College sport: Rangitoto karter too classy

By TERRY MADDAFORD

Alan Shaw came from virtually nowhere to win the senior 100cc Yamaha class at the national schools championships in Nelson.

Shaw (Rangitoto) improved 20 places from last year's 21st to take the title. At the other end of the scale, the cadet class was impressively won by 9-year-old Nick Cassidy from Marina View School, North Harbour.

The top award was won by St Kentigern College fourth formers Andrew Waite and Dominic Storey.

Basketball

The national under-18 championships begin in New Plymouth this morning.

Hamilton, runners-up for the girls' title last year, go in as favourites. They face North Canterbury, Hutt Valley and Kaitaia, while Auckland, Taupo, Porirua and Canterbury will play in pool A.

Porirua will defend the boys' title with last year's runners-up North Harbour again likely contenders. Porirua are in pool A with Canterbury, Western Bay of Plenty and Wellington, while North Harbour are up against Hamilton, Waitakere and Nelson in pool play.

Multisport

Last year's New Zealand triathlete of the year, Anna Hamilton, retained her senior title by more than 4m in 68m 29s for the testing (5km run, 20km cycle, 2.5km run) course at the national duathlon championships in Napier. Hamilton was well clear of Diocesan School team-mates Olivia Spencer and Alex Gibson.

Tim McIntosh (Auckland Grammar) edged a tiring Bruce Hunter (Macleans College) for the senior boys' title.

Rebecca Spence (Rangitoto) won the intermediate girls' race.

Matt Burgess (St Kentigern) won the intermediate boys' race and Ashleigh James (St Cuthberts) and Rangitoto's Scott Buswell won junior honours. Rangitoto College (female) and Auckland Grammar (male) won the teams trophies. Orienteering More than 300 competitors from 50 intermediate and secondary schools will converge on Rotorua for the two-day Silva NZ championships this week.

The individual championships will be held on Friday. The inter-school relays will follow a day later.

King's College and Napier Girls High will defend their senior relay titles and Putaruru (boys) and Marsden (girls) are defending intermediate champions.

Rugby

Auckland came from behind to beat North Harbour 12-9 and score their seventh consecutive win in the Northern Regional Championship final on Saturday.

Three penalties from Jack McPhee gave North Harbour a 9-7 halftime lead, but Auckland came back to score the only points of the second half to take the honours.

Coming up

Today (until Saturday): Basketball, national under-18 championships, New Plymouth.

Friday and Saturday: Orienteering, NZ Secondary Schools championships, Rotorua.

Monday: Badminton, North Harbour junior boys competition begins.

Tuesday: Badminton, greater Auckland secondary schools singles and doubles championships, Gillies Ave.