No, you do not need to blink a couple of times, that is really the deputy mayor of Whanganui playing roller hockey for the Wanganui Ladies team.
Hamish McDouall was the ring-in for Wanganui Roller Hockey as the delayed 2015 national tournament from last year finally got underway at Jubilee Stadium yesterday.
McDouall said his daughter had taken to the sport and under the rules, players of any gender can act as a goalie. "They encouraged me to put my [cricket] pads on have a go at it. We got some really good skaters in the side, and Dave Dench is a top-class coach."
McDouall had three practice games to get ready for the nationals.
Starting yesterday afternoon, 12 teams will play the nationals across three divisions: Premier, second division, and the combined Youth/Ladies grade.
There are four Wanganui club teams, with visiting squads coming from Wellington, Papatoetoe, New Plymouth, Hawke's Bay and Palmerston North.
Games today go from 8am to 7.50pm. Tomorrow's finals are from 8am-3.50pm.