Netball: Whaka sweep to title

Whaka player Ngawai Eyles (with ball) in action against Ngongotaha during the Kurangaituku Netball Tournament at the weekend. Photo / Ben Fraser

Whakarewarewa have won the top prize at the 82nd Kurangaituku Netball Tournament after holding off Rotorua rivals Ngongotaha.

More than 100 teams were in action at the Westbrook Netball Courts on Friday and Saturday contesting five grades at the tournament - A, B, C, D and Masters (over-35s).

Seven teams entered the A grade competition with Whakarewarewa coming out on top. The local team went undefeated in the A grade winning all six of their games to claim the title.

Ngongotaha - the only other local team in the A grade - finished runners-up after dropping only one match all weekend. They lost to rivals Whaka 30-22 on Friday, a result which decided the title.

Such is the large number of entries each year the tournament has to be held across consecutive weekends, with the social teams playing a week earlier.

Netball Rotorua secretary Mary Thompson said it was a great weekend of netball, helped by some excellent weather.

"This weekend was especially good," she said. "We had really good competition and it was a lot more serious with some really good games.

"We had some good competition and we [even] had two Aussie teams with one team in the A grade and one team playing in the B grade."

She said the teams always gave good feedback about the tournament which has been hrunning for 82 years.

"They just love it. They love the organisation of it and the fact we run to time and don't dilly-dally around."

The tournament will wrap up this weekend with the school teams competing.