A win and three losses for Gisborne at Netball NZ Open Champs

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

Gisborne had a win and three losses in pool play at the Netball New Zealand Open Championships in Palmerston North this week.

On Tuesday they lost 55-36 to Waitakere and beat Hawke's Bay 42-36.

Yesterday they lost 60-39 to Manawatu A and 52-20 to Auckland.

The last pool games were being played this morning, then teams were to be reseeded for the next round.

The top two from each pool would be in the first-to-eighth playoff group, third and fourth would go into the ninth-to-16th group, and the fifth-placed team would go into the 17th to 20th group.

As at last night, Gisborne were fourth in the group but were awaiting the result of the Waitakere-versus-Hawke's Bay pool game this morning.

Gisborne's first crossover game was expected to start late this afternoon, but their opponents would not be known until the last of the pool games were played this morning.

Team manager Charnelle Rutene said yesterday's games were tough but the team gave their all and learned a lot.

Twenty teams from aound the country are taking part in the tournament. Some of the teams from the bigger centres include players with experience at national competition level, so playing against them is a big challenge for the Gisborne team.

Saturday is finals day for the tournament.