Two Whanganui hockey players in NZ team for world masters in Spain

Evergreen Whanganui players Russell Burgess and Michelle Low are in the New Zealand teams to compete at the World Masters Hockey tournament in Spain later this year. PHOTO/Stuart Munro

Two Whanganui athletes will lend their considerable experience to New Zealand teams hunting medals at the World Masters and World Grand Masters Hockey tournaments in Spain later this year.

Evergreen players Michelle Low and Russell Burgess have been named in their specific New Zealand men and women age group teams to compete in Spain.

The 2018 Masters World Cup in Terrassa (July 27-August 5) and the Grand Masters World Cup in Barcelona (June 20-30).

At 48 Low has served national masters sides since she was 35 and still plays for Whanganui in te Manawatu division one women's grade, although that side is likely to drop to division two this winter.

Burgess still plays in the Friday night Whanganui men's division two league.

Both play their masters hockey in the Manawatu league.

He has played for New Zealand masters sides for the past 10 years and at 59 he will be the baby of his 60-65 age group in Spain.

"I can play in the 60-year age group because I turn 60 this year - I'll be the baby this year,' Burgess said.

Burgess said there were 18 teams in his age group at the world masters where New Zealand had drawn a tough pool.

"We have Belgium, Argentina and England in our pool and they are among the toughest in the world, especially England."

The women's 45-49 age group pool had yet to be posted.

Low said while she was feeling fit and ready, each year it became more difficult.

"It certainly gets tougher each year and as we get older niggling injuries creep in, but I'm feeling good this time round," Low said.

Both have competed at world masters level for New Zealand and were regulars in Kiwi teams competing in the biennial trans-Tasman clashes, although Burgess was missing for that line-up last year through other commitments.

At the last worlds in Canberra, Australia Burgess' men's team won their play-off for fifth and sixth against Ireland, while Low's women's side finished second, but won gold in last year's trans-Tasman fixture in Whangarei.