Oliver Davidson. Photo supplied.Tinwald Cycling Club contested one of their blue ribbon events on Sunday, the Ashburton MSA Liquor Centre, Tinwald Cycling Club Championships.

Held over 64km around the Wakanui Beach block, it was an opportunity for members to lift overall and age group Club Championship titles.

In contrast to previous years a large bunch of 14 riders broke clear midway through the first lap and stayed together, making for an interesting sprint to the line.

Oliver Davidson timed his run perfectly to hit the front in the shadow of the finish to claim the overall and under 19 championship titles.  Davidson rode the distance in 96.42.

Second place getter Flynn Beeman jumped first in the charge to the line and hung on bravely to the secure under 23 spoils.

Nigel Douglas was active throughout the race and was rewarded with third place overall and the veteran 1 title.

Brad Hudson stormed home late to take fourth place.

The evergreen Tony Ward finished fifth and in doing so lifted the veteran 3 ribbon.

Kristine Marriott was in the thick of the finish to claim the women’s overall Cup and veteran 2 championship ribbon.

Rob Hooper kicked on gamely in the charge the line to secure the men’s veteran 2 honours.

Sam Clement-Stewart rounded out his busy weekend of training with a solid performance, to lift the senior men’s title.

Under 19 women’s honours and second women overall went to Caitlin Titheridge.

Don Morrison produced another solid effort to take veteran 4 spoils.

Marcel Smithers had a day to remember, securing the senior women’s ribbon, along with third women home, and lifting the sealed handicap trophy.

Shona McGrath found plenty of strength to take the veteran 3 women’s title.

The juniors also had the chance to take home Club titles, competing over 16km.

A good field of all under 15 riders went to the line.

Zoe Spillane continued her great season form to take the victory and secure the overall junior championship tile and the under 15 girl’s ribbon, riding the course in 30.10.

Penny Marriott continued her rise in the sport, securing the girls second place and sealed handicap honours.

Lily Davidson was in the thick of race to take the girls third place spoils.

Anwolf Artz backed up last week’s top effort to take the boys under 15 championship title.

Jack Templeton was hot on his heels to claim the second place spoils, with James Reid rounding out the top 3 podium finishers.

The Club will take a break and kick the New Year off with a 36km handicap event around the Winchmore Church block on 5 January 2020.

© Tinwald Cylcing Club - 16 December 2019

Tessa Thompson, Cathleen Anderson, Charlotte Blundell and Sophie Currie have all passed their national theory exam. Photo Matt MarkhamFour young Mid Canterbury basketball enthusiasts could find themselves on the side of the court at national tournaments in the near future.

The group, all members of Mid Canterbury Basketball’s stable of players and officials, have recently sat and passed their national theory exam which allows them to step up to the plate and officiate at some of the biggest tournaments in the country.

Tessa Thompson, Charlotte Blundell, Sophie Currie and Cathleen Anderson have cut their teeth in the officiating world around the South Island over the past few years and have been seen in charge of senior level regional matches and also refereeing matches in the competitive Thompson Whelan competitions for Canterbury, which is all senior college level basketball.

The girls have had the advantage of being able to be guided and assisted by local Basketball New Zealand trainer, Helen Williams, who has watched their every step and been a critical part in their success.

As well as the big stuff, the group can often be found on the courts of Mid Canterbury keeping a close eye on the play in local competitions in both basketball and mini ball.

Alongside their own achievements, the group are also doing their bit by assisting the training of a number of junior referees here in Mid Canterbury.

By Matt Markham © The Ashburton Guardian - 12 December 2019

Brenda Beach is bowing out after 33 years running the Ashburton College canteen. Photo Sue NewmanOver the past 32 years Brenda Beach has provided the fuel that kept the tummies full and the minds of thousands of Ashburton College students ticking over.

As manager of the school’s canteen, Beach has fed at least two generations of students their breakfast, lunch and in between snacks, hundreds have earned their pocket money working alongside her and staff have also filled their bellies from her kitchen.

But come the start of the 2020 school year, Beach will on the road with husband Murray and their caravan exploring highways, byways and hidden fishing spots.

Looking back over 32 years as the college’s canteen boss, Beach said she’s loved virtually every minute of the job, but it was one she almost didn’t get.

“I’d been working in takeaways and I applied but missed out.

“I got second, but they rang me about a week later and asked me to come in for another interview,” she said.

Interview over, the job was hers, but the canteen she inherited was very different to what it is today.

Take the size of the place, Beach said.

“It was like working in a little box, but we fed thousands of kids out of that box.”

And the style of food back then was low on health and high on fats, sugars and carbs, she said.

“It was terrible, all fudge cake, carrot cake, cream buns and donuts.

“The only thing that was close to a healthy choices was a filled roll or a ‘health’ sandwich.”

She recalls making four oven tray size batches of fudge cake every day.

And there were hot chips and a super-busy deep fryer.

That all changed under Beach’s watch.

The fryers disappeared and she and her team worked towards achieving bronze, silver and gold heartbeat wards given by the Heart Foundation to schools that met healthy food standards.

Surprisingly there was little resistance from students when their food choices switched from harmful to healthy.

Beach still makes concessions to the teenagers’ desire for the odd ‘bad’ food in her constantly changing menus.

While there are some constants, each day there are several different items on the menu, with sausage rolls starring on Mondays and pies on Friday.

On a cold day she’ll sell more than 100 sausage rolls while pie sales can top 200.

The canteen is also open for breakfast with students having the option of hash browns or spaghetti toasties and a hot drink.

While prices are kept as low as possible, the canteen has to make money.

Beach’s philosophy is to keep healthy food at cost price and to make her money from the unhealthier items sold at a higher price.

“I know right down to the last slice of ham what it costs to make a sandwich,” she said.

It’s a place where she sees hundreds of students’ faces each day; most weeks, total numbers lining up to 1600.

“I hate to think how many students I’ve dealt with over the years.

“When I started I never imagined I’d see my children and then my grandchildren coming through.

“I certainly don’t want to be here when my great grandchildren are at college,” she said.

Each day she has a team of students who work as her assistants – paid – and one of her regrets in leaving is that she won’t see two of those who have been with her since Year 9, complete their final year at college.

As the school year runs down, Beach is now ticking the boxes on the vast stack of records she’ll pass on to her replacement.

And those records are detailed – what’s sold on each day and how much of it.

She has her menus by the sales windows, but ultimately what’s sold will be up to the next manager, she said.

By Sue Newman © The Ashburton Guardian - 9 December 2019