Key Points:

    This year's Te Houtaewa (Ninety Mile) Beach Race has been cancelled.

Beach race called off

This year's Te Houtaewa (Ninety Mile) Beach Race has been cancelled, as a result of failing to secure a key sponsor and a lack of early registrations. Spokesman Robin Shepherd said that while there had been a rush of late entries in the past, that had not been financially "satisfactory". The organisers thanked those who had shown interest, and were now seeking a major sponsor for 2018.

Dead boatie named

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Police have formally identified a man found dead on his boat near Great Barrier Island which left Whangarei two days earlier. He was Troy David Kean, aged 44 of Whangarei. It's believed he left Whangarei on Friday and fished at the Mokohinau Islands. His wife notified emergency services when he failed to return on Saturday. A police helicopter found the vessel on Sunday. It appears it was a result of a medical event and the file has been handed to the coroner.

Time for trouble

Police were nonplussed by two boys, aged 5 and 6, who were caught stealing a pair of pants and an analogue watch, which they couldn't read, from The Warehouse in Kaitaia. The youngsters were taken home to what an officer described as angry parents.