Duo finish 13th
There was a level of familiarity for Tauranga beach volleyballers Jason Lochhead and Kirk Pitman in the early rounds of the Brasilia Open, the first Olympic qualifying event of the year in Brazil.
Their first two games were against the same teams who joined them on the Mount Maunganui
beach for a two week training camp in January.
Following a nervous start the Kiwi duo found their feet and finished with a comfortable win in the third set against the Dutch team of Emiel Boersma and Daan Spijkers 21-13, 13-21, 15-8.
The World Champions Juluis Brink and Jonas Reckermann had the measure of the Pitman and Lochhead while the 53 minute battle against a quality opponent is good positive long term sign for the Kiwis the Germans had a little too much in the final stages of the match winning 17-21, 21-17, 15-11.
Day two started positively with strong performance against Swiss Patrick Escher and Jefferson Bellaguarda 21-15, 21-15.
However the in the afternoon's match against Russians Konstatin Semenov and Serquie Prokoiev, the New Zealanders failed to fire and were outplayed 21-16, 21-16 leaving the Kiwis in 13th place.
A 13th placing is likely to be a counting result as the team's best 12 results over the Olympic qualifying period contribute to determine the top 16 automatic qualifiers for the London Olympics.
Pitman and Lochhead now return to their training base in Los Angeles for one week before beading to Shanghai for the second of the 14 events scheduled for 2011.
Round 1: Boersma E.-Spijkers (NED) lost to Lochhead-Pitman (NZL)1-2 (21-13, 13-21, 8-15).
Round 2: Lochhead-Pitman lost to Brink-Reckermann (GER) 1-2 (17-21, 21-15, 11-15). Contenders bracket: Heuscher-Bellaguarda (SUI) lost to Lochhead-Pitman 0-2 (15-21, 15-21). Lochhead-Pitman lost to Semenov-Prokopiev (RUS) 0-2 (16-21, 16-21).
Meanwhile, Tauranga beach volleyball brothers Sam and Ben O'Dea have beaten fellow Kiwis Brendon Heath and Edwin O'Dea to collect third place in the Batam Open in Indonesia, winning in three sets 21-13 15-21 15-13.
In the round of 16, Heath and O'Dea defeated Thailand 1 and then Thailand 2 in three set battles.
On the other side of the draw Sam and Ben O'Dea cruised past Oman 2-0 but were forced to produce their best against and Indonesia winning in three sets. Neither team was able to match the consistency of their Kazakhstani opponents 2-0 in the semifinals. The teams will train in Indonesia before joining Jason Lochhead and Kirk Pitman for the Jinshan Open in Shanghai which starts on May 2nd.
Teen's series
What Sam Roy lacks in years, he more than makes up for in event organising ambition.
The 15-year-old Otumoetai College student helped put together the first Easter Ironman Eliminator surf lifesaving event over the weekend and he's hoping to use the semi-professional blueprint in a series next summer.
The inaugural event was won by Omanu's Daniel Hooker, from clubmate Perry Farrell, with a three-race series of back-to-back ironman races at Mount Maunganui's Main Beach sorting out the winner.
"We got the idea from the Kellogg's Nutrigrain series in Australia, which is aiming pretty high, but it's crying out for something smaller over here," Roy said.
"Hopefully we get a few more quality competitors lining up racing for cash but it was a good start and we would love to grow it from here."
Roy and his crew want to build it into a monthly racing circuit next season, using entry fees and sponsorship to put up a decent cash prize for each race.
Like the Kellogg's series, they plan to mix it up, holding both sprint and endurance events as the season determines.
Results:
Men: Daniel Hooker (Omanu) 1, Perry Farrell (Omanu) 2, Callum Knox (Mount) and Ben Cochrane (Omanu) 3=, Hamish Treanor (Mount) 5. Women: Jess Miller (Mount) 1, Katie Wilson (Omanu) 2.
Weather woes
The fourth annual 54-hole Tauranga Pak'n Save Seniors golf championship was scheduled over Easter as usual with 18 holes to be played at Tauranga, Omanu and Mount Maunganui Golf Clubs.
The weather spoilt what was going to be a great battle for the overall title with the event being suspended due to the rain-sodden course at Mount Maunganui before the third round had to be abandoned completely.
It meant honours went to Tauranga's Bruce Burbery, who led the field by one shot after the second round played at Omanu on Sunday on par at 142 from another Tauranga stalwart, Tony Reynish on 143, and national senior representatives Mike Leitch (Maungakiekie) and Barry Shannon (Wanganui).
The overall nett winner was Fred Wellacott from Omanu.
Mount on move
While Matakana Island remain at the top of the Seeka KI Western Bay rugby championship ladder, Mount Maunganui surged several places into second when they beat Papamoa over the long weekend.
Both sides earned bonus points for scoring four tries but Mount cut loose in the second spell to win 62-24.
Matakana came to town to meet Tauranga Sports on Saturday and managed to extend their unbeaten record with a 16-6 win. Not only did the Islanders retain the Hardy Rosebowl (Western BOP Challenge trophy) but they also picked up their first ever win over Tauranga Sports in the competition.
Te Puke Sports handed Greerton Marist a 40-3 towelling under lights at Murray Salt Stadium on Thursday, while Judea eked out a 24-22 win over Eastern Districts at the Paengaroa Domain.
Results: Te Puke Sports 40 Greerton Marist 3; Matakana Island 16 Tauranga Sports 6, Judea 24 Eastern Districts 22, Mount Maunganui 62 Papamoa 24, Katikati bt Rangiuru.
Points: Matakana Island 23, Mount Maunganui 21, Arataki 20, Papamoa 17, Katikati 16, Te Puke Sports 15, Tauranga Sports 14, Eastern Districts 8, Judea 7, Greerton Marist 6, Rangiuru 5.
Rovers, Blues tied
Four unbeaten teams remain after four rounds of the two Waikato-Bay of Plenty Federation football leagues.
In division one, defending champions Claudelands Rovers and newly promoted Old Blues are tied at the top with maximum points and the same goal difference of +9, while Ngongotaha, who have scored 18 and are yet to concede a goal, and Waikato Unicol sit atop division two.
On Saturday, Claudelands Rovers beat Te Puke, but the 2-0 win against the bottom team who had conceded 19 goals in three games was closer than expected.
Old Blues coach Andy Legget was a happy man after watching his team's comprehensive 4-0 win over Taupo. "Although we had won our first three games, until today we hadn't put in a full 90 minute performance. That came and the scoreline flattered Taupo.
"We've worked on getting consistency and today we carried it out." Goals to Neil McLaughlin and Dan Benson gave Old Blues the lead at the break while Jack McNab netted a double in the second half.
"After three wins we got a wake up call today," Otumoetai coach Ross Johnstone said after his side scrambled to a 1-1 draw against AFC Fury at Fergusson Park.
"We were a goal down after 10 minutes but even that setback didn't spark us into life and in the end we were lucky to get a share of the points," said after Otumoetai equalised through an 85th minute penalty from Matt Collins.
Rotorua United doubled their points tally and moved into a mid table position with a 4-0 win over Tauranga Boys' College at Neil Hunt Park. Strikers in both sides were gun shy early on and although United had the better of the game it was scoreless until the 35th minute when Steve Turner created an opportunity for Josh O'Sullivan who showed good control to beat three defenders before finishing with a good strike.
O'Sullivan and Turner combined to make it 2-0 five minutes later when the Tauranga 'keeper failed to clear a near post corner, and Turner was on hand to head in from close range. In the 20th minute of the second spell Steve Rogers squandered a golden opportunity to make it 3-0 but shortly after Lee Butcher found the net from an O'Sullivan free kick.
With 15 minutes left O'Sullivan put the result beyond doubt when he netted his second goal. Turner, O'Sullivan and Daniel Collier-Baker were singled out for special mention by coach Neil Rush.
In other games Otorohanga and Melville drew 2-2 and Ngaruawahia defeated Whakatane Town 2-1. In second division Ngongotaha's resurgence continued with a 7-0 win over Rotorua United reserves. Waikato Unicol also remain undefeated after a narrow 3-2 win over West Hamilton, Tauranga City beat Matamata 2-1 while Katikati were too good for bottom of the table Cambridge, winning 6-0.
- Tauranga City United's Easter Monday Northern League clash with Mangere United was postponed, with City's Links Ave pitch at Mt Maunganui waterlogged by rain.