Football
A season of big hopes will kick off for Wairarapa United on Sunday when they open their 2013 Central League football campaign with a match against Tawa at Howard Booth Park in Carterton.
Wairarapa United have threatened to win the league title for the first-ever time in the past two years only to trip at the last few hurdles and they are determined to get the monkey off their back this time round.
And nobody understands the importance of a good start than coach Phil Keinzley who sees Sunday's game as a "must win" for his new-look squad.
"We can't afford to settle for anything less than maximum points, we have to make home advantage count," Keinzley said.
Past history suggests Tawa will lack nothing on the score of energy but they should struggle to contain a Wairarapa United side who appear to have a clear edge in the crucial goal-scoring department.
In former Vanuatu international Seule Soromon, who has scored more than 100 goals in the Wairarapa United colours, and recent acquisition Spaniard George Jermy, they have speed and flair to burn up front. Midfielders, Junior All White Dale Higham, Miroslav Tvaroh, Esava Rqueleca and impressive Chilean recruit Jorge de la Torre, are also capable of turning scoring opportunity into goals as well.
Defensively too Wairarapa United look well equipped to handle anything Tawa will throw at them with skipper Adam Cowan, Waisake Sabatu, Carl Shailer and another of the new faces, Hawke's Bay national league player Joss Margetts, combining at the back.
The ever-consistent Matt Borren will also make a welcome return to the goalkeeping role.
Sunday's match kicks off at 2pm. On the Capital Football front tomorrow, there will be plenty of local interest in this season's third division matches with three Wairarapa teams, Wairarapa United seconds, White Swan Greytown and Gardner's Electrical Masterton, involved.
Masterton were looking forward to their opening game against Petone at Petone's Memorial Park after showing useful form in a handful of lead-up matches.
But the loss of as many as eight players through injury or unavailability has dampened their hopes to some degree.
Among those who will be turning out for them this season are three players who performed well at local league level last season, Matt Sale, Marlon Tortoza and Neils Dugan.
They will join 2012 youth player of the year Ewen Cottle, and old hands like skipper Doug Gardner, Hadley Henderson, Soppe de Vries, Andrew Traill, Harold de Vries and goalkeeper Charles Kendall.
Greytown were promoted to division three after a remarkable 2012 season which saw them win all three senior local league trophies on offer.
They will be at home to Waterside-Karori at Greytown Memorial Park and will field a squad with a significant number of college players; a mark of their investment in the region's younger talent.
Coach James Hodgson is quietly confident of a strong showing from his side.
They will be led by Chris Kirkham, a notable gain who was golden boot for Masterton in 2012, William Mackenzie and Drew Kennedy.
Wairarapa United seconds play Wainuiomata at Richard Prouse Park and will almost certainly have to do without the services of player-coach Miroslav Tvaroh who is be playing for the Central League side the next day.
Another regular CL player Aaron Spierling could take the field however and big things will also be expected from the Hemis, Thomas and Mark, Chris Cox and national Futsal age group representative, Arnon Tapp.