the Wanganui Lightning in-line senior hockey team 
win the prestige Bauer Cup tournament in Auckland beating the Tauranga Mighty 
Ducks 7-4 in the final. 
Naes, who scored 17 goals, was named the best and fairest senior player at the 
tourney.

Otago keen to sign Brisbane Bronco

DUNEDIN - Australia test league forward Brad Thorn is a "possibility" to 
play rugby for Otago in this year's National
Provincial Championship and for the Highlanders next season.
Otago Rugby Football Union (ORFU) chief executive John Hornbrook said 
yesterday that Otago was keen to sign
Thorn as soon as possible.
"We'd like him as soon as possible, which depends on how the Brisbane Broncos 
go in the NRL," Hornbrook said.
Thorn, 25, who was born and bred in Dunedin before his family moved to 
Australia when he was nine, has played eight
tests for Australia and five State of Origin games for Queensland. But 
his contract with the Broncos expires this year
and, for Thorn who has often talked about his dream of becoming an All 
Black, that may mean a return to the country of his birth. 
"We're hoping the fact he comes from this area will give us the advantage," 
Hornbrook said. - PA

Wanganui fronts up to unknown in Marist tourney

By John B. Phillips

Wanganui Marist rugby coach Hemi Hepi admits that his team's opposition in 
the North Island Marist tournament,
which starts in Wanganui today, are an unknown quantity.
Red Lion Inn Marist meets North Harbour at City College at 3pm today in the 
first round of the Ham Cumming Cup,
the second-tier group in the annual tournament which has attracted 20 
senior and colts teams to the city.
The other Ham Cumming game is between Napier and Gisborne, also at City 
College, at 1.35pm.
Hepi expects North Harbour to be fit and fast which was obvious when the 
side beat Wanganui by a try during the
Marist Sevens tournament at Wellington earlier this year.
North Harbour Marist is fourth equal in the North Harbour senior club 
championship this season and Marist is fourth in
the Federal Hotel Wanganui senior competition.
Wanganui will be without centre Mattie Thompson, who has had a ligaments 
operation and is out for the season.
Also out this weekend are mid-fielder John Guthrie, who rolled his ankle at 
Taihape last weekend, and No 8 Jinni
Heihei who has shoulder ligament trouble.
Glen Heather, who played as a loose forward last season but has played wing 
for the under-21s, has been included in
the squad as a cover for the centres and Hepi said that converted flanker 
Shane Kenny could also be used in the mid field if necessary.
Marist started the Wanganui championship with an impressive 29-3 win over 
titleholders Kaierau but then slumped to a 20-11 loss against Pirates and was 
pressured to beat Utiku OB 20-14 last weekend.
Napier Marist is third equal in its section of the Hawke's Bay championship and 
Gisborne Marist lies second in the Poverty Bay competition.
Hastings Rugby and Sports (Marist) will defend the prestige Spillane Cup in the top 
section and strike Ardmore in the main game at 3pm today at WestpacTrust Stadium.
The other two Spillane Cup contenders, Hamilton and Palmerston North, who provide 
the 1.35 curtain-raiser at Cooks Gardens, are fifth and fifth equal respectively in their 
domestic championships.

Taranaki-Wanganui starts well

Defending champion Taranaki-Wanganui started well on the opening day at 
the Hamilton City Club to lead the men's
Super 8 regional bowls competition. Taranaki-Wanganui won three of their four 
matches against the Tridents and claimed the bonus point for shots differential. After 
round one of seven it holds a slender advantage over surprise package Tri North. – PA

IN FINE FORM: Wanganui riders were in fine form to win nine medals and help the 
West Coast (North Island) team win the champion centre trophy at the New Zealand
road cycling champions at Te Awamutu last weekend.
The medal winners were (from left) Barb Carson (second in veteran women's time 
trial), Brei Gudsell (third in under-19 girls' road race and time trial), Philip Sell (third 
in veteran men's class 2 time trial), Catherine Sell (first in under-19 girls' time trial), 
Saul Gudsell (third in under-17 boys' time trial), Gary Anderson (third in senior men's
time trial) and Laurence Sunde (first in veteran men's class 3 road race and third in 
time trial).

Stepping down

Long-serving national tennis coach Jeff Simpson has announced his 
retirement from his position as director of
coaching and player development for New Zealand Tennis (NZT). New Zealand 
Tennis chairman David Howman,
acknowledged the huge contribution Jeff Simpson has made to tennis in New 
Zealand over more than 20 years. He
ends his association with NZT in the middle of next month. – PA

Foley back but out of action

By John B. Phillips

Former Wanganui national boxing champion Regan Foley is back on the winning 
trail in the professional ranks but he
paid a penalty for his latest victory.
 Foley, now Auckland based
and fighting out of the Mt
Wellington Shamrock Gym easily
won his six round cruiser-weight
on points against Aucklander
Fulu Schuster in a preliminary
bout in the Auckland
Convention Centre on Wednesday
night.
In the process of dropping Schuster for a nine count in the first round 
with a left hook, however, Foley fractured a bone in his left hand.
Foley finished the fight, mainly throwing right hand punches in what his trainer Ron 
Foley, his father, described as "a busy fight''.
 The next day, however, the news was not
good -- an X-ray revealed that Regan had
fractured his left hand and will
 be out of action for at
least two and a-half months.
 It was a sad blow because Foley  had only recently returned to boxing and the injury 
rules out a scheduled eight rounderagainst Joseph Polu (Auckland) on June 1 and also 
puts in doubt a proposed 12-rounder against Fulu Maiave from the vacant New 
Zealand professional cruiser-weight title on August 5.
Foley was also planning top fight in Australia later this year.
In the meantime Regan Foley will pursue his fitness programme until the fractured 
bone heals.
His win over Schuster was a preliminary to the feature contest at the Tainui Trust-
sponsored night where Holland's Marischa Sjauw soundly beat New Zealander Wena 
Karaka for the vacant IFBA world light welter-weight title.

Hectic weekend of soccer for Wye
By John B. Phillips

Wanganui soccer player-coach Shane Wye faces another very heavy Easter 
playing schedule with three matches in
as many days.
Wye is a gun player for Wanganui Athletic in a Federation Four premier 
double header against Napier City Rovers
today and Moturoa on Monday.
Sandwiched in between those two matches Wye will play for Manawatu in a 
home National League clash against
Nelson at Palmerston North tomorrow.
Wye is taking the three matches in his stride, saying "I got through 
without injury  last Easter and hopefully I will come through again."
He admits its is a very important weekend for Athletic if the side is to 
stay in contact with the Federation Four
leaders.
Athletic is one of only three unbeaten sides but is fifth on the ladder 
because of draws with Taradale and Wanganui City in the last two matches.
Havelock North and Red Sox are on top with a maximum nine points from three 
games, Napier City and Manawatu
have six points after two wins each and Athletic has five points.
A win over Wanganui City last weekend would have promoted Athletic to 
third place instead of fifth.
Wye said that Napier, as defending champion, will be hard to beat at Park 
Island today. Napier has so far beaten
Taradale 1-0 and Gisborne City 3-0 but lost 3-2 away to Havelock North last 
weekend.
Athletic will be without striker Leighton Toy (unavailable) and mid fielder 
Kent McKerras (foot injury) this weekend but
Craig Gibson is back and youngsters Josh Newton and Andrew Campbell have 
been promoted to the squad.
Wye said that Moturoa, who have so far beaten bottom-placed PN Marist 2-0 
and lost to co-leaders Havelock North 1-
0 and Red Sox 2-0, cannot be taken lightly at Wembley Park on Monday.
The Taranaki side has a young and fit side including several under-17 All 
Whites.
Wanganui City, eighth equal on the points table, is keen to improve on last 
week's draw against Athletic when it
hosts Manawatu this afternoon and travels to play Napier City on Monday.
Coach Mike Watson admits it will be a tough weekend but the side has been 
training well.
City will be  without Lester Chilcott (unavailable today), Andrew Hall and 
striker Carl Priddle (torn cartilage) this
afternoon but Chilcott, who has a high work rate, will be back for Monday.
Watson, who rates Manawatu as being strong in mid-field and capable of 
causing damage to opposition engine
rooms, hopes to use former Malta professional Abdul Atwir as an impact 
player at the weekend.
Atwir, who showed some fine touches in the narrow 1-0 first round loss to 
Red Sox, has fine ball skills, according to
Watson.
Tony Nicholson, who has been out injured since the first pre-season match 
against Moturoa, returns to the City
centre midfield this weekend.

Mountain biker confirms top spot
By John B. Phillips

Wanganui's Glen Haden confirmed his ranking as one of the country's top 
junior mountain bike riders when he won
the senior boys' title at the New Zealand secondary schools' 
championships in Levin.
The City College racer, despite battling with a faulty front disc brake, 
covered the downhill course in 3m 05.40s to
head off the other 87 starters in his grade.
Wanganui's other medal went to Nathon Sharratt, also from City College, 
who finished third (3m 38s) in the junior
boys' race which attracted 73 other riders.
Sharratt was riding a new bike designed by his brother Craig.
Considering he was racing with a dropped chain Brayden Tate (City 
College) set a remarkable pace, scooting out of
the corners to gain extra speed and finishing in 3m 33s for 17th place in 
the intermediate boys.
The Wanganui High School quartet of Lance Harris (3m 36s), Michael Rowan 
(3m 39s), Andrew Kitson (3m 49s) and
Brendon Ackroyd (31n 58s) finished 21st, 30th, 50th and 72nd.
Three High School junior riders finished 21st (Aden Brown, 41n 09s), 47th 
(Hamish Ackroyd, 41n 38s) and 68th (Bradley McDonald, 5m 31s).
A few of the Wanganui riders also contested the cross-country and up-hill 
races, which were dominated by Levin riders.
New national senior secondary schools' mountain bike champion Glen Haden 
(fifth from left) flanked by fellow Wanganui riders, from left, Hamish Ackroyd, Aden 
Brown, Michael Rowan, Braden Tate, Brendan Ackroyd, Nathon Sharratt and Bradley 
McDonald at the national championships in Levin.

Rugby row

Controversy surrounds the result of New Zealand's semi-final with Australia at the 
world under-19 rugby championship in France. The match ended 5-5 and officials 
decided Australia should go through after winning a penalty shootout.
However, New Zealand officials later lodged a protest, claiming that in the event of a 
draw the side that had the least yellow cards at the tournament should go through. 
New Zealand had one to Australia's two. Their protest was to be decided today.

Athletics chief quits

The general manager of Athletics New Zealand Matt Wynne is to retire from the 
position in order to pursue other business interests. 
"Matt has been with Athletics New Zealand for nine years and during this time has 
taken the association through a huge number of changes and the sport will continue to 
change," ANZ chairman Kelly Diprose said.

Tinsley rises to challenge

Hayden Tinsley almost made a clean sweep of the Interprovincial Riders' Challenge 
run at the Taranaki Racing Club's (TRC) meeting on Thursday.
Representing Manawatu, Tinsley won three of the four races in the series which 
involved 12 invited jockeys.
Tinsley finished with 50 points with victories on Schimmel in race five, Bowman in 
race six and Pukekura Jogger in race eight to take home the $1000 cash first prize and 
Challenge Cup in the Air New Zealand-sponsored event.

Eye on Ellerslie

Jetbet 2

Lady in Black (race one): Ready to cap run of consistent form the Grays.
The Best Move (race three): Was lifting brilliantly at line last start and extra 400m 
here will do nicely.
Breaking News (race four): Looked very useful as juvenile and now starting fulfil that 
promise.
Landmark (race six): Hasn't raced since December but goes well fresh-up and easing 
of track will aid chances.
Forfar (race seven): Promising filly who will appreciate drop in class for this.
Country Rose (race eight): Bit cramped for room last Saturday when running on 
strongly. Camp confident. 
Windsor Phew (race nine): Won four n track and getting winter condition to suit.
Panadol (race 10): Placed three times from four starts course and wet footing will be 
of big assistance.

Trackwork

Wanganui

Turbulent and Van Winkle got through quiet tasks with great aplomb at Wanganui on 
Thursday.
On the easy No 1 grass, Van Winkle strode over 800 in 56.5, the 600 in 42.4. 
Turbulent did little more than sprint up the straight when recording 41.3 for 600.
Red Attack, preparing for Foxton next week, impressed with 1000 in 1.02.3, the 800 
in 48, the 600 in 36.
Goldcrusher also caught the eye sprinting 800 in 49.2, the closing section in 37.3
Wang Junxia was doing her best work at the end of 1000  in 1.04.7, the 800 in 50.1, 
the last 600 in 36.4.
Trentham hopes Our Five Star and Star Harbour were full of running at the end of 
800, but weren't timed. Teearcy, a leading fancy for the second day at Ellerslie, 
galloped 1200 right handed in 1.24.8, finishing off with 600 in 38.6.
On the plough, Galvanise clocked 51.4 for 800, the 600 in 38.1, while Sway took 55.4 
for and 41.1 respectively. Townsville recorded 52.9 for 800, the 600 in 39.7

No opponent, but team named

WELLINGTON - All Blacks selectors Wayne Smith, Tony Gilbert and Peter 
Thorburn yesterday named a New
Zealand A squad despite them having no confirmed opposition.
New Zealand A was to play Fiji but the tour was cancelled last week 
because of the political situation there.
The New Zealand Rugby Football Union is trying to find a replacement 
opponent, and the team will only assemble if
one is found.
All Blacks manager Andrew Martin said it was important to have players 
recognised as back-up for the All Blacks.
"Even if it is not possible to arrange a game, we
wanted to name a squad and acknowledge the players who would have 
played against Fiji," Martin said.
Three players will be added to the squad of 21 if a game is confirmed.
New Zealand A squad:

Alexandra best at champs

By John B. Phillips

Nga Tawa's Alexandra Lupton was the most successful Wanganui district 
runner at the New Zealand secondary
schools' cross-country championships in Christchurch on Saturday.
Lupton was sixth in the senior girls' race held on a fast and flat Hagley 
Park course, gained a place in the New
Zealand schools' team and helped Nga Tawa to win bronze medals in both 
the three and six to count team races.
The other runners in the Nga Tawa three-girl team were Julia Jefferd, who 
was 16th, and Nicola Cullwick.
Jack Jefferd (Collegiate School), brother of Julia, was eighth in the 
junior boys' race.
Jason Cressingham (City College) finished seventh in the  senior boys' race and 
Katherine Austin (Collegiate) 20th in the junior girls.
Collegiate finished fifth (three-man) and sixth (six-man) in the junior 
boys' team races, eighth in the senior girls (six-girls) and ninth in the junior girls 
(three-girls) and City College was ninth in the senior boys (three-man).
The school events attracted more than 1000 runners from all over New Zealand.

Romanston wins Nelson Cup

NELSON- Christchurch pacer Romanston continued a solid run of form when he 
won the Winter Cup on the second
day of the Nelson Harness Racing Club's meeting at Richmond Park, yesterday.
The Peter Jones-trained four-year-old has now won four races and finished 
in the money in all but one of his 14 career
starts for $19,000 in stakes.
Romanston was yesterday well placed three back on the fence for most of the 
3000m race before sprinting clear in
the final 100m to win by a neck in a time of three minutes 49.6 seconds for 
the 3000m.
Snowy's Passion was second while Flight Dujour was five lengths back in 
third. First day winner and short-priced
favourite Extraordinaire faded to fifth after starting from the back mark 
of 20m.
Driver Mark Jones said Romanston won with plenty to spare although he 
admitted having a few anxious moments
entering the home straight.
"We got pushed back to fifth turning for home and I was starting to panic," 
Jones said.
"Then he got clear and bolted in - it was easier than it looked because he 
knocked off once he hit the front."
Jones said he was delighted to make amends for his drive on the first day 
when he finished third after failing to get
clear until the final stages.
"I went through the middle hoping for a bit of luck but we didn't get any," 
Jones said of his first-day drive.
"I probably under rated the horse and over rated the opposition so I blame 
myself for that."
Romanston is raced by the Here We Go Again Syndicate that purchased the 
Miles McCool gelding after he qualified
at Rangiora just over 18 months ago.
Jones said Romanston's next assignment would be the corresponding race on 
the second day of the Marlborough
Harness Racing Club's meeting at Blenheim next Sunday.- PA

C'mon smile. After all, you won … NZ Maoris flanker Matua Parkinson looks 
dejected as he leaves New Plymouth's Rugby Park on Saturday, but he really had 
reason to smile, because he had scored a try and his team had beaten Scotland 18 – 
15. Scots no pushover: P16.

Williamson's hat-trick keeps Tech COB on course

By John B. Phillips
A hat-trick of goals from centre forward Trent Williamson helped Tech COB 
continue its winning way in the Mid Central combined men's hockey championship 
on Saturday.
Cosmopolitan Tech helped celebrate Wanganui Old Timers' Day at the Grand Hotel 
Gonville Turf with an easy 7-1 victory over New Plymouth Combined.
Tech has now scored 27 goals in three matches in the men's division two league.
Grant Fellingham (2), Mike Davidson and Gavin Pullins also scored for Tech who led 
3-0 at half-time.
Williamson, left back Pullins and fill-in goalie Jono Rankin all played sound hockey 
for Tech.
Commercial Hotel Rangers HSOB A twice led HSHC A by a goal but in the end 
had to settle for a 1-all draw in the men's division one feature game at Gonville.
Shayne Brasting gave Rangers a 1-0 lead 17min in the match when he scored 
from a penalty corner but HSHC equalised 9min later for a 1-all half-time result.
Rangers again look the lead when Lance Brasting scored 26min into the 
second spell hut again HSHC applied
pressure and drew level.
Both the HSHC goals came from penalty corners.
 The defence trio of John Bailey, Jason Hackett
and Gavin Jones  played well for Rangers.
Rangers HSOB B could not contain PNCHC A who
scored three goals in each spell in a home game in
Palmerston North for a 6 - 0 victory.  
Right winger Josh Smith and young forward Dayton Wilson played  well for Rangers.
Cosmopolitan Collegians as anticipated, struck tough opposition against the well 
drilled top of the table HSHC A side in Palmerston North and lost 5-1.
Coach Les Wilson, however, was pleased with the play of Collegians in the second 
spell after trailing 4-0 at half-time.
"We were able to close them down in the second spell but the damage had been done 
in the first," said Wilson.
Unfortunately Collegians lost a key player when Jan Dixon had the top of a small 
finger sliced off in a painful clash of stick when Dixon was endeavouring to halt a 
penalty corner.
Inside right Nicola Amon, fullback Katrina Mitchell and goalie Melissa Hylton all 
played well for Collegians with Celina Dewe scoring the team's goal.
The Collegians United v Rangitikei Ratz match has been rescheduled because of a 
misunderstanding over the match start time.

Impressive golf

An impressive third round six-under 65 has New Zealander Paul Davenport 
protecting a slender one-shot lead from
fellow Kiwi Steven Alker at the Edmonton Open golf tournament on Canada. 
Former New Zealand Open winner
Matthew Lane made inroads on the leaderboard
 with a third round 69 to start
the final round in a tie for
29th but in a compact field Grant Moorhead's par round was only sufficient for a 
share of 41st.
Mark Brown fell away with a
five-over 76. -  PA.

Steady Eddie

Young Christchurch golfer Eddie Lee has moved into the top five of the 
individual standings following the third round of the world junior team golf 
championships in Japan. Lee spearheaded a brave 
effort by the New Zealand quartet on the sodden Asahi
Kokusai Tojo Country Club in Kobe. The 16-year-old carded a two-under 
70, six shots better than the next best New
Zealander, Brent McEwan. Matthew Holton scored 77 and Matthew Walkington 
78. Although the team total was
seven over par it was the third best team score of the day and they 
improved from a tie for 11th to 8th in the 12-nation
tournament. The United States, on 640, leads by 12 shots over South 
Africa with Japan a shot back in third. New
Zealand's tally was 668.-PA.

Yacht record

New Zealand yachtsman Grant Dalton and his boat Club Med yesterday 
smashed the world record for the trans-Atlantic crossing from Cadiz, Spain to San 
Salvador in the Bahamas. Dalton completed the crossing in 10 days, 14 hours and 53 
minutes, some 45.5 hours ahead of the record which had been held by French 
catamaran Jet Services since 1988, Dalton told NZPA from San Salvador yesterday.-
PA.

Scots prove they're no pushover

NEW PLYMOUTH - Scotland on Saturday night dispelled any notion that it 
will be a walkover for the All Blacks in the
first rugby test at Carisbrook in Dunedin on Saturday.
It went down 15-18 to the strong New Zealand Maori team in New Plymouth 
but showed it had improved markedly
since it lost 16-42 to the Vikings in the tour opener in Whangarei just 
over a week ago.
Both Maori coach Matt Te Pou and captain Norm Hewitt said if the Scots 
can improve by just five percent, they will
give the All Blacks a race to the line.
'They surprised us," Te Pou said. "We always knew they were strong in the 
set pieces but they showed they can be
very strong on defence as well.
"I think they will be very able to compete pretty well against the All 
Blacks. They've improved with each game. and
tonight there were a lot of suggestions that they would continue to get 
better."
Hewitt said the Scots were a better side then its four- loss, one-win 
record in the Six Nations competition this year would suggest.
"They've got a very effective game plan - not spectacular - but very 
effective," the former All Blacks hooker said.
"We are stoked we won, we've made it 24 wins in a row and that is 
fantastic for the boys.
"Their obvious strength is in the lineout and scrum. The areas they 
need to work on can be improved really quickly.
The rate at which they got better..  There is no doubt they will be up
to it in Dunedin."
After the loss to the Vikings, the touring side beat combined third 
division side Poverty Bay-East Coast 51-10
midweek, but Saturday night's third tour match was the most encouraging for 
the Scots.
In a dour battle the teams were tied 10-10 at halftime and only a 78th 
minute penalty goal by Auckland fullback
Adrian Cashmore tilted the game. Both teams scored two tries each.
Scottish First five-eighth Duncan Hodge could have ended the Maori team's 
winning streak had he kicked a late
penalty and then a drop goal in the last action of the match.
Hodge, who scored all of his team's points in the 19-13 win over England in 
April, is known for pulling out winners
unexpectedly.
His injury time drop goal gave Scotland an unlikely victory over the 
Springboks two seasons ago.
Last night his right-footed penalty attempt from right in front was 
hurried and hemissed the target.
"He has done it a few times before but it didn't come off tonight," 
captain Andy Nicol said.
"The result was very disappointing because it could have been a draw or 
a win for us.
"I think we did enough to win the game and we probably deserve to.
"When you get up there you've got to take your chances. There were a lot 
of aspects of the game we can be very happy with."
Scottish coach Ian McGeechan said he felt his team couldn't win the game.
He also said he was impressed with the All Blacks' 102-0 win over Tonga 
on Friday night.
'The All Blacks are a very good side and we are looking for a performance 
to match that."
McGeechan thought his team had stepped up from the previous two games and 
that its defence was excellent.
A New Zealander was last night named captain of the Scottish rugby team.
Invercargill-born Don Mackinnon will lead Scotland in its fourth tour match 
against Nelson Bays in Nelson tomorrow.
He was named ahead of former Scottish test skipper Gregor Townsend, who has 
been switched to first five-eighth
from centre for the game after returning from rib injury.
Uncapped Mackinnon, 29, will be at blindside flanker on Tuesday. His 
parents moved to live in Australia when he was one year old.
He went on to represent Australia at under-16 and under-17 levels and then 
played for the Queensland under-21s and then their Super 10 side in 1992.
After a season with French club Grenoble, he joined Northampton in 1996 
and through a Scottish father qualified to play for Scotland on the current tour after 
five games for the Scotland A side this year.

Soaring high … beanpole Scottish lock Richard Metcalfe, with a bit of help from No 
8 Ross Beattie and another team-mate, takes clean lineout ball during the tourists' 
rugby match against NZ Maoris at New Plymouth on Saturday night. Maoris captain 
and hooker Norm Hewitt looks on as lock Dion Waller makes a vain attempt to 
deflect the ball.

Win, loss for city teams

By John B. Phillips
Both Wanganui Athletic and City featured in 3-1 Conference Four soccer 
matches on Saturday.
Athletic, playing at home at Wembley Park, had a patchy game but still 
managed to beat Manawatu Red Sox and
leap frog into fourth place on the table.
Bottom-placed City played at Taradale with coach Mike Watson quite happy 
with the two goal away defeat, although
he had reservations about the first of three opposition goals.
City, playing with the wind, had opened the scoring when young Thomas 
Sinton beat a marker and then went around
two defenders with sheer speed and drove home a classic goal.
Watson was amazed when the referee over-ruled a linesman's off-side 
flagging to enable Taradale to equalise and
make it 1-all at half-time.
Taradale, to the delight of the home crowd, scored twice in the second 
spell, one from a nodded in corner kick and
the other from a penalty 2min from time, won by two goals.
"We played well enough to warrant a draw," said Watson.
Sinton and right back Lester Chilcott had fine games for City.
A Craig Gibson goal gave Athletic a 1-0 lead over Red Sox who equalised 
before half-time.
Although some scoring chances went begging Athletic wrapped up the match 
with goals from James McLaughlan
and Leighton Toy.
Robert Organ, a substitute midfielder, took the Athletic player of the day 
award.
The win climbs Athletic into fourth place ahead of Red Sox with Moturoa 
also now ahead of Red Sox after a 2-1 win
over Gisborne.
Napier City Rovers, who beat PN Marist 3-1, hold a five-point lead after 
beating PN Marist 3-1 with Manawatu moving
ahead of Havelock North after a 5-1 win over the previously second-placed 
Havelock side.
Athletic, now fourth, is 10 points adrift of Havelock North and 17 behind 
Napier.
Athletic suffered another setback in the Mid Central Div. 1 league after a 
shock 5-2 loss to bottom of the table
Manawatu-Linton at Wembley Park.
After leading the table a fortnight ago Athletic has drifted to third 
place, three points behind North End and Manawatu.
Castlecliff United has climbed to sixth place with a 1-0 away win over 
Massey.

Davies stars in schools' success

By John B. Phillips
Driving back row forward Dillon Davies featured when the Wanganui secondary 
schools' representative rugby side beat
the Taranaki Maori secondary schools 29-11 in a curtain-raiser to the NZ 
Maoris v Scotland rugby match at Rugby
Park, New Plymouth, on Saturday.
Davies who has been in excellent form this season, scored two of Wanganui's 
five tries.
The other try scorers were prop Jamie Berry, winger Jolylon Thomson and 
second five Amby Perez.
First five Joshua Hall, who also featured with his tactical kicking, 
converted two of the five tries.
Gaining early forward control Wanganui opened up a 24-3 halftime lead.
As in previous matches this season Wanganui playing an expansive style of 
rugby combining driving forwards and
attacking backs.
Davies, flanker Stevie Aki, locks Seti Filo and Simon Bousfield, halfback 
Mark Koubaridis and centre Shaun
Thompson all had good games for Wanganui.
Next outing for the team, which has won three of four matches, is the 
Hurricanes' secondary schools' tournament at Masterton next month.

Bunce way ahead of the rest

CHRISTCHURCH - Resilient Auckland-based Southlander Alan Bunce tore the 
heart out of a classy field in the inaugural New Zealand 4km cross-country 
championship.
The comeback king of New Zealand athletics, Bunce reached the finish on the 
flat and fast Hagley Park course in a sizzling 11min 38sec.
 He was well clear of his nearest rivals - national 5000m champion Richard Potts, of 
Hastings, and Commonwealth Games 1500m representative, Christchurch-based
Hastings runner Hamish Christensen.
Victory in the 4km cross-country sprint came one day short of a fortnight after his 
superb win in the vastly different New Zealand half- marathon over 21.1km through 
the streets of Christchurch.
"I just put my foot down and went for it," Bunce, 32, said. "I felt strong, but not fast. 
It was do or die."
This was just the sort of aggressive performance the New Zealand Olympic selectors 
must be looking for, although Bunce still has to better the 5000m qualifying time of 
13min 27sec to get to the Sydney Games.-PA.

Seven-try Marist really gets it together in senior club rugby

By John B. Phillips

Marist has finally clicked. That was the message in a resounding 45-5 trouncing of 
Taihape in Wanganui senior club rugby on Saturday.
Skipper John Thomson was all smiles after his Lion Red Inn sponsored Marist side 
ran in seven tries to demolish Federal Hotel series co-leaders Gretna Taihape in the 
main game at Spriggens Park.
It was a most convincing display with the 'Marist forwards in complete control, 
shutting Taihape out of the match. and for one of the few times all season the Marist
backs were enterprising.
Gretna Hotel Utiku OB celebrated Old Timers' day at Taihape with a somewhat 
struggling 27-20 win over every improving Lion Red Kaierau to open up a two point
lead over Marist after three of seven qualifying games.
Ratana escaped with a rather lucky 8-6 win over Grand Hotel Pirates in a very even 
curtain-raiser at Spriggens Park, a victory which sent the vocal supporters into 
celebration songs in the grand stand.
Grand Tech moved the ball wide to take struggling Club Hotel Pourewa 35-18 
on a heavy ground at Marton Park.
"It has taken a while but we have finally got our act together, and hopefully at the 
right time," was the reaction of lock John Thomson to his side impressive win over 
Taihape.
"We were out-gunned, especially in the scrums, They were simply too good 
on the go forward. No excuses," said Taihape co-coach Robert Adams.
Marist dominated throughout, led 15-0 at halftime, and piled on quick 
points late in the match for a resounding victory.
Prop James Kora, hooker Julia Suter, lock Thomson and loose forwards Chris 
Masoe and Mike Thompson were most impressive.
With as feast of possession and good service from halfback Daniel Rolls the 
backline was dangerous, rep halfback Scott Brown proving very elusive at first five, 
Shane Kenny was dangerous in mid-field and Jason Hamlin was a good tactical kicker 
at fullback.
Lock Paul McCarthy, No 8 Israel Bennett, halfback Stacey Knowles, first five James 
Doolan and centre Peter Booth were the pick of a well beat Taihape side.
A try by replacement heavyweight forward Peina Tamou 10min from time, following 
a lineout near the Pirates' line, gave Ratana a slender 8-6 win.
It was the first time that Ratana had taken the lead in a very tight match with Pirates 
playing much better than the previous week, the forwards working hard and the 
tackling was first-class to stifle the usually elusive Maori backs.
"We didn't use the elements and took a few options under pressure but the win is most 
welcome" said Ratana co-coach Thomas Nepia.
"It was anyone's game - a real cliff hanger. My side went very well. I am proud of 
them," said Pirates coach Kevin Willis.
Pirates had a chance to win the game in extra time but a wide angle penalty kick from 
Noel Gardiner swung away from the crossbar.
Lock Andy Peeti, flanker Charlie Mete, first five Leon Mason, centre Dwayne 
Kemo and fullback Donovan Nepia played well for Ratana as did hooker Dion 
Mooney, lock Andrew Slight, loose forwards Dameon Chaney and Karl
Leary, halfback Ricky Boniface and winger Ben Smith for Pirates.
Tech dominated the second spell to score five tries in a comfortable win over Pourewa 
who only trailed 21-15 at half-time.
"We stuck to our game plan, moved the ball wide, and we were able to string together 
some good passages of play," said Tech coach Rani Pomana.
Pourewa coach John Hainsworth said the big problem for his side was poor mid-field 
defence which let in "a couple of soft tries."
Lock Giles McHugh, flanker Ronald Benefield, prop Rani Pomana, second five 
Matt Baty, winger Josh Styles and fullback Steve Butler all played key roles in Tech's 
win.
Best of the Pourewa side were lock David Oldfield and No 8 Robert Fittler.
With a 21-3 half-time lead Utiku looked set for an easy win over Kaierau but in a 
reversal of the first round clash it was Kaierau who dominated the second spell and 
deserved a consolation bonus point.
Locks Richard Arends and Andrew Coogan, hooker Danny Logan and No 8 Paul 
Ipipi Amani plus second five BarryThomas featured for Utiku with lock Shaun 
Marriner, No 8 Paul Belliss, flanker Mike Mooney, halfback Fili Kirikirikula
and second five Chris Benseman the best of the Kaierau side.
Former Kaierau halfback Brett Flower and ex-Wanganui (Counties) centre Shaun 
McLean also went well for Utiku.

Second half effort not enough and Seagulls lose

By John B. Phillips

Despite yet another second spell comeback Castlecliff Seagulls went, down 46-18 to 
Kia Ora in a Manawatu premier rugby league match in Palmerston North on Saturday.
After trailing 30-0 at half-time Castlecliff knuckled down and thanks to some good 
individualist play out-scored Kia Ora during the second half. In the end the disastrous 
first spell clearly showed on the scoreboard although the final result did not reflect the 
second spell effort put in by the seagulls.
Kia Ora proved far too mobile and cohesive for Castlecliff during the first half, 
running and moving the ball around at speed among the backs and forwards.
After a half-time pep talk tile Seagulls, as has happened several times this season, 
were more dedicated with their backs to the wall and more than held parity in the 
second spell.
With centres Des Kiriona and Billy Nicholson, second rowers Lester Kahukura and 
Junior Orica and props Phil Te Huna and Conrad Ratima to the fore Castlecliff lifted 
its work rate.
Coupled with some good defence by Raymond Puohotaua the side out-scored Kia Ora 
18-16, running in three tries.
Terry Papworth, Orica and Puohotaua scored tries for the Seagulls with Te Huna 
converting all three.  
Castlecliff has the bye next weekend.

Van Winkle looks like a Sound cups contender

By Iain Hyndman
Racing Editor

Wanganui trainers Evan and JJ Rayner look to have a handy future cups 
contender in Yachtie three-year-old ,Van
Winkle.
Van Winkle did just
what he needed to in his short neck win over Danny Day in the premier 
quality $20,000 Drake International 1600 at
Trentham on Saturday, but won nonetheless.
Evan Rayner said Saturday's win earned Van Winkle a trip to the Riccarton 
winter carnival
 next month for an
attack on a premier quality 1800-metre event on
the first day and a possible tilt at the listed $35,000 Winter Classic Stakes Handicap
(2000m) on the final day.
"On Saturday, Jim (rider Jim Walker) said he was always going to
win, but did just what he had to to win. He's that sort of horse at the moment - still 
learning," Rayner said. "I think he might make a fairly handy sort of a cup horse later, 
but needs the sting out of the ground to 
be at his best.
"We'll send him down to Riccarton next month for a $20,000 mile race on the 
first day and if he wins that we'll back
him up on the last day in the $35.000 2000m race. If he performs only 
fairly on the first day though, he may line up in
the PQ mile on the final day. A lot depends on the weight he gets too, but 
he's going to get weight wherever he goes now."
Rayner said with Riccarton out of the way Van Winkle may be set for the 
early spring cups before being spelled.
"We'll probably spell him through the summer and get him back in time for autumn 
races."

Tall Blacks bag series

WELLINGTON - New Zealand again showed its fighting qualities to beat 
England in the second test of the
international basketball series in Wellington last night.
Keith Mair's Tall Blacks wrapped up the Crown Cup series 2-0 with a 
gutsy 78-75 -victory in a rough and tumble
match at the Queens Wharf Events Centre. The third test will be played in 
Hamilton tomorrow.
The victory was another encouraging step forward for Mair's players in 
their preparation for the Olympic Games in Sydney.
The Tall Blacks' ability to get the job done under intense pressure and in 
the super-charged atmosphere created by
the noisy 2000-plus crowd was particularly satisfying for Mair.
It showed New Zealand has learned quickly from its near misses at last
month's Slam Down Under tournament in Sydney when it pushed Canada and 
world No 2 Russia to the wire.
"That was a bloody good game ... we had to work real hard for that one," 
Mair said last night.
"I think we led from start to finish and it is very difficult to do that. 
It was like being under siege. We could never put
them away, but to come through it was very pleasing."
The game threatened to explode several times as both sides repeatedly 
disputed calls from referees Stan Battock
and Dallas Pickering.
New Zealand built a 34-30 halftime lead thanks to its aggressive defence, 
led by Nelson guard Nenad Vucinic, who
contributed quality minutes to the Tall Blacks' effort after Phill Jones 
got into early foul trouble. - PA

Time running out for Jeffs

WELLINGTON - The Olympic aspirations of swimming veteran Toni Jeffs took a 
dip at the weekend as she finished outside the qualification standard at the Janet 
Evans meet in California.
Jeffs finished last in the consolation final of the 50m freestyle in a time of 26.65 
seconds. She needed 25.97 to beat the Fina A standard and join German-based New 
Zealander Vivienne Rignall in the sprint event at Sydney. The Wellingtonian has her 
last chance to qualify when she competes at the Canadian championships between 
August 3 and 6. - PA

Northland turns to Brumbies

WHANGAREI - Northland coach Bryce Woodward may import some Australian 
rugby talent to help boost the ranks of his side for the coming NPC first division 
campaign.
Woodward has confirmed that several players from the ACT Brumbies Super 12 
squad have been offered to the union
on short-term contracts for the NPC starting next month.
That could yet see at least one of the Brumbies join the Northland team, 
with winger Mitch Hardy being touted as the
most likely candidate.
For the past two seasons Northland has imported wingers, with Fijian flyer 
Fero Lasagavibau and Aucklander Dan
Parkinson introduced into the squad last year.
Lasagavibau is still contracted to the union, but has been sidelined with 
injury recently. He has also been impossible to track down with communications 
proving difficult during the political crisis in Fiji.
Parkinson is now contracted to Otago.
Woodward said finding some genuine pace merchants has been his biggest 
challenge this season. That will make
the offer from the Brumbies difficult to ignore.
But costs and red tape may yet block the move. The return of Lasagavibau 
would also stymie the proposal.
Woodward put a squad of 30 through a fitness test last night and 24 players 
will be named today to start preparing for the NPC.
That leaves two spots open, most likely to be filled by imports either from overseas or 
on loan from other provinces in New Zealand. – PA

Ulmer second

New Zealand cyclist Sarah Ulmer won a silver medal in the individual pursuit in the 
fourth round of the World Cup in Turin, Italy, yesterday. Ulmer was three seconds 
adrift of world champion Marion Clignet of France. 

Squash open's roll of honour

Entries for the Central Squash Open at the weekend saw the event run through the 
five divisions at both the Wanganui and Tech Clubs.
 Men's division one was taken out by Regardt Schorborn (South Africa) over Graeme 
Wilson (Khandallah) 9-6, 10-9, 9-5.
In the play-off for third and another South African, Ian Hendrick-Muller was beaten 
by local player Paul Tuffin 3-0.
The plate was won by Ross Hewitt (Hawera) who beat Ryan
Peak 3-2, the special plate was won by South African Stephen Burton, who 
beat Grant Smith (Palmerston North) 3-1
and the consolation plate by Nick Duckett (Red Star).
Women's one winner was No 1 seed Delia Swattz
(South Africa), who beat Elizabeth Day (Palmerston North) 9-6, 9-4, 9-6, and in the 
third and fourth play-off, South African Gina Robertson beat Tania Ormond (Hawera) 
0-9, 9-3, 9-4, 9-5.
That plate went to Sharon Bryant (Wanganui) over Roz Tansey the special plate to 
South African Adele Wier over Sue Robertshaw (Wellington) and the consolation 
plate to Carolyn La Pouple who beat Jodi Edwards (Palmerston North).
In men's division two local player Todd Stewart (Wanganui) capped an excellent 
performance by beating Barry Hewitt (Hawera) in the final 3-9, 9-4, 9-7, 8-10, 9-4.
 The special plate was taken by Chris Priest (Mitchell Pk) at the expense of Paul 
Kenny (Wanganui) the plate was won by Dean McEldowney (Okato) and the 
consolation plate by Ray Foster (Wanganui) who beat Kevin Luff (TCOB).
Women's division two saw Heather Duncan (Wanganui) beat Tracey Butler 
(Wanganui) in the final.
The special plate went to Karen Cain (Mitchell Pk) over Gill Fantham (TCOB), the 
plate saw Keri Bryant (TCOB) beat Robyn Thompson (Wanganui) and the 
consolation plate saw Courtney Sims (Okato) beat Lee Ross (Wanganui). Matt Martin 
(Herne Bay) beat Ricky Norman (TCOB) 9-3, 9-2, 9-5 in the men's division
three final, while the third and fourth play off went. to local player 
Alan Simpson (Wanganui) over Gavin Clifford (Mitchell Pk) 9-2, 9-2, 9-2.
The plate saw Mike O'Kane beat Murray Earnshaw. Both are from Wanganui. The 
special plate was won by Brian Corkerie (TCOB) over Alan Dallas (Wanganui) and 
the consolation plate was won by Dorstan Hayman over Merv Roebuck (Wanganui).
Women's division three saw Cathy Dalton (Wanganui) beat
Rochelle Fink (Wanganui) in three sets 9-7, 9-5, 9-4.
The special plate was won by Barbara Cantillion (Wanganui),
the plate by Jennie Moslen and the consolation plate by Sara Matson. Men's 
division four saw second Seed Steve
Fink (TCOB) beat 12th Seed Phillip Papworth (Wanganui), who had reached the 
final after being seeded last, 3-0.
The third spot was taken out by Adam During (Wanganui) by beating Clive 
Barrit (Wanganui).
The special plate was won by Nigel Ward (Wanganui) from Craig Brider (Wanganui), 
the plate saw Simon Lee (Waitomo) beat David Gifford-Moore (Wanganui) and the 
consolation plate saw John McCall beat fellow Wanganui player Josh Haapu 3-1.
Women's division four was won by Vic Moon of TCOB.
In men's division five, Feilding junior Barry Leslie had a blinder of a tournament, 
reaching the final from 11th seeding and winning in five sets over top seed Mark 
Walls (TCOB) 1-9, 9-3, 6-9, 9-7, 9-5.
Third and fourth play-off saw Shane Foster (Wanganui) beat Murray Wilson (TCOB), 
the special plate was won by Mike Boobyer (TCOB) over Glen Wilson (Wanganui), 
the plate by Steve Crombie (Palmerston North) over Andrew Sinclair (Rangitikei) and 
the consolation plate by Dominic Sheehan over Kevin Austin (Wanganui).

Wanganui comes up a winner

By Bernard Whelan

 The community's ability to come together to bid for and run an event was 
the key to the huge success of the tournament.
With more than 30 overseas players,  the Central Open had the biggest
international line-up seen at a tournament in New Zealand.
The level of prize money and free accommodation were a major factor in their 
attendance said Wanganui accountant and Squash New Zealand's director of national 
events, Alan Simpson.
Simpson said the Wanganui District Council and Grand Hotel Support were vital.
"I've talked to some of the overseas players  this morning and they were most 
impressed," Simpson said.
"The free accommodation was a big factor attracting the overseas players."
 The Wanganui event, part of the Dunlop Revelation series, attracted 170
players while the next event in the series in Wellington is understood to have a field
of 120.
It is also understood to have less
internationals because some have gone on to events in Australia.
The open championships were won by Leilani Joyce and Adrian Grant.
The men's plate was taken out by Finland's Toni Wallin over South Africa's 
top junior Nadeem Osman.
The women's classic plate was won by Lara Peterson (Auckland), beating 
Judith Casbolt, (Canterbury) 3-1, and the
plate by Tanya Bone (Australia), who beat Kylie Lindsay (Waikato).
Mark Akin beat fellow Australia Mark Jory for the men's special plate, 
while the women's went to Samantha Teran
(Mexico), who beat Laia Sans (Spain) 9-1, 9-3, 9-3.
Consolation plate in the men's was taken out by Cory Love (Mitchell Pk) who 
beat England's Phil Head 12-15, 15-11,
10-15, 15-13, 15-12.
Christy Georgiadis (Australia) beat local player Debbie McCarthey 6-9, 9-6, 
2-9, 9-2, 9-7 for the women's consolation
plate.
McCarthey and fellow Wanganui player, Nicki Davies, who are hunting 
selection in the central team, played well over
the weekend.
After being Joyce's first victim, Davies beat fellow central rep Carol 
Chard (Hawera) before being put out in the next round.

Leilani Joyce … women's winner

Marist on last leg to title goal

By Bernard Whelan

Robyn Simes

Marist will have all ideal shakedown for next month's Marist A1-Pirates A1 
senior netball final when the two Marist
teams clash tonight.
 From the first months of this year the
 Marist Netball Club has been intent on regaining the crown from Pirates. 
That goal suffered a setback in round four of the premier competition when 
Pirates beat it by nine goals.
Only one game counts in the end, however, and the last two competition games, plus 
tonight's match at 6.30, could be a better guide.
On June 27, Celtic Marist A1 thrashed its A2 team 74-20, a surprisingly large 
scoreline given the season's performances by the second team.
 The following week the scoreline was tighter when  Pirates A1 beat the
Marist A2 team.
So  tonight Marist A1 will be looking to repeat its big margin of less than 
a month ago, although the absence of Susie
Albert tonight may lessen the effectiveness of its midcourt.
 Marist veteran Robyn Simes said yesterday the team set its goal early to 
win the final showdown and to do that it had worked harder than last year.
Six weeks before the pre-season region competition both the A1 and A2 teams 
were working together on their fitness, and they have continued to together through 
the season.
It's the same single-minded approach which took Marist to the top about a
decade ago, soon after Simes joined the club.
Aside from the hard work put in, Simes said the team's initial success 
early last decade contributed to its ongoing dominance.
Most of the team were also playing rep netball in division one, so good 
players were attracted to a successful team.
She saw parallels with Pirates' rise and its dominance of the rep team now.
Team spirit has always, and still, plays a big part, for Marist, with the players getting 
on well off-court and socialising together.
Before too long the competition will see if all Marist's hard work this year has paid 
off.
The other 6.30 game tonight is between Federal St. Vincent's and Pirates 
A2, while at Spin Federal Pirates A1 plays Kaiwhaiki and Tech meets Kaierau.

Black Sox stalwarts bow out

WELLINGTON - In the wake of the Black Sox World Series softball victory in 
South Africa at the weekend two leading players have announced their retirement.
Wellington shortstop Kere Johanson and Auckland third baseman Dean Rice have 
both said they're calling it quits.
The pair said winning back-to-back world titles with the Black Sox was the perfect 
way to bow out.
New Zealand captain Mark Sorenson is also considering his future in the 
game but has put off making a decision until
the end of next month.
Both Rice and Johanson made their international debuts in 1987 and both 
were part of the New Zealand team at four
World Series - 1988 and 1992 in Manila where New Zealand finished
second and 1996 in Michigan and 2000 in South Africa, where the Kiwis were 
victorious.
The South African event was 32-year-old Sorenson's fifth world series - he 
also played in Michigan in 1984 and he has been a part of the national team for 16 
years.
The Black Sox took out the world title when they beat Japan 2-1 in Sunday's 
final in East London. Their only loss at
the tournament was to Japan 1-0 on Friday night in the first game of the 
play-offs.
Canterbury's Marty Grant was the winning pitcher, striking out 17 of the 25 
batters he faced without conceding a hit.
The Black Sox arrive back in New Zealand this morning. - PA

Harriers Eyers and Pointon off to flier

Vivien Eyers beame a four-time winner of the Geelorup Trophy for women 
over 10km at the Wanganui Harrier Club's first of the seasons road races.
The ever-improving Darol Pointon took out the Vaoga Cup for men and his 
second trophy in three weeks.
Raced in ideal conditions, the Bridges circuit provided the ideal 
surroundings for Eyers and Pointon.
Pointon turned in a personal best of 46 minutes 47 seconds over the 10km 
distance.
The fastest women's time on the day went to Denise Adams in 41.14 with 
Eyers 42.04 and Gai Mari Smart 45.32
third.
In the handicap section Janet Hulbert finished behind Eyers, with Adams 
third and Margaret McBeth fourth.
Kathy Chinn was successful in the Chilcott Trophy for the women under-18, 
16, 14 over 4km, holding out Alisha Murphy for the trophy.
The under-9s saw Abbey Hopper win from twin brother Sam over 1000m, with 
Sam recording fastest time.
In the U12 Black Shield Lisa Martin took line honours from sister Emma 
Martin with Kirsty Murphy third and Natalie
Kerewin fourth.
Murphy recorded the fastest time over the 3km distance.
In the biggest field for the Vaoga Cup over 10km, Pointon, who is showing his best 
form for many years, took out his second trophy in three weeks after having been 
sucessful in the Johnston 
Memorial.
Second was long-serving member Dave Adams with one of the club's oldest ever 
competitors Ray Langmead taking third place ahead of Colin Ward.
Fastest time went to Duncan Ross in 33.57 with Jason Cressingham 35.16 second and 
Colin Ward 36.38 third.

Sorry Tech set to pull pin early

By John B. Phillips

A thumping 104-5 defeat at the hands of Ratana on Saturday, a swarm of injuries and 
a general lack of interest from a few players may lead to a demise of the Wanganui 
Tech senior rugby side for the remainder of the 2000 season.
Coach Rani Pomana said yesterday: "At this stage it is more than likely we will 
withdraw for the remainder of the season.
"It is unfortunate but we have to face reality. We had to call on eight or nine senior 
second players for the Ratana game and their team had to default.
"We had a fair whack of injuries and three or four squad members have lost interest 
and are not turning up to practice. We will make a decision whether to continue or not 
at training on Thursday night. The prospects are not good," said Pomana.
Tech's next scheduled match is a bottom four semi-final clash on Saturday week, 
August 29.
The 104-5 loss to Ratana on Saturday is only the third century posted in Wanganui 
senior club rugby in the past 20 years.
Kaierau carved up Waiouru 168-0 in 1997 and Waverley whipped BCOB 110-7 in 
1995.
Scores in the 90s have been Taihape 99, Wanganui 0 this year, Wanganui Pirates 98, 
Ruapehu 8 in 1997, Ratana 97, Wanganui Pirates 7 in 1994, Marist 95, Waiouru 0 in 
1997, Tech 92, Waiouru 0 in 1997 and Tech 92, Wanganui Pirates 3 in 1996.
There have been 13 matches where winning teams have scored in the 80 point range. 
The Taihape (99) v Wanganui (0) game this season was called off early.

No Way: Wanganui City College's Stacey Highland looks for support against a 
towering Awatapu College defender during the regional secondary school basketball 
play-offs in Wanganui.
City College finished third in the tournament, missing a place at the national 
championships, but the Wanganui High School girls' team claimed top spot ahead of 
Awatapu.
City was able to claim one honour, however, having point guard Paris Perez named as 
the tournament's most valuable female player.
Perez and teammate Kirsten Ashworth also made a tournament team dominated by 
Wanganui High School players Carly Smith, Lisa Joseph, Lazania Teki and Camille 
Anderson.
High School also contributed Matthew Te Huna and Daryl Hourigan to the boys' 
team from the tournament, in which it finished third.

Lomu, Cribb sit out training

CHRISTCHURCH – Match-winning wing Jonah Lomu and forward powerhouse Ron 
Cribb are not in doubt for Saturday's Tri-Nations rugby showdown with the 
Springboks, despite missing a team training session yesterday.
Lomu had a bruised backside – a haematoma suffered in Saturday's epic win over the 
Wallabies – and was unable to ride his mountainbike to practice at the Hanmer 
Springs rugby ground in north Canterbury along with the rest of the All Blacks squad 
yesterday. Cribb joined Lomu on the sidelines to rest a groin strain. But the All 
Blacks' manager Andrew Martin said the injuries were not serious.
Martin said lock Norm Maxwell also had a "bit of a bruising to a shoulder." – PA.

Table tennis tips

New Zealand table tennis Olympian Karen Li is to conduct a coaching and exhibition 
session at Jubilee Stadium tomorrow from 9am to 10am.
The session has been organised by the large social table tennis group which plays at 
the stadium on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Co-ordinator Anice Robottom 
said she had organised the visit by Li to help raise money for a pre-season training 
and competition trip to China she was planning.

Bullseye

Jonah Lomu's match-winning try in the opening Tri-Nations and Bledisloe Cup rugby 
match in Sydney on Saturday pocketed one TAB punter $12,000 for picking the exact 
score, 39-35 to New Zealand. The rugby/league pools were also struck for the first 
time in several weeks with an Auckland punter picking all 10 winners and the correct 
margins to collect $96,000.

Well off pace

Wanganui's indoor bowls team finished well down on points in its bid to win the 
Paterson Trophy zone qualifying tournament on the weekend.
Manawatu dominated the competition to finish with 95 points, while Wanganui could 
only total 58.
Other totals were: Hawke's Bay 84, Poverty Bay 68, Bay of Plenty 60 and 
Horowhenua 55.

Proud president brings home cup

By Bernard Whelan

Wanganui's John McDonnell, president of Cycling New Zealand, at the airport 
yesterday afternoon with the national track team's trophy for its World Cup win in 
Malaysia over the weekend.

John McDonnell flew into Wanganui Airport yesterday with the spoils of 
one of New Zealand's greatest moments on
the world cycling stage.
Over the weekend the New Zealand track cycling team won the Malaysia leg 
of the World Cup series and it was the
job of McDonnell to get the trophy back to New Zealand.
The Wanganui man is president of Cycling New Zealand and he was also an 
official at the Malaysia event.
McDonnell said it was significant for the sport in this country to win a 
leg of the World Cup, but it was even more so
because of the boost it had given the team for the Olympics.
It was also significant for Wanganui because of its recognised position 
as the elite training and competition venue for
track cycling in New Zealand.
The track was a vital ingredient in Wanganui being included as a full 
partner in High Performance Central, one of the
three high performance centres designed to take New Zealand sport into a 
more competitive future.
New  Zealand
accumulated 65 points to finish five ahead of second-placed France in 
Malaysia, which won the overall cup for its
performance in all five legs.
The presence of coach Ron Cheatley and competitors Anthony Peden and Gary 
Anderson meant Wanganui could
claim a big slice of the credit for the win.
Anderson helped the pursuit team win gold and he claimed bronze in the 
individual pursuit.
Peden was third in the individual sprint and in the sprint team with Matt 
Sinton and Tim Carswell. Sinton finished third
in the kilo time trial.
After a storming win in the heats, Peden was also favoured to take the 
keirin, where he is currently ranked number
two in the world, but bad weather made the
track too dangerous and the event was cancelled.
The weekend was
capped with  Glen
Thompson's victory in the points race against some of the world's best 
riders from
Russia, the United States, Germany and France.

CJC dangles $100,000 bait

WELLINGTON - Two $100,000 triple crowns will be in operation at Riccarton this 
spring, the Canterbury Jockey Club has announced.
One of the triple crowns is for stayers and other for sprinters. The first leg of both 
triple crowns are run on October 14.
The second and third legs are both held at the New Zealand Cup meeting in 
November. A horse is required to win all three legs to win the $100,000.
The first leg of the stayers' triple crown is the Gr 111 $30,000 
weight-for-age Canterbury Gold Cup (2000m). The final
two legs are the group three $40,000 Metropolitan Trophy Handicap (2500m) 
and the group two $140,000 New
Zealand Cup (3200m).
The sprinters' triple crown begins with the $20 000 Timaru Stakes Handicap 
(1200m) and is followed by the $20,000
Flying Stakes Handicap (1200m) and the Gr 111 $40,000 Stewards' Handicap 
(1200m). - PA

1200m trip worries Sunline's jockey

WELLINGTON - Jockey Greg Childs believes champion New Zealand mare Sunline 
could be vulnerable when she
resumes racing in Melbourne on Saturday.
Childs, who has an impressive record of seven wins from nine rides on 
Sunline, is looking forward to renewing his
association.
"She's a great horse and I've had a great run with her. It will be good to 
get back on her again," Childs said.
"But my initial thoughts are that she could be vulnerable at 1200 metres 
in Gr 1 company.
"She has normally kicked off at 1400 metres and that gives her a chance to 
travel up on the bridle.
"But over 1200 metres, there will be a lot more pressure on from the start 
and that may have her off the bridle. She
might have to work hard but we will just have to see what develops."
Sunline resumes in the $A200,000 ($NZ260,000) Manikato Stakes (1200m) at 
Moonee Valley. The race has attracted
18 entries, including the highly-rated Miss Pennymoney, Slavonic, Cullen, 
Dandy Kid and Marstic.
Childs was also looking forward to next week's Australian Horse of the Year 
dinner, at which he said Sunline was a certainty to win the main award.
"It would be disaster if she didn't get it. The only contender against her is Tie The 
Knot, and she beat him in the Cox Plate."
Childs returned home to Melbourne only last week after a successful seven-week stint 
in Singapore, where he won 18 races. He had one of the two Singapore Jockey Club 
jobs, which meant he had his expenses paid. - PA

Bigger table tennis ball

WELLINGTON - Two millimetres could make a huge difference in making table 
tennis more visible - in more ways than one.
In an effort to decrease the speed and spin of the ball - and therefore increase the 
length of rallies and appeal of the sport the International Table Tennis Federation will 
introduce a bigger ball from October 1.
The new balls will be 40mm in diameter- a slight enlargement but apparently enough 
to significantly change the pace of the game which started as miniature tennis on a 
dining room table in England in the 1870s.
"It's a massive change. It doesn't sound much but it's like increasing the size of a 
tennis or cricket ball by 5 percent, it would be like increasing the size of a soccer 
goal," Table Tennis New Zealand sport manager Murray Finch said.- PA

NZ mountainbiker set for big win in US

WELLINGTON  - Wellington mountainbiker John Kirkcaldie is poised to win the 
North American national downhill
championship series.
Kirkcaldie, 24, set his sights on top-five finishes in the five-race 
series, but heading into next month's final event he
leads the field, which includes American gun Eric Carter.
Any of five riders could grab the overall title by winning the Mammoth Mountain 
race in California on September 10, but Kirkcaldie has the advantage of knowing a 
close second should be enough for him to take the title.
Kirkcaldie is back in Wellington for three weeks to refresh himself before 
what looms as the biggest race of his five-year career.
"Basically, first home should win it, unless I can be a close second. It 
would be nice, really nice," he said.
Kirkcaldie began the series with a third and has backed it up with a sixth, 
second and another sixth.
He finished fifth overall in 1998 and a disappointing 11th last year.
"Last year I had heaps of mechanicals (bike failings), but this year it has 
gone really smoothly."
Success would be reward for concentrating on the series at the expense of 
World Cup races, which is likely to affect
his latest world ranking of 17.
The up side could be increased interest from other American racing teams.
He signed earlier this year for Rocky Mountain Cycles and his contract and 
prizemoney will see him earn about
$45,000-50,000 this year. That pales in comparison to the top two or three 
mountain bikers, who Kirkcaldie said
earned about $600,000.
Kirkcaldie has been fortunate to escape serious injury in a discipline 
where riders can reach speeds up to 130kmh.
He has suffered two broken collarbones, separated one AC joint and the 
other partially, and has numerous sore
joints, "but nothing serious".
Kirkcaldie had the option of pursuing other sports when he left Wanganui 
Collegiate, but he is confident he made the
right choice. He played centre or wing for Collegiate's 1st 15 and was also 
North Island under-18 800-metre running
champion.
"I went back to what I enjoyed most, which was the (individual) extreme 
sports. They were what gave me the biggest
buzz. I wasn't really a team sports man."
New Zealand fans will get a chance to see Kirkcaldie in action in the 
national championships at Levin in January.
Kirkcaldie believes he has another four years left in him, which might 
enable him to ride at the 2004 Olympics in
Athens. There is mountain biking in Sydney next month but there is no 
downhill because of the difficulties in finding
an appropriate course in proximity to the Olympic site.-PA

New role for Willie

WELLINGTON - Last season's boom juvenile Willie Capone will be seen in an 
unfamiliar role on racetracks this
campaign, while former stablemate The Gifted Shifta won't be seen at all.
Waitara trainer Allan Sharrock wants Willie Capone, the winner of three of 
his five starts, ridden in behind the pace in
his three-year-old races, which is in stark contrast to the tactics 
employed last campaign.
Willie Capone led up in all but one race, and on that occasion he spread 
himself on leaving the barrier at Trentham
and finished fifth of eight.
Sharrock said Willie Capone had
taken to the change like the little professional he was. He has won two 
jumpouts since returning to work and both
times tracked the pacemaker.
Wellington Cup placegetter The Gifted Shifta has been retired after failing 
to recover from a serious leg injury.
Sharrock also has high hopes for Da Hong, who is on a comeback after having 
bone chips removed. Da Hong is likely
to kick off at Wanganui on September 2.
"He's gone to the same jumpouts as Willie Capone and run the same 
sectionals. I rate him highly." - PA

Rotorua whispers

Arousing (race one): Gone well at the trials and was withdrawn from Sunday's Foxton 
feature.
Bangkok Babe (race four): 4-y-o Priscott-prepared mare on debut. Caught the eye at 
the trials.
Bluerd Vision (race six): Loves course and in-form apprentice on.
Miss Pikowai (race seven): Much fitter and bit smarter than formline suggests.
Renando (race nine): Game fourth in stronger company last time.

In short

Melbourne Cup favourite Showella guaranteed herself a start in next week's $100,000 
Mudgway Partsworld Stakes at Hastings with her win at yesterday's Ruakaka trials.
The clincher was not the style of the win, but the way she blew fairly heavily 
afterwards.
"The Mudgway is necessary now," said Auckland co-trainer Frank Ritchie after the 
trial.
"She surprised me a little, she was a bit fatter than I thought."
 
Sydney jockey Chris Munce has withdrawn his appeal against a careless 
riding suspension after discovering he will
be out of action for three weeks with a hairline fracture of his hip.
Munce incurred the suspension at Canterbury in Sydney last Wednesday but 
injured his hip when a horse he was
riding at trackwork at Randwick the following morning crashed into a 
barricade.
He didn't ride last Saturday and was stood down after riding in one race 
at Warwick Farm on Sunday.

The Riverton Racing Club's meeting scheduled for Sunday has been abandoned due to 
insufficient entries.
"We had 67 horses nominated on Monday and only one extra yesterday after holding 
nominations open," said Doug Stuart, manager of the club.
"We needed another 10 to run an eight-race programme and even then we would have 
been looking at a $10,000 loss."
He said the club would be keen to take up a date later in the season if available.

One of New Zealand's top two-year-olds of last season will begin his three-year-old 
season in Melbourne next week.
Winged Foot, winner of the group one $120,000 Ellerslie Sires' Produce Stakes 
(1200m) for two-year-olds in April, will make his Australian debut in the $A100,000 
($NZ130,000) Vain Stakes (1200m) at Sandown on Saturday week.
All going well, he will also tackle the $A250,000 Ascot Vale Stakes 
(1200m) at Flemington on September 9, with his
main target the $A750,000 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) on October 14. 
Kaapstad Way will begin his Caulfield Cup campaign in the $100,000 
Mudgway Partsworld Stakes at Hastings on
August 26.
Co-trainer Chris Wood said the Kaapstad gelding progressed nicely since  his trial 
second at Te Teko last week and the Mudgway would fit into his programme well
provided the track was reasonable and there were no hiccups in between.
"He's just done light work since that trial, but we'll probably take him 
to the beach at Raglan on Thursday and give him a good workout there," Wood said.

Unlucky Nevin vows to make comeback

CHRISTCHURCH - Injury-hit New Zealand wicketkeeper- batsman Chris Nevin 
hopes to fight back from his latest
setback in time for the Black Caps' one-day cricket series against Zimbabwe 
in late September.
Nevin, who returned to his parents' Christchurch home last night from 
Australia, was left to ponder the cruel twists of
cricketing fate which forced him out of his first overseas tour after just 
three overs batting. Nevin , 25, tore an abdominal tendon in the Black Caps first 
warm- up match against a Queensland 11 in Brisbane on Monday.
The injury comes just nine weeks after
Nevin had a groin operation, for an injury which had plagued him last 
season and forced him out of the New Zealand A
tour to England.
"To put in all that work to get back to 100
percent fit, to get selected for your first overseas tour, and then find 
yourself flying home three days later is
devastating," Nevin said.
He will have the injury assessed and
treated by New Zealand Cricket's medical team in Christchurch.
He believes the injury occurred at practice shortly after the Black Caps 
arrived in Brisbane last weekend.
Doctors discovered a small tear above the conjoint tendon just above the 
groin.
"The fact (that) it is a completely separate injury from the last one is 
even more frustrating," he said.
Nevin played the final two one-day internationals last season, being 
included after established gloveman Adam Parore's form fell away.
In the final game against Australia won by New Zealand, Nevin , opening the 
batting, plundered a bright 74 from 94
balls to earn the Man of the Match award.
He aims to be fit for the one-day segment of the Zimbabwe tour but Parore, 
who has been called up to replace him, gets matchplay in Singapore.
Parore had been included for the first-class part of the Zimbabwe tour before the side 
will be re-selected.-PA.

Champions of the 75th year.. champs for the honours board in the Wanganui 
Harrier Club's jubilee season are (back
row, from left) Duncan Ross, Abbey Hopper, Geoff Hopper, Sam Hopper; (front 
row, from left) Kathy Jackson, Aliesha
Murphy, Natalie Kirwan and Ray Langmead.

A proud haul of trophies...

Geoff Hopper has been a proud athlete, father and coach in the wake of the Wanganui 
Harrier Club's 75th year.
Hopper has won the veteran men's 50-54 years club and Manawatu-Wanganui centre 
titles, guided his twins Abbey and Sam to dual titles in the Under-9 girls' and boys' 
events and coached 12 placegetters in various races, including four of the first six in 
the men's event.
The big tally came in the combined club and Manawatu Wanganui centre cross 
country championships, run on a demanding and hilly course.
The running produced 16 new club and 13 centre champions, with many gaining both 
titles. In the senior men a recovering Duncan Ross was not at his best but was still to 
strong for all but Alastair Snowdon.
Snowdon was one of the competitors from Taranaki who were combining their 
championships with Wanganui. Ross took both club and centre titles.
Second and third place in the club went to Roger Morrison and Andrew 
Davidson and with fourth-placed Glenn Martin they took out the Centre teams race.
The veteran men and men under-20 competed over the same distance of 8000m.
Wanganui completely dominated the U20 division with a win to Jason 
Cressingham followed by Damian Howe second and Mark Cressingham third for both 
club and centre titles.
Veteran men to shine were Don Humphrey in the 40-44, and club champion Max 
Vick in the 45-49, Ken Thomas in
the 55-59, Jeremy Griffiths in the 60-64 club and Ray Langmead, who won 
both club and centre titles in the 70-74
division.
Denise Adams showed her readiness for the nationals in two weeks by taking 
out the 45-49 women's age group
event.
The 35-39 was a local battle, with Kathy Jackson taking both titles from 
Gai Mari Smart and in the 40-44 Maura
Skilton took the club championship event.
Junior girls showed the club has a good future with top results from Kathy 
Chinn winning the girls under-16 club event
and Aliesha Murphy a dual winner in the girls under-14 with both club and 
centre titles.
Natalie Kerwin reversed the tables on clubmate Kirsty Murphy to win the 
girls' under-12 title in fine style.
A walkers club championships saw an excellent field face the starter over 
the 5km distance.
The men's section was won by Ray Foster, while in the biggest field the 
women's walk went to Robyn Martin. The
day's events were also sealed handicapped for points trophies.
Individual winners were Ray Foster, Robyn Martin, Andrew Davidson, Mark 
Cressingham Kathy Chinn, Alisha Murphy,
Sam Hopper, Abbey Hopper, Maura Skilton and Duncan McKenzie.

Railway bowlers thank their home 'station'

By Bernard Whelan

Staying on track … Wanganui Railway Bowls Association patron Frank Angus hands 
Wanganui East Bowling Club's Marie Blue a plaque to mark the long association 
between the two organisations.

After more years than anyone can quite remember, the city's railway bowlers have 
struck an official "thank you" plaque to mark the place they call "home".
The Wanganui East Bowling Club has always been the unofficial home for the 
Wanganui Railway Bowls Association -
give or take a couple of years at other clubs.
Railway bowls - or Tranzrail as it is now called will be back there again 
in November for the local competition, which
will decide the two local teams to contest the North Island title.
That event is also centred on the Wanganui East Bowling Club every two 
years, and will be contested here in March.
Railway bowls life member Les Cheatley said he went back to 1958 in railway 
bowls, and it was around that period that the club started keeping its records at 
Wanganui East.
Cheatley said it was known that the organisation had generally based its competition 
there for many years before that, but no-one knew how many because records had not 
been accurately kept anywhere.
Since 1958 Wanganui teams have won the North Island title 12 times, and the New 
Zealand title five times.
At the plaque presentation Cheatley, patron Frank Angus and life member Reg 
Reynolds reminisced on the great annual reunions and tough bowls over the years 
when the tournaments featured some top national competitors.
One of the biggest changes they noted was that to keep numbers up Tranzrail 
bowls had changed its entry criteria.
Anyone who has worked in the railways can now play in the tournament, while 
originally the criteria stated only current railway employees and those who had retired 
from the railways were eligible.

Golf champ misses team

ROTORUA - World secondary school golf champion Sam Hunt of Rotorua was not 
considered for Bay Of Plenty selection after failing to attend trials at the weekend.
Only BOP No 1 Eddie Burgess who returned home from the United States on 
Sunday, was officially excused from the trials in Whakatane. Hunt was competing in 
the Cambridge Classic, where he finished fourth, while his representative colleagues 
were at Whakatane.
All trialists had been informed the Whakatane event was a compulsory trial 
if they wanted to be considered for the next representative fixture. - PA.

Impressive cycle ride

WELLINGTON - Olympics-bound road cyclist Chris Jenner has finished an 
impressive third in the Tour du l'Ain in France, his latest lead-up race to Sydney.
The New Zealander was consistent throughout the five-day tour, never 
dropping out of the top echelon of the field on general classification. His worst finish 
was a 25th while his best was a second on the fourth stage.
Jenner was one minute 22 seconds behind winner Sergey Yakoviev of Kazakstan.-PA

Gutbuster to be a one-day event

By Bernard Whelan

The Wanganui Gutbuster has returned to its roots as a one-day event in 2000.
Saturday, October 7, has been set for the event comprising a 60km cycle around 
Warrengate Rd to the River Rd, a 20km offroad run around the Atene Skyline and a 
45km paddle down the Whanganui River.
There will also be duathlon and triathlon options.
The Wanganui Multisport Club has set entry fees at $60 for solo participants and $30 
per leg for teams.
Meal tickets are included in the cost, and extra meal tickets can be bought for support 
crew for $20.
Entries are available from Bruce Baldwin, No 3 Line, RD12, Wanganui.
Before the Gutbuster, the club stages its championships on September 3, at the 
Wanganui Motorboat Club, comprising a 5km run, 30km bike and 5km run or kayak.
Results from the last event in the club's winter series were:

Chatham Cup

Soccer New Zealand yesterday confirmed both Chatham Cup semifinals will be 
played on Sunday. Napier City Rovers are at home to Rangers while Central United 
will host Dunedin Technical in Auckland.

Trackwork

Wanganui

Saint Cecile shaped pleasingly at Wanganui yesterday.
On the plough, which was in good order, Saint Cecile did well to shade her more 
experienced stablemate Another Pearl at the end of 800m in 49.7,  the final 600 in 
37.2.
Justa Hunter and Kerry Knight clocked 38.9 for 600m, while three-year-old fillies by 
Senor Pete and Pompeii Court took 39.6.
St Joseph and Whinovis ran 1000m in 1.07.1, the 800m in 54.4, the last 600m in 41.4. 
On the soft No.1 grass, Kinetic and Hallucinate were hard held at the end of 800m in 
58.2, the 600m in 43.1.
Star Harbour and Change A Luck matched strides over 800m in 55.4, coming home in 
40.4.
Startrice went freely over 1000m in 1.04.2, the 800m in 51.5, the closing section in 
39.3.
A Jahafil gelding recorded 55.6 for 800m, the 600m in 40.3.
Famous Flight and Vince schooled together over six batten hurdles before Famous 
Flight jumped four more by himself.

Waverley

Ollo went 800m in 54.3, the last 600m in 39.9.
Seeking schooled over hurdles and ran 600m in 42. Bracken and Lady In Black ran 
800m in 51, the last 600m in 38.7. Strauss's Delight ran 800m in 51, the last 600 in 
38. Powerco (J Symes) and Magic Belt (A Bent) went 1000 in 104.1, the last 600 in 
40.4.

Marshment mare set for victory

By Iain Hyndman
Racing Editor

The locals dominate both legs of the TAB Double at Wanganui today with Our 
Blue Banker possibly the strongest anchor.
The Wayne Marshment-trained mare ran a shocker on her home track two weeks ago, 
but conditions that day weredeep and extremely sticky and unsettled a large number 
of horses.
However, Marshment predicts a return to winning form for Our Blue Banker in the 
$7500 DB Breweries C3 1360-metre event, the second leg of the TAB Double.
"The deep, sticky ground beat her two weeks ago and she had an inside draw which 
certainly didn't help either. She's most definitely in with a winning chance in this," 
Marshment said.
Meanwhile, the Alexander Fieldes-trained Impel will be another better suited with the 
looser conditions predicted today.
Michael Walker has been engaged for Impel.
In the C1 $6000 Grand Hotel 2060, Dash Of Spice looks a top first leg anchor, 
although fellow locals Justa Pirate, Addalady and Roi De Lyn will keep her honest.
Trainer Janice Webster said Dash Of Spice was another bogged down last meeting, 
but with the rail out six metres and the looser conditions, Dash Of Spice will be 
improved.
"She was unlucky at Rotorua last month and again two weeks at Wanganui, but 
if anything, she's improved in herself
since," Webster said.
"She's done extremely well in training and can only be better with the rail 
out. I think she can win."
Whatever the outcome, Webster said Dash Of Spice will go out for a spell 
after today before she gets tired.
Justa Pirate from the Rayner stable reserves his best races for Wanganui 
and again, the change in track surface will
suit this handy galloper.
The locals, however, will not have it all their own way with Yachtie 
youngster, Chichester, Harbour Lights and Oui
Berceuse also rated serious winning chances.
 Kevin Myers is giving Roi De Lyn a run on the flat after a laststart 
fourth over hurdles at Wanganui at the end of last
season.

Wanganui whispers

Vince (race one): Slashing debut run on the flat at Marton meeting last week and first 
time over sticks today, and trained by Kevin Myers.
Roaring Meg (race two): Very well-bred Wheeler filly out of Mrs Sellick. 
Has done nothing wrong, apart from winning, in three runs to date.
Change a Luck (race three): Worked the house down since running third on debut at 
Hawera.
Real Tonic (race four): Uncharacteristic run at at Pakuranga Hunt meeting August 26. 
Form reversal expected here for Wheeler.
Hadawine (race five): Trucking home this track fortnight ago until bogged down in 
conditions. Looser today and can win.
Dash Of Spice (race seven): Rail out 6 metres from last meeting here will help this in-
form mare.
The Pied Piper (race ten): Won with authority here last time and will carry on with it 
despite change in track conditions.

Judiciary sidelines Northland pair

WELLINGTON - Two Northland players were yesterday suspended for incidents 
in their NPC first division rugby match
against Otago in Dunedin last Saturday. Prop Mike Storey, who was sent 
off for the incident, was banned for three
weeks for wilfully trampling on Otago flanker Josh Kronfeld and hooker 
Joe Ross was suspended for two weeks for
making a dangerous tackle. – PA

TOP SHOTS: Waverley High School's hockey team has won the Wanganui 
schoolboys' grade for the third year in a row, The team of third to seventh formers 
beat City College 3-0 in the final. Coach Davend Singh said the Smokefree
Taranaki Health-sponsored team had an impressive record this season with 107 goals 
for and seven against.

Ropati back to face Taranaki

DUNEDIN - Romi Ropati has been brought back on to the left wing in the Only 
change to the Otago line-up for the NPC first division rugby match against Taranaki 
in New Plymouth on Saturday.
Ropati, who-was ruled out of last week's game against Northland with influenza, is 
back to full fitness and reclaims his. spot in the side at the expense of James Jowsey. – 
PA

Mehrtens may lose kicking job

CHRISTCHURCH - Andrew Mehrtens' adductor muscle injury may not prevent him 
from playing in the NPC first division rugby match against Southland on Saturday, 
but it might still keep him from goalkicking.
Canterbury fullback Ben Blair did the goalkicking instead of Mehrtens in their match 
against Taranaki at New Plymouth last Saturday.
Canterbury team doctor Rob Campbell said X-rays had shown no structural tears or 
breaks in the adductor muscle.
"It (the muscle) gets tight, as it was at the weekend, and it was worse at training on 
Tuesday, but it's loosened up nicely in the last 48 hours," Campbell said.
First five-eighth Mehrtens has previously struggled with the inside-thigh injury, 
which is aggravated by his round-the-corner goalkicking style.
Campbell said that the kicking action pulled the thigh into the centre of the body and 
put strain on the adductor muscle.
Other muscles also tightened and could affect Mehrtens' ability to run. - PA

Bay flyer ruled out

By John B. Phillips
Wanganui won't have to face flying Zimbabwean winger Karl Mudzamba in 
Saturday's NPC rugby match against Hawke's Bay in Napier.
The 23-year-old Mudzamba has been the star back in the Magpies side which 
is holding fourth place on the Air New Zealand NPC second division points table, 
three points ahead of Grand Hotel Wanganui.
Mudzamba is the leading tryscorer in the three NPC divisions with seven tries but he 
will miss the Wanganui match because of an injury suffered a fortnight ago in his 
side's 32-11 win over Manawatu in Palmerston North.
Hawke's Bay coach Mark Shaw said the team "will miss his pace and enterprise."
Replacing Mudzamba on the right wing will be 30-year-old Aaron Hamilton, from 
Taradale, the oldest member of the team who returns after three weeks following 
injury.
The only other change from the side that beat Manawatu is the return of No 8 Mutu 
Ngarimu with Michael Johnson moving to the blindside flank and Aucklander 
Nisifolo Naufahu back into the reserves. Hawke's Bay has so far beaten Marlborough 
54-20 (a side that beat Wanganui 22-0 last Saturday) and Nelson Bays 33-27 at home 
this season and lost to Bay of Plenty 19-8 in
atrocious conditions at Tauranga.
The side sat out the bye last Saturday and Shaw hopes that Hawke's Bay 
does not suffer from game-after-bye blues.
"That is traditional in all competitions but hopefully we can overcome that 
handicap," he said.
The Magpies caught the Marlborough Red Devils unaware on opening day, 
edged out Nelson in a high scoring second round match, could not handle the wind 
and the rain in Tauranga and then had too much all-round ability for struggling 
Manawatu before sitting out the bye.
The Hawke's Bay side for Saturday is:

Chimeara scrapes in

HAMILTON.- Sheila Laxon breathed a sigh of relief after finding that her highly 
rated filly Chimeara had scraped into the 16-horse field for Saturday's Highview 
Stakes at Hastings.
The Cambridge trainer was a little concerned Chimeara might miss one of the 16 
places in the Gr 111 1200m race when it drew 20 high-quality nominations, including 
17 winners.
But she has been told by Hawke's Bay Racing Incorporated chief executive John 
McGifford there was a place in the first race of the NZ Bloodstock Filly Of The Year 
series for the Danehill-Tristalove filly. "I rang John last night and he said the 
handicapper had ranked her number 16. It was great news."
Chimeara confirmed she was a filly of great potential with a stylish win at her second 
start, a 1200m maiden at Taupo last month.
Chimeara will be without the services of her Taupo rider Lance O'Sullivan, who is 
riding Diamond Cashel, trained by his brother Paul.
Apprentice Michael Walker has been given the job for Saturday.
The others to miss out on a Highview start are Quick lip, Slavonic and Victory Rites.-
PA

Wanganui City College's Ian Waugh limbers up for the Taranaki challenge.

New class of lawn bowls

By John B. Phillips

Wanganui and Taranaki have enjoyed some titanic lawn bowls battles over recent 
years and next week they clash in a new venture - at secondary schools level.
An eight-strong Wanganui team, comprising six boys and two girls, has been finalised 
after individual schools and then centre competitions.
Wanganui City College is well represented with Ian Waugh, James Patea, Conan 
Jeffries, Rian Nepe and Josh Hall comprising the bulk of the boys' team with Sam 
Hardy (St. Augustine's College) the other member.
Haley Quinn (Sacred Heart) and Emma Karehana (Rangitikei College) are the two 
girls in the Wanganui side.
Singles and pairs will be played against Taranaki at the Wanganui Bowling Club on 
Tuesday.
Bowls Wanganui has encouraged and staged school bowls for several years as part of 
its promotion of the sport but this is the first year that Bowls New Zealand has been 
involved.
The winners of the Wanganui Taranaki clash qualify for the national finals in 
Hamilton in December.
Members of the Wanganui team have been involved in the local schools' competition 
since last' summer.

Eden Park may be given out

AUCKLAND - Eden Park in Auckland is in danger of losing its status as a test cricket 
ground next season.
 A decision by the New Zealand Cricket (NZC) board is  expected tomorrow.
Criticism of the playing surface at Eden Park, and the small number of spectators who 
watched the Australian test there last summer, have weakened the park's status as a 
test venue.
As the chairmen and chief executives of the six major or associations gathered in 
Christchurch for an NZC briefing yesterday, speculation gew that Eden Park would be 
dropped as a test ground.
Auckland Cricket Association chief executive Lindsay Crocker said he was aware 
Eden Park's test future was at risk, but he remained confident that new work at the 
park would have the ground test-ready for the summer, and  as a venue for a test 
featuring Pakistan, as well as one-day internationals against Sri Lanka and Pakistan.
Crocker conceded that the park's outfield, affected by construction work and then the 
shadow cast by the new ASBBank stand, was below top standard last summer.
He was confident that new turf-culture expertise would lift the quality of the outfield 
and of the pitch block, which was relaid during the winter. - PA

Norm cleared

Norm Hewitt

WELLINGTON
Wellington hooker Norm Hewitt will lead the side against North Harbour in their 
NPC first division rugby match on Saturday after escaping with a caution on a charge 
of foul play against Auckland halfback Steve Devine.
Hewitt appeared before the New Zealand Rugby Football Union's judicial committee 
in Wellington yesterday after he was cited for a swinging arm tackle on Devine in last 
Friday's match in the capital.
Hewitt, a veteran of nearly 300 first-class games, told the hearing he had attempted to 
drive over Devine and turn him in the tackle.
 The committee said Devine was in a crouched position at the time and while Hewitt's
swinging arm was forceful, the intent had been to seize Devine around the shoulder 
and chest region. – PA

Tipoki in doubt

North Harbour's sidestepping centre Rua Tipoki is a doubtful starter for Saturday's 
NPC match with Wellington in Albany after the death of an East Coast uncle this 
week. Tipoki will be playing a major part in the protocol surrounding the funeral and 
that may delay his return.

Ex-All Black dies

Former All Black and Waikato rugby player Ron Hemi has died after a brief illness. 
Hemi, 67, played 16 tests and 46 matches in total as All Black hooker (1953 – 60) and 
made 31 appearances for Waikato.

Strauss's Delight will be hard to beat

By Iain Hyndman
Racing Editor

The $20,000 Lowe Walker Egmont Cup is well within the grasp of Strauss's Delight 
at Hawera tomorrow.
The Kevin Gray-trained Straussbrook mare showed her class with a gutsy deadheat 
with promising Jaybejay on a firm Hastings 
track last start and tomorrow meets a
weaker field in the 2300-metre event.
Gray has always held Strauss's Delight in high regard and the way she 
rushed home over 2100 metres at Hastings
last time suggests she will easily cope with the extra 200m
tomorrow.
Stable foreman Vicki Craig confirmed yesterday the five-year-old had 
trained on extremely well and warned whatever
the track conditions at Hawera Strauss's Delight would be the hardest to 
beat.
"Don't worry about the track. She'll love it whatever is thrown at her - 
the track won't worry her. Her
work since Hastings has been excellent and the field on Saturday is not 
that strong," Craig said.
In contrast, Levin trainer Errol Skelton is hoping for wet conditions for 
his mare Real Class Act, winner of the
Whakatane Cup three starts back.
"She just loves puggy, heavy conditions, but she's well-named - she
is a real class act," Skelton said.
"It wasn't a bad run at Ellerslie last start in conditions they called 
heavy but were only soft and the time before that
she might have only finished eighth at Hastings, yet was only three lengths 
from the winner on a good track. She's
honest and can get some of the Egmont Cup though."

Eager at Egmont
Lifeline (race one): With the country's leading stable and will have rest 
struggling in his wake in first steeple attempt.
Esprit (race three): Nice -win last time and this field no stronger. 
Should run them ragged.
Cochise (race four): Trapped wide at Awapuni and expect brave run from 
barrier 6 here.
Oakley (race five): Fresh-up form great and will love reasonable track.
Saint Cecile (race six): Mare going places and has much more than a 
prayer in this.
Strauss's Delight (race seven): Simple she wins, waltzes in, kills them.
Spanish Belt (race nine): Came up against good type last time and will be 
much better for the run.
Best Vintage (race 10): Jillings' Zabeel looking for decent track and 
should get it

Coming home

HAMILTON- Just Call Me Sir will return to New Zealand from Singapore next 
month.
Just Call Me Sir, winner of the 1998 Kelt Capital Stakes at Hastings, 
failed to find his best form in Singapore for his
former New Zealand trainer Laurie Laxon. The Clay Hero five-year-old 
gelding will join the stable of Moira Murdoch at
Waiuku. PA

Pick6 

WELLINGTON.- The confirmed result of yesterday's Pick6 jackpot with the 
Totalisator Agency Board.The six winners
were: Leg 1, Lesdale Kid (5). Leg 2, New York Times (6). Leg 3, Areeba 
(6). Leg 4, Money Or The Bag (1). Leg 5,
Olivia's Invasion (7). Leg 6, Tranquil Vision (2). The Pick6 was selected 
and the dividend was $259.05 for 50 cents.
There were 193 winning Units. The concession dividend (paid to any five 
of the six legs) was $3.85 for 50 cents. Off-course substitutes: Leg 1, Lesdale Kid 
(.3); leg 2, New York Times (6); leg 3, Rare Gem (2); leg 4, Money Or The
Bag (1); leg 5, Olivia's Invasion (7); leg 6, Benefactor (1). Total investment: 
$84,536.50. - PA

What's hot for Rotorua

Medley (race one): Never in hunt Hastings last start but likes Rotorua 
and easing in track will help.
Saludos (race three): Placed three times track from four starts and will 
appreciate extra  journey here.
Ruakiwi Lad (race four): Another honest effort last start and soft footing will 
see bigger lift in performance.
Joe King (race five): Trained course and was making up ground nicely last 
time. Could be at reasonable odds.
Mulqueen (race six): Looking like old self and ready to run bold 1900.
Hero (race eight): Great fresh-up record and will hard to peg back over 
1200. Rain no hindrance
Bemuze race nine): Got squeezed when looking likely last time. Watch again.
Prefer To Race (Race 10): Never runs a bad race and should he hard to hold out again.

Woodville meeting abandoned

PALMERSTON NORTH The Woodville-Pahiatua Racing Club abandoned its 
meeting 
at Woodville yesterday.
Heavy overnight rain and persistent early morning drizzle caused surface 
water to build on an area near the 1200m
mark of the track.
Club president Stephen Prenter said it was a disappointment the club was 
faced with a second abandonment inside12 months.
The November meeting last year was scrapped because of the possibility of a 
slippery track.
"Today's reason was totally different to last year", Prenter said.
"The forecast, for the remainder of the day was not good, but there were 
horses ready to leave from New Plymouth when the decision was made.
"The track, until 3pm yesterday, was in excellent order and, with great 
support from our base of loyal sponsors, we were looking forward to the day," he 
said.
"The fact that there were 73 scratchings notified up to 7.30am was an 
indication the majority of trainers felt the track would not suit their runners."
Prenter said he hoped the club could repay its sponsors some way at either its cup 
meeting in January or the April meeting. 
The  Christchurch Greyhound Racing Club's meeting yesterday was abandoned from 
race one.- PA

Coach queries wisdom of Harper switch to Southern

DUNEDIN - Former Otago netball coach Sheryll Roy believes that. Silver Fern 
Adine Harper has made the wrong decision to play for Southern Sting in next year's 
Coca-Cola Cup.
Harper, 21, has played for Otago over the past three years and this year 
captained the New Zealand under-21 team.
"Adine could have been a shinlling star in a young Otago side and it would 
have been great experience for her," Roy said. "It would have helped her personal 
development in the game." .
Roy admits that Harper will be playing with better players in the Southern Sting team, 
but doubts if it will make her a better player.
"I'm disappointed," Roy said. "At the end of the day, it won't make the 
Coca-Cola Cup any better having the bulk of
the best players in one team."
Former New Zealand netball and new Otago Rebels coach Lois Muir  failed to 
persuade Harper to stay with the team next year.
Harper, who comes from Taranaki. is doing a double degree at the University 
of Otago in physical education and law.
Like all students she has a struggle to pay course fees and the Southland offer was 
better than that from Otago.
Rebels board chairman Ian Elliott admitted his disappointment.
"We understand her reasons for leaving and that it is not primarily an issue of 
money," he said.
Elliott said there was little funding to pay the players in the Coca-Cola Cup.
The Rebels started last season with debt but good financial management had 
put them back in the "black." - PA

Interesting match-up for 12,000m row

By John B. Phillips

There should be an interesting clash between a quadruple sculls crew and several 
eight-oar combinations in tomorrow's annual Wanganui 12,000 metre rowing race 
down the Whanganui River.
 The Wanganui Union open quad of Glen Tonks,
Dave Bristol, Nathan Terrey and Des Waters, which
clocked the fastest time in the recent Billy Webb
small-boat race, will face strong opposition from
Clifton and Collegiate School and possibly Aramoho-Wanganui  crews.
Last, year Union (Calvin Ferguson, Bryce Mael, Tonks, Guy Reid, Henry Willis, 
Terrey, Simon Garland and Mike Goldsmith - coxswain Georgia Vavasour) covered 
the 12km race in 33min 43sec to head off Collegiate School by 25sec with Aramoho a 
further 39sec further back.
Clifton performed well in the grades at the national championships with Steven 
Laurent, senior singles champion Leighton Montgomerie, Jodi Haskell and Jason 
Williams finishing third in the premier quad and they will form the nucleus of a 
strong Clifton open eight tomorrow.
Collegiate, winners of the New Zealand Maadi Cup secondary schools' eight-oar title 
back in early April, will make a first appearance for the new season.
There are 10 crews entered for tomorrow's race which starts at Mosquito Point at 1pm 
and finished at the Computer Centre.

Hammett back to take on Taranaki

CHRISTCHURCH - All Black hooker Mark Hammett returns to the Canterbury team 
for their NPC rugby semifinal
against Taranaki at Jade Stadium tomorrow night.
Hammett and Todd Blackadder, recovered from a neck strain, are the only 
changes to the team that secured the
Ranfurly Shield for the season with a 28-22 win against Northland last week.
Hammett's Canterbury appearances this season have been limited to 
second-half stints in the shield defences
against Otago and Northland.
The nuggety hooker had surgery for a tendon injury as soon as the All 
Blacks completed their Tri-Nations test
programme at the end of August, but his rehabilitation has gone smoothly 
and he has replaced his good friend and
archrival, Matt Sexton.
Blackadder, as expected, returns at lock in place of Chris Jack, who takes 
Steve Lancaster's place in the reserves.
With the exception of Hammett, the pack is the same as that which performed 
outstandingly in Canterbury's 43-9 win
against Taranaki last month.
Three changes have been made in the backs with halfback Justin Marshall, 
centre Mark Mayerhofler, and wing Marika
Vunibaka taking over from Ben Hurst, Mark Robinson, and Afato So'oalo, 
respectively.
Asked if it was a hard decision between Hammett and Sexton, Canterbury 
coach Robbie Deans said tough selection
decisions had to be made every week.
"The toughest call is for those members of the squad who miss out totally 
and have no involvement. The onus is on
those in the 22 who get the opportunity to represent those who didn't.
"To me, whether they start or come on is not that significant. The 
important thing is what they put into their game
while they're out there."
Canterbury held its final training outdoors yesterday morning, despite 
being lashed by a biting southerly wind and rain.
"They enjoyed it - it added a bit of excitement," Deans said, although the 
players were not available to support the coach's statement.
Canterbury played superbly for the first 25 minutes against Taranaki in 
their round-robin match at New Plymouth,
scoring at a point-a-miriute and was never under threat for the rest of the 
game.
The atrocious weather yesterday could well turn the Jade Stadium surface 
into a heavy track tomorrow, but Deans
said Canterbury was not worrying about the weather or the pitch.

Watson keen to get to work with the Warriors

WELLINGTON - Boss-in-waiting Eric Watson will roll up his sleeves and get 
stuck in when he takes over the Warriors
rugby league club.
Determined to be so hands-on that he jokes about taking the field himself, 
Watson plans to take a place on the board
with adviser and former Kiwis captain Matthew Ridge and one other key 
adviser at Cullen Investments.
Watson, through Cullen Investments, has been chosen as New Zealand Rugby 
League's financial backer and has
taken a 75 percent shareholding. Watson will have three places on the board 
and the NZRL two.
The National Rugby League (NRL) is expected to rubber stamp the deal within 
36 hours to ensure the sale meets
Tuesday's deadline of going unconditional.
Watson said the main requirement to get people back through the turnstiles 
was to start winning games. He said players were the club's biggest asset, and Ridge 
would be in charge of recruiting the best available talent.
Watson said he would be involved with the club for at least five years and he wanted 
it to have more of a New Zealand focus.
This will involve the team playing, a number of NRL games around New Zealand. A 
change of name to the New Zealand Warriors is also likely.
"New Zealand likes to support winning teams and that's what we've got to do," he 
said.
He said the Warriors were similar to other businesses in his expansive portfolio that 
were effectively in receivership when he took them over.
"And we have turned them around to be very successful. We are no strangers to it. 
Our job is to add focus. This one is definitely able to be turned around." - PA

Chequebook chase
The Wellington Rugby Football Union is using its unexpected financial windfall to 
target prominent Canterbury forwards. All Black lock Norm Maxwell, New Zealand 
Colt and Crusaders lock Chris Jack, and All Black prop Greg Feek are said be 
Wellington targets as the union seeks to bolster forward resources. Feek is still on a 
long term Canterbury contract, but Maxwell and Jack are re-negotiating theirs. 
"Wellington has been aggressive in our market all year, as has Auckland - just as 
we've been in their market in previous years," Canterbury union chief executive
Steve Tew said yesterday. Large attendances at Wellington's NPC home games at the 
new Wellington Stadium have produced a surplus of $1.7million $1.2million above 
budget. - PA
No cricket
Due to ground conditions because of continuing wet weather, all cricket has been 
cancelled tomorrow, Wanganui Cricket Association draws officer Dave Wan said. 
The season would now start on Saturday, October 21, with details to be advised.
Otago probe
Former All Blacks Brian Lochore and John Graham are expected to be named in a 
high-powered review team to investigate Otago's poor form in this year's NPC rugby. 
The four-man panel is also expected to include All Black assistant coach, and former 
Otago and Highlanders coach Tony Gilbert. - PA

Bracewell allows for way out

WELLINGTON  Former test offspinner John Bracewell could still be an option as the 
next New Zealand cricket coach despite extending his contract with English county 
Gloucestershire.
Bracewell signed a three-year deal with Gloucester yesterday which initially appeared 
to rule him out of succeeding David Trist as New Zealand coach.
Trist's two-year contract ends in the middle of next year and it is unlikely he will seek 
an extension.
Bracewell said from his Bristol home last night that his new deal, which also includes 
the role of director of cricket at Gloucestershire, had an escape clause for either party 
with 12 months' notice.
However, Bracewell stressed that he was looking "long term" when resigning with 
Gloucester.
"I don't hold out much hope of getting the New Zealand job, so you have to make 
your way where the opportunity exists," Bracewell said.
"There are people at home in New Zealand doing the job - Dipak Patel, Chris 
Kuggeleijn and Denis Aberhart - so I'm not too carried away at my prospects." - PA

MAC ATTACK … Craig McMillan on the drive again during New Zealand's upset 
win over Pakistan in the ICC Knockout semi-final in Kenya yesterday. McMillan 
made 51 from 56 balls.

Auckland settles on proven men

WELLINGTON - Auckland has stuck with the tried and true for their NPC first 
division rugby semifinal against Wellington at Eden Park in Auckland tonight.
Coach Wayne Pivac makes no bones about the fact that Auckland would be foolish to 
experiment with an untried midfield when the winning of the game was in stopping 
Wellington getting the ball to their three-quarters.
Pivac and his assistant Grant Fox have made four changes to the side who last 
weekend beat Otago 50-9 despite Auckland resting a number of frontline players.
Captain and prop Paul Thomson, lock Leo Lafaiali'i, midfield back Craig Innes and 
wing Malili Muliana return to the side after being rested against Otago.
Despite the success of midfielder Amasio Valance against Otago, Pivac has stuck 
with his top combination of Innes and Ilesia Tanivula.
Wellington, meanwhile, named a side which has an injured Alama Ieremia and 
Tana Umaga bracketed at centre and include Inoke Afeaki at lock ahead of Milton 
Ngauamo.
"We have no reason to tinker with our team," Pivac said.
"Defence is a big part of our game, while they have the attack.
"We have to get stuck into them up front, starve them of possession, or make it messy. 
Then it is a matter of what we do when we get the ball."
Despite Auckland's settled appearance, Pivac said his team would not reach its full 
potential for another year or so.
"We've got a reasonable amount of confidence going into tomorrow's semifinal, but 
we aren't over confident and we respect the Wellington side.
"Wellington are pretty much like us. They've just done enough to get there. 
And they've got the big names, the gamebreakers. If we get fine weather it will suit 
them, and we should see an open game."

NZ reps enrich celebrity softball

By Bernard Whelan

Home run … Brad Rona, pictured during New Zealand's world championship win in 
South Africa, will be home on Sunday for a celebrity game to launch the local season.

New Zealand representatives Brad Rona and Cindy Potae will captain Wanganui 
celebrity softball teams in a game at Braves Ball Park at 3pm on Sunday.
The games are part of a series of celebrity games around the country, organised by 
Softball New Zealand to salute the New Zealand's world champion men's and 
Olympic women's teams.
The games are designed to launch the softball season, but Wanganui's will double as 
the official opening of the ball park's second diamond.
National representative players have been sent around the country and Wanganui was 
able to secure local hero Rona.
The celebrity slowpitch teams will he chosen from the following: 
The match will be preced by T-ball at noon and under-13s v under-15s at 1.15pm.
The profile of the national teams has helped create a resurgence in the sport in the 
region.
Five teams start the men's competition tomorrow, and Waiouru is expected to be join 
after Labour weekend, Softball Wanganui president Grant Clark said.
Four women's teams are registered, including new side Queen of Aces from Marton.
Clark said the association had tried to make it cheaper for players to take part this 
year, and he believed that had contributed to the upsurge.
"With these numbers we may need to find funding for a third diamond at the ball 
park."
Clark said Wanganui was lucky to have more badged umpires and scorers than most 
other associations in the country.
"We're hoping the public will come out to see Brad Rona and Cindy Potae and enjoy 
the atmosphere."

 Plenty at stake for frustrated Bay fans

ROTORUA - Bay of Plenty rugby supporters hope that 2000 is the year their side 
shakes its perennial bridesmaid's tag.
The Steamers have been the form side of this year's NPC second division, with last 
week's hiccup against Marlborough the only blemish.
But in the past nine seasons, the team have not carried their favouritism into the final 
stages.
Sunday's semi-final against King Country at the Tauranga Domain is not only a 
chance to book a berth in the final against either Nelson Bays or Hawke's Bay but it 
could act as payback to the union which put the Bay back into second division.
In 1991 in Rotorua, second division champion King Country took on the Bay in the 
division one/two promotion-relegation playoff.
The Bay turned in a lack-lustre display, losing 22-13, and were sent into the second 
division for the first time in 14 years.
Since then, the Bay have gained the tag of perennial top four finishers in the second 
division, having played seven semi-finals and three finals with only average results.
Last season's gutting last-gasp loss to Nelson Bays 13-14 in Nelson was the 
heartbreaker of them all. - PA

Mair carrying on

Keith Mair senses his young Tall Blacks are on the verge of a golden era in 
New Zealand's basketball history and has no intention of hanging his coaching 
clipboard.  There were whispers even before Mair took the Tall Blacks to Sydney last 
month that the Olympic Games would be his international coaching swansong. But he 
yesterday confirmed he would seek a 14th season at the helm of the national men's 
team and, given the respect he commands from the game's hierarchy, he is unlikely to 
be overlooked. - PA

No golf

A storm that lashed Dunedin ruled out yesterday's play in the Honda Cup women's 
interprovincial golf at St Clair course in Dunedin. The city was buffeted overnight and 
yesterday with heavy rain and winds gusting over 50 knots that brought down trees 
and blew debris over the course.

Easy for Leilani

Leilani Joyce made a trouble-free beginning to her defence of the British Open squash 
title yesterday.
The New Zealand No 1 and world No 2 swept past Scotland's Senga Macfie 9-0 9-0 
9-1 in the first round of the open championship. Her compatriot Shelley Kitchen 
wasn't so lucky, striking world No 1 Cassie Campion, of England, in devastating form 
on the way to a 0-9 2-9 1-9 loss.

Ulmer surgery

New Zealand track cyclist Sarah Ulmer underwent surgery just days before her 
dramatic ride for a bronze medal at the Olympic Games. Ulmer confirmed yesterday 
that she underwent surgery to remove a cyst in her abdominal region 11 days before 
the Games began in Sydney on September 15. She had been determined not to use 
surgery as an excuse for her performance in which she finished fourth in the 3000m 
individual pursuit, so for the past month the problem has been passed off as an 
abdominal strain. "I had an operation 11 days before the Olympics on an internal cyst 
that was compressing a nerve," she said.
She is still being treated by doctors and the operation is the primary reason for her not 
attending the world cycling championships in Manchester, England.

Trackwork

Wanganui

Saint Cecile again looked in tremendous form at Wanganui yesterday.
On the outside of the heavy course proper, Saint Cecile went effortlessly over 1000 in 
1.04.7, the 800 in 51.9, the last 600 in 38.8.
Star Harbour and Lakeside Jake matched strides over 800 in 54.4, the final 600 in 
39.6. Starbo and Whinovis recorded 1.08.2 for 1000, the 800 in 53.9, the closing 
section in 40.3. Imposing Lover covered 1000 in 1.10.1, the 800 in 55.3, coming 
home in 40.4.

Waverley

The best was saved for last in training at Waverley yesterday when The Actress (J 
Rogers) and River Diamond slipped over 800 in 53.5, the last 600 in 39.5.
Work was in the middle of a soft No 1 grass. Seeking ran 600 in 41, while King Size 
(Rogers) covered 800 in 56, the 600 in 42. Torino ran 600 in 41, as did Interest Only.
Powerco (J Tunbridge) ran 1000 in 1.06, the 600 in 40.
Strauss's Delight (J Symes) galloped 1200 in 1.21.4, the last 600 in 43. Miss Jessie 
Jay (Symes) and Guiness Affair (Rogers) ran 1000 in 1.05, the final 600 in 39.6.

