Members of Ashburton College’s 3L class at the weekend in the same positions as in their first school photo 50 years earlier. Photos supplied.Fifty years since they first started at Ashburton College as fresh-faced teenagers, the class of 3L reunited for a weekend of catching up and exploring how the district they had grown up in had changed.

“Everyone was so happy to reconnect. For many it had been 47 years or more as they had not met up since leaving school.

“As the weekend progressed it was just like old times,” Jane Hurley said.

3L was unique in that the pupils changed very little over the first three years and it was also the only 4th Form class that was shifted to the High School for the first term of the year in preparation for the move to the new Ashburton College.

Consequently 3L members were among the students who went to the brand new Ashburton College in 1971.

There were 31 students in the class and 22 attended the reunion.

Three came from Australia, and the rest from around New Zealand.

Only four still live locally.

Four were unable to come due to illness, three have died and two were unable to 

be found.

The weekend commenced with a meet and greet, at The Somerset Grocer on Friday night, followed by a bus trip on Saturday – taking in the business park, explaining the town upgrade, a stop in to view the EA Networks Centre followed by morning tea at Nosh.

Next stop was a trip down memory lane at Ashburton College where many memories were shared, Hurley said.

Lunch was at Arabica in Methven followed by a visit to the Alpine and Agriculture Encounter and lastly to the Rakaia Gorge Lodge for further refreshments and chatter.

The last event of the weekend was dinner at Lake Hood which finished with the sharing of memories of events during high school years.

“It was great to catch up on where everyone’s lives had taken them,” she said.

“Now that the connection has been made a further reunion is planned for five years.”

© The Ashburton Guardian - 13 February 2020

Ashburton trio (from left) Gerard Morrison, Matt Clough and Sam Clements-Stewart celebrate their podium finishes following Coast to Coast prizegiving on Sunday. Photo supplied.The largest field in the history of the Coast to Coast put months of backbreaking preparation into motion over the weekend.

Dozens of Mid Cantabrians lined up for the pinnacle multisport trek, which came to a head at Christchurch’s New Brighton Beach on Saturday.

Several of the line-up celebrated deserving spots on the podium.

In the remorseless Longest Day event, Samuel Clements-Stewart, of Ashburton, came second in the open 18-39 category and 11th overall in a time of 12hrs 22mins.

He was tailed by fellow Ashburton resident Gerard Morrison, who placed third in the open category and 12th overall, finishing in 12hrs 27mins.

Morrison bounced back after crashing off the bike during the first bike leg.

Clements-Stewart, who had finished third in the open category and 20th overall in 2019, said the weather made things more challenging.

“The southerly hit me as soon as I entered the gorge.

“I think it was the highest number of DNFs.

“That’s why they make everyone wear all the compulsory gear … the thermals and jackets, etc.

“I was conscious of it throughout the day.”

With the conditions getting the better of several competitors, Clements-Stewart was elated with the result.

“This year I went to a more advanced kayak and we got the Ashburton Kayak Club going, it really helped with my kayaking.

“I was really rapt with how the day went overall.”

Matthew Clough, of Ashburton, finished third in the open category in the two-day individual event and fourth overall after registering a time of 11hrs 50mins.

Dorie’s Mark Cressey earned a podium place as he finished second in the Vintage 60+ category for the two day individual in a time of 14hrs 58mins.

The Screamin Beemans’ pairing of Cole and Flynn Beeman was the first family team and third overall in the two-day two-person team event, finishing in 12hrs 19mins.

The Mount Hutt College Beavers, comprising of high school pupils Alex Roderick, Jack Miers and Adam Shears, placed third out of the school teams, crossing the finish line in 13hrs 1min.

Fellow MHC pupils Louis Bryson-Boe and George Seque was the first school team in the two-day two-person category, finishing in 16hrs 38mins.

May End in Divorce! couple Mark and Anna Summerfield were the ninth mixed team in the two-day two-person category, finishing in a time of 13hrs 20mins.

Methven pair Stephen “Blackie” Blackwell and Jarrod Coutts were fourth in the open category and seventh overall in the two-day tandem, finishing in a time of 13hrs 16mins.

Team Turney pair Rob and Kim Turney finished third in the veteran category of the two-day tandem event in a time of 14hrs 56mins.

Reuben Syme, of Ashburton, was the eighth veteran (40-49) home in the two-day individual event, finishing in a time of 13hrs 30mins.

By Adam Burns © The Ashburton Guardian - 10 February 2020

New students and staff were welcomed to the school via a powhiri. Photos Jaime Pitt-MacKayNew students and staff were welcomed to Ashburton College through their annual powhiri.

The newcomers were led into the ceremony by Kaumatua Tipene Philip and welcomed into the school family by principal Ross Preece.

Current and incoming students exchanged waiata, while Philip and Preece shared speeches.

The powhiri was held outside the school’s whare wananga which recently had its carvings restored for the first time since the building was opened in 1997.

The carvings were created by master carver Vince Leonard and were taken down in February last year to undergo restoration.

After more than 20 years of weathering the carvings were very much in need of work, but their restoration has taken longer than anticipated, because of Leonard’s death part-way through the project.

Fellow carver Damian Peeti, who had worked with Leonard on the original carvings, was able to step in and continue the work with the help of a team of college students.

Their work in restoring the carvings was recognised following the powhiri with a presentation of gifts from Preece.

By Jaime Pitt-MacKay © The Ashburton Guardian - 8 February 2020