Catherine Pattison

Motorists travelling through Central Otago and the Queenstown Lakes district are being urged to exercise extreme care due to black ice on the roads this morning.

Usain Bolt ran the fourth fastest 200-meter race ever in 19.59 seconds in sinking temperatures and heavy rainfall at the Athletissima meet on Tuesday.

Although the track make-up differed to their usual racing topographies, Otago motocross stars Courtney Duncan and Campbell King ended up on the New Zealand motorcycle TT championships podium.

Snow in Wanaka and Central Otago has closed roads and schools have sent children home early.

Keeping Treble Cone's slopes well-groomed is Paul Kirkland's responsibility.

The life of Charlie's Angels star Farrah Fawcett is to be celebrated during a private funeral held, fittingly, at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels.

Motorists travelling through Southland are warned there is a high likelihood of extensive black ice today and extreme care is needed on the roads.

Much of Wanaka's central business district and many residents have been left without phone, eftpos, or internet services after two utility boxes were vandalised last night.

White Stripes drummer Meg White has married fiance Jackson Smith in Nashville.

Motorsport New Zealand chief steward Wayne Scott may get to attend top-level rallying and racing events but there is a catch - he does not get paid.

In-form winger Sitiveni Sivivatu is likely to miss much of the international rugby season after dislocating a shoulder in the Chiefs Super 14 semfinal win over the Hurricanes on Friday.

Rally teams across the country have been monitoring the rain and snowfall around Dunedin over the past fortnight as they gather for this weekend's Rally of Otago.

Otago, South Otago and Eastern Southland make up for not having any drivers representing their regions in this weekend's Rally of Otago national championship by having strongly seeded locals in the other categories.