Dave Geigle demonstrates his yoyo tricks. Photo Jaime Pitt-MacKayAshburton College students studying German had an alternative learning experience on Wednesday.

The experience came in the form of a lesson from five-time European yo-yo champion Dave Geigle.

The yo-yo-specialist took the students through basics of how to operate the yo-yos, with all but a few vital instructions delivered in German.

Students attempted tricks such as walk the dog and the around the world. Teacher Ken Pow said it was a great way to get the students out of the classroom and doing something a bit different.

“It is great to have a native German speaker in the class as well,” he said.

The Goethe Institute’s German language advisor to New Zealand Heike Papenthin said they were visiting eight schools in New Zealand, five of which are part of the PASCH programme, which the College is part of.

“The programme gives the schools access to scholarships and funding around the teaching of the German language,” she said.

“I was surprised to see yo-yo wasn’t really a thing in New Zealand as it has become a bit of a fad in Germany.

“It is a good sport to try and something culturally different for the students in New Zealand to experience.”

Through associating the actions of the tricks with the German words, Papenthin said she believes it may help the brain with the learning of the language.

By Jaime Pitt-MacKay © The Ashburton Guardian - 31 March 2017

Four of the five members of the Ashburton College Senior Girls 3X3 Basketball team. From left: Dani McArthur, Grace Adams, Sammy Arnold and Liberty Ross. Absent: Ashlee Strawbridge. Photo SuppliedAshburton College is readying its Senior Girls 3X3 Basketball team again for a shot at national glory.

The team is aiming towards the Basketball New Zealand National 3×3 Championship in Tauranga starting today. More than  60 teams from around the country will battle it out over three days.

Eight hours of basketball on 10 hoops each day will be accompanied by a carnival atmosphere with hip-hop and R’n’B hits blasting to help energise the players and their supporters.

This year sees the junior girls’ team of the past two years step up to play against the big kids in the senior girls’ grade.

Ashburton College’s growing reputation means it is no longer able to sneak under the radar, as previous results have the team seeded 6th.

With competition coming from powerhouse basketball colleges, St Peter’s of Cambridge and Rangitoto College, a top four pool result would get the girls a play-off spot in the crossover stage.

“What the girls lack in size is definitely made up for with speed, determination and basketball IQs,” Mark Douglas, team coach, said.

“These girls are fast and smart and all play themselves to a stand-still when competing so we can’t wait to see how they go against the best New Zealand has to offer.

“All the girls shoot the ball very well and whichever three are on the court at any time, they have the ability to attack the opposition.”

Along with a couple of additional players, the girls split into two teams and spent Monday playing in Timaru at the inaugural 3×3 tournament, also playing in the boys’ division.

Apart from losing to the Ashburton boys’ team they were unbeaten against the remaining boys’ teams.

“It was a good blow-out, a great confidence booster, and now everyone is ready to play on the big stage,” Douglas said.

© The Ashburton Guardian - 30 March 2017

Ashburton College rowers continued their top form at the Maadi Cup at Lake Karapiro yesterday, with several of the squad advancing to A semi-finals.

Among them was golden girl Veronica Wall, who was the only one in her under-17 girls’ single sculls to go under 8 minutes.

Wall clocked 7.53.29, her closest rival across the four quarter-finals finishing in 8.20.

Harrison Davies and Haxby Hefford both qualified for the semi-finals of their under-17 boys’ single sculls, while Mollie Gibson also advanced to the semis in the under-16 girls with a second placing in her quarter-final.

Davies and Hefford had a busy day, teaming up in the boys’ under-17 doubles to finish third in their quarter-final.

Olivia Gibson and Bobbie Rushton were third in their under-18 novice girls’ quarter-finals, while Lara Biggs, Mollie Gibson, Emma Stagg, Katie Dolan and cox Emma Jansen combined in the quad for a second place in their quarter-final.

Davies raced up an age-group in the under-18 singles, his fourth place in one of the quarter-finals securing him a spot in the semis. Mollie Gibson and Emma Stagg progressed to the under-16 doubles semis.

This morning, eyes will be on Wall and partner Grace Wilson in the semis of the under-18 girls’ double sculls; Wall will be in action again a couple of hours later in the under-17 singles semis. Hefford and Davies will be amongst the first Ashburton rowers on the lake though with their under-17 singles semi-finals at 8.15am and 8.20am.

Mollie Gibson will be in action in her singles semi at 9.50am followed by novice double scullers Wyatt Burrows and Artem Kravchenko.

The girls under-16 coxed quad will be on the water at 12.10pm in their semi.

Events will be livestreamed from Lake Karapiro today, tomorrow and Saturday as the six-day event gets to the business end of the competition.

The event is the biggest Maadi Cup on record with 127 schools sending around 2100 rowers. The last events on the water will be the under-18 boys’ coxed eight A final for the Maadi Cup; 2016 cup-winners Christ’s College already have a crew through to the final.

The qualifying races so far have involved some spectacular racing.

After a blistering row down the course in the first heat, Hamilton Boys’ High, Saint Kentigern College and Sacred Heart College (Auckland) were all locked bowball to bowball in the final 250 metres.

A powerful finishing charge from Hamilton Boys proved too strong for Saint Kentigern close behind in second place forcing Sacred Heart College and the remaining crews into a repechage.

By Linda Clarke © The Ashburton Guardian - 30 March 2017