Emma Stagg, Mollie Gibson, Marion Hardwick and Veronica Wall claimed gold at the recent Mainland Inter Provincial Rowing Championships. Phot supplied.Ashburton rowers have again shown their prowess on the water ahead of the new season with outstanding results at two separate events over the weekend.

Competing at both the Mainland Inter Provincial Championships and a Concept 2 R2K Singles Regatta on Lake Ruataniwha, the names of Ashburton-based rowers featured prominently on the results sheets at both events.

Three boats with Ashburton rowers claimed gold medals at the Inter Provincial champs with the under 20 women’s four of Emma Stagg, Marion Hardwick, Mollie Gibson and Veronica Wall emerging victorious.

Wall then claimed gold in the women’s under 20 single sculls before she and Gibson combined to win the double sculls as well.

Gibson finished fourth in the single sculls and Stagg placing sixth, behind Wall.

Stagg and Hardwick picked up fifth place in the double sculls final while Haxby Hefford combined with Liam Parker to finish sixth in the double sculls final.

Hefford was the other to make his way onto the podium with his effort for bronze in the under 20 men’s single sculls.

Rowers then turned their attention to the singles regatta and Wall picked right up where she left off producing some dazzling performances to win the women’s event.

After cruising through the heat she was in demolition mode in the final, winning by more than 50 seconds from her closest rival.

Hefford finished second in his first heat of the under 19 men’s event and was then third in the A final.

Ged Wall produced a strong performance to win his heat of the under 16 event and then replicated that to finish third in the A final – continuing his progress –  while Paddy Dekker produced two strong rows to earn himself a spot in the B final of the same event.

By Matt Markham © The Ashburton Guardian - 11 October 2018

Bree Middleton and Blake Farr (Ashburton College) were both among the medals at the New Zealand Short Course championships. Photo supplied.Ashburton swimmers have turned in outstanding results at the recent New Zealand Short Course championships in Auckland.

Competing at the Sir Owen Glenn National Aquatic Centre, Bree Middleton and Blake Farr both performed with excellence, claiming podium finishes during the course of the meet.

Middleton continued her hot form in the water with three medals for the championships.

She claimed a gold medal in the 400-metre freestyle and a silver in both the 200 and 800 metre events.

She also finished seventh in the 100-metre freestyle final.

Middleton also made appearances in the open A finals in the 400, 800 and 1500 metre freestyle – in the latter of which she placed fifth with a new huge personal best time, which saw her break the Swimming Canterbury and West Coast record by almost seven seconds.

The 400 metre A Open final also saw Middleton competing against some of the big names of swimming in New Zealand including Olympian Emma Robinson and Commonwealth Games swimmer Corina Doyle.

For Farr the meet resulted in a personal first when he claimed his first national medal.

He claimed the bronze medal in the 100 metre freestyle and also swam his way into fifth place in the 50 metre freestyle.

Both efforts saw him register excellent personal best times and continue his rapid rise up the ranks of swimming nationally.

The Ashburton team was also joined by para-multi class swimmer Ben Gould from the Geraldine club, who trains under Ashburton Swim Club coach Shane Jones.

Gould also had podium results with excellent personal best times in both his morning races and then again in his finals including a silver medal in the 400 metre freestyle.

Jones said that he was over the moon with the result for his swimmers who attended.

“I’m extremely happy,” he said.

“As a small team of three, who brought home five medals at a national event, that’s fantastic.”

The Jennian Homes Ashburton Swim team now heads into the summer break before returning next year, hoping to pick up where they left off.

© The Ashburton Guardian - 10 October 2018

The Aoraki girls’ rugby team was all smiles after their final game of the South Island Under-18 Girls’ Rugby Tournament despite only picking up the one win. Photo Jonathan LeaskHis side might only have taken one win away from the South Island Under-18 Girls’ Rugby Tournament, but Aoraki coach Mick Geary was a happy man at the end of the tournament on Tuesday.

Aoraki’s young players – including seven from Mid Canterbury – stuck with most of the South Island’s bigger unions early on and showed that they were more than up to the challenge.

And with the side only likely to lose around six players for next season Geary was excited about what 2019 could bring.

The team finished runners-up at the tournament last year, but this year the challenges from the bigger unions like Canterbury and Southland just proved too much.

On Sunday’s opening day at Tai Tapu, Aoraki went down 24-5 to Otago, before picking up its sole win of the tournament against Canterbury B 12-5.

On Monday Aoraki went down 36-10 to Southland and 17-0 to Tasman before being beaten by eventual winners Canterbury 47-0. Canterbury then beat Otago in the final 36-7.

In the past Mid and South Canterbury had joined with North Otago to form a Hanan Shield team, but with North Otago having joined with Otago this year Mid and South Canterbury instead formed a team under the Aoraki banner.

Schools from the two unions played in a combined secondary schools’ competition during the winter months, and the team was chosen from that competition.

Geary was the coach of this year’s winning team, Craighead, which beat the Ashburton College/Mount Hutt combined side in the final.

At the South Island tournament the games were 22.5 minute halves, so once you let a team in front it was hard to peg them back, Geary said.

But his side never gave up and played with incredible heart over the busy three days.

“It’s quite a big ask.

“It’s a long day at the office when you have a game in the morning and a game in the afternoon, there’s always some sore bodies at the end of the day,” Geary said.

Geary said Ashburton College lock Aidan Elvines was one of the Aoraki side’s standouts, along with halfback Piper Jones, who made the tournament team.

Ashburton College’s Naomi Sooaemalelagi was tenacious on defence, letting few past her at second-five or centre, while Kate Donald was the side’s captain from first-five.

“She’s pretty special. She’s a great leader and just the glue that held everyone together,” Geary said.

Naumai Terekia, on the wing, and pocket rocket Paris Gola completed the Ashburton College contingent in the team, while Mount Hutt’s Tayla Barnaby and Tyla Harraway were also in the side and Geary described them as real workhorses around the ruck.

Meanwhile, Mid Canterbury’s Jaidyn Busch was a star performer for the tournament-winning Canterbury side at number eight, also making the tournament team.

By Erin Tasker© The Ashburton Guardian - 5 October 2018