College Sports: Danish touch helps cyclists to upset win

By DAVE WORSLEY

Pakuranga stunned the Auckland secondary schoolgirls' cycling competition over the weekend with a victory in the first race of the season.

The Pakuranga girls raced around the waterfront in the very good time of 24m 44s, edging out Epsom, Diocesan A and Diocesan B. The four teams were separated by less than 30 seconds and a close series is expected over the rest of the year.

Pakuranga's success breaks the hold that Diocesan and Epsom have had on the secondary schoolgirls' cycling programme in recent years.

The team have been helped by Danish exchange student Melany Serup, but all of the cyclists have improved their times from last year.

The rest of Pakuranga's lineup are Teresa Bint, Tracey Peters, Laura McNeill and Sarah Paterson.

In the boys' race, it was business as usual for the Auckland Grammar machine, who recorded an excellent 21m 20s.

St Kentigern showed they will be a force this year when their A team broke 22m for second, and their B team were third.

BASKETBALL:

College basketball is in full swing around Auckland and the regions. The central zone under-16 girls' grade was played last night at Unitec.

Traditionally strong basketball school Diocesan face competition from Mt Roskill, Epsom and St Cuthbert's who are in the same division. The premier schools teams play on Friday nights.

RUGBY:

King's, De La Salle and Mt Albert were the big winners in the opening round of the Auckland 1A competition.

Kings cleaned up Onehunga 32-3, De La Salle were too strong for Tangaroa, winning 33-10, and Mt Albert toppled Sacred Heart 29-6.

There were also wins for Kelston (16-10 over St Kentigern), Otahuhu (15-5 over St Paul's) and Auckland Grammar, who beat St Peters 19-14.

In the Counties Manukau first XV competition, Wesley's third XV defeated Pukekohe 27-0 and Manurewa beat Tuakau 36-3.

In the North Harbour open grade, Massey had a 48-12 victory over Westlake, confirming their early season favouritism.

The big three continue to dominate Waikato schools rugby after two rounds in division one.

Church College, St Paul's and Hamilton Boys High are undefeated and Church are still to have a point scored against them.

In the latest round, Church defeated Te Awamutu 86-0, while Hamilton Boys put 52 points on the board against Forrest View. Of the leading trio, St Paul's, who beat Matamata 53-3, were the only school to concede points, in the form of a sole penalty goal.

This Saturday's games are also looking like there will be big margins as St Paul's travel to Te Awamutu, Church host Forrest View while Hamilton travel to Matamata. Church and St Paul's clash on May 24.

In Northland rugby, Whangarei Boys High won the sevens tournament to earn a place in the national schools Condor sevens in Taupo at Queen's Birthday Weekend.

Whangarei beat Kamo in the final and Northland finished third. Leon Baigent and Matt Gunsen were two players who stood out for Whangarei.

In the girls section, Kaitaia won from Mangakahia Area School. Kamo were third.

Grant Harrison of Sport Northland said holding the girls and boys events simultaneously was a great success and is likely to be repeated next year.

In the Counties Manukau 1st XV competition, Wesley thirds defeated Pukekohe 27-0 and Manurewa dispatched Tuakau 36-3. Rosehill College stayed unbeaten with a 15-0 victory over Papakura and Waiuku had their first win of the season in defeating James Cook 19-0.

NETBALL:

After grading day in Waitakere, the premier competition will consist of teams from Avondale College, Kelston Girls, Massey High, St Dominic's, Rutherford and Waitakere Colleges.

The premier competition starts this weekend.

In the North Harbour college I grade, Rangitoto, Kristin, Westlake and Kaipara all maintained their unbeaten records with big wins in section one.

Carmel, Takapuna, Westlake II and Orewa recorded wins to move into the top four in section two.

In the Auckland premier grade, the winners were Baradene, St Cuthbert's, Auckland and Epsom Girls Grammar, Aorere and Macleans.

Counties Manukau's elite grade starts this week.

ORIENTEERING:

Frances Peat from St Cuthbert's proved too strong for the intermediate girls' field when she opened up a 15-minute lead in the first relay leg to lead her team to victory at One Tree Hill.

It was a much closer affair in the boys' event where, after one hour of competition, only 1m 32s separated the top three teams in the intermediate grade.

Mt Roskill won from Auckland Grammar and King's College were third.

There was tense competition in the senior boys' race where the talented Martin Peat from King's College started four minutes adrift of Auckland Grammar, but prevailed to lead his team in by four minutes. The top school titles went to Auckland Grammar in the boys' competition and Birkenhead College in the girls'.

THIS WEEK

Today. -

Cross-country: Western/North zone, Moire Park, Massey.

Netball: Counties Manukau grading, David Lange courts, Mangere and Bruce Pulman courts, Papakura.

Tomorrow. -

Cross-country: Counties Manukau zone, Wesley College.

Friday. -

Basketball: Auckland premier grade, girls and boys.

Bowls: Counties Manukau singles championship.

Saturday. -

Rugby: North Harbour first XV competition; Auckland first XV; Counties Manukau first XV.

Soccer: Auckland premier competition.

Netball: Auckland premier, Windmill Rd; North Harbour premier, Onewa Domain; Waitakere premier, Te Pai netball courts.

Monday:

Rugby: Auckland girls first XV matches.Dave Worsley