• Water skiing
In mid-February, 27 skiers from 10 secondary schools in the Otago and Southland region competed in a one-day slalom water skiing event at Perkins Pond, near Millers Flat. The tournament catered for novice and championship level skiing. Each division completed two rounds of competition during the day.
Leading skiers in each division were: championship under-16, Chris Maunsell (Otago Boys'), Philippa Dingle (St Hilda's); novice under-13, Dan Stewart (Southland Boys'), Abbey Johnston (St Hilda's); under-16, Elliot Hancox (Blue Mountain), Georgia Power (St Hilda's); under-18, Andrew Bennington (Wakatipu) and Amelia Shaw (South Otago).
Three skiers qualified for the national water ski tournament to be held at Kai Iwi Lakes, Northland, in early April. Philippa Dingle and Bailey Sutherland (St Hilda's) and Christopher Maunsell (Otago Boys') will compete in the 16 years and under division.
• Kaikorai Valley College
The Kaikorai Valley College gym complex is becoming widely used by the local community.
The 38mm table tennis club has started the new season with club nights on Thursdays and student coaching after school. The college judo club also has classes on Wednesdays for pupils and an adults evening on Thursdays.
This week, summer sports teams travel to Christchurch for the annual Riccarton High School sports exchange. The senior mixed touch team will stay on in Christchurch after the exchange to compete in the South Island secondary schools touch tournament with the intention of qualifying again for the national tournament.
The annual 1000km challenge is being held today.
• St Hilda's Collegiate
St Hilda's athletes were successful at the Otago secondary schools athletics championships held recently, with 13 individual titles claimed at the meeting. Libby Jones won the under-16 shot put, discus and hammer. Meg McKay won the under-16 high jump, with a record-breaking jump of 1.64m, as well as the 800m. Tessa Jopp, Caitlin Kenny, Natalie Hill, Danica Davies, Erin O'Brien and Caitlin O'Brien all won titles.
Pupils have also had success at South Island and national events.
Ginny Wilson was second in the under-19 duathlon at the South Island triathlon and duathlon championships held in Oamaru recently. Aleisha Ruske won a gold medal in the 100m butterfly, silver in the 50m freestyle and bronze in the 200m butterfly at the national age group swimming championships.
The cricket team has qualified for the national finals, to be held in Palmerston North in December.
At the South Island schools championships, 12 rowing crews reached A finals, winning four silver medals and 2 bronze.
Teams are preparing for summer tournament week starting on March 26.
• Taieri College
The college athletics day was held recently at Memorial Park and the addition of a house system added a lot colour and healthy competition to this event. A group of quality athletes then competed at the Otago championships, with Todd Bates, Holly Robinson, Mayce Ballantyne, Jarrod Casey, Lewis Kelly, Regan Kennedy and Cam Archer all achieving top three placings. A team of nine will go on to compete at the Otago-Southland championships.
• King's High School
King's High School competed in the New Zealand schools touch tournament in Hamilton at the end of last year. While the top North Island schools still hold the ascendency King's established itself as one of the top two teams in the South Island, losing 10-9 in extra time to Malborough Boys' and beating Hastings Boys' and Taita College, The team also drew with King's College and had a one-touchdown loss to Westlake Boys'.
Outstanding players were Tyron Pelasio, who was selected for the New Zealand Schools Team, Mackenzie Haugh (the team's top scorer) and Jake Fleming. They were ably backed up by Hamish McCallion, Jesse Farmer, Connor Jamieson, and Reece TePairi.
King's pupils Logan Garforth and Hamish Taylor have been selected to represent Otago in the New Zealand surf league. Logan and Hamish have between them won many gold and silver medals in the southern competition. Logan finished eighth overall in the open section, and won gold in the under-18 section in the Lake Dunstan triathlon.
• Dunstan High School
Dunstan High School athletes excelled at the recent Otago schools championships. Rhian Ward won the 400m, 800m and the 1500m.
Adriana Mawhinney set a new under-14 girls triple jump record with a leap of 9.94m.
Three Dunstan cyclists rode in the national track championships. Liam Aitcheson won gold in the under-19 points race, while Liam and Tom Vessey won gold in the under-19 team pursuit. Georgia Vessey won silver in the under-17 team pursuit.
George Blackie was the second elite junior man in the Motatapu mountain bike race.
Three Dunstan kayakers - Geoff Johnson, Matthew Arnott and Finn Butcher - travelled to the whitewater stadium at Penrith, in Sydney. Finn competed in the Australian Open and came third in the junior K1 category. All three competed in the Oceania Open. Finn came second, Geoff seventh and Matthew ninth.
In triathlon and multisport events in Cromwell in February the junior girls triathlon team of Sydney Cook, Lucy Geddes and Keryn Tubbs finished fifth. In the multisport event Sam McCulloch was first individual junior boy and second overall.
Kensa Randle was second in the junior girls individual multisport race.
Calendar
• March 24: South Island touch, Christchurch.
• March 25-30: Maadi Cup, Twizel.
• March 25-26: Gillette Cup cricket playoffs, Dunedin.
• March 26: Zone 6 bowls finals, Dunedin.
• March 26-30: South Island Sunburst yachting regatta, Dunedin.
• March 27-30: South Island div 2 softball, Alexandra.
• March 30-31: Otago schools swimming champs, Dunedin.
• March 31-April 1: South Island athletics, Nelson.
• These articles are compiled by the Otago Secondary Schools Sports Association (OSSSA) which is proudly sponsored by Perpetual. Contact Des Smith, Otago regional sports director, PO Box 6303, Dunedin. Email: des@osssa.org.nz
