By TERRY MADDAFORD
Auckland's Scott Arlidge led New Zealand's charge with five gold medals at the rain-interrupted Oceania speed skating championships in his home city.
Arlidge, still a junior but precluded from contesting junior events at the championships because he had won a medal (bronze) at last year's world championships, picked up
senior gold in the 500m, 1000m, 10,000m points and 15,000m points elimination and was joined by Nick Thom (Wellington) and Jeff Yeoman (Palmerston North) in the winning relay team.
New Zealanders collected 12 titles at the championships - a far cry from the two medals they collected last year in Perth.
Palmerston North skater Len Cooksley won New Zealand's other senior men's title in the 20,000m elimination.
Twelve-year-old Nicole Begg gave years and experience to her under-17 rivals but won the 21km half-marathon, around a 700m circuit, by more than 300m.
Sisters Nicola and Channel Wooding won gold in the senior women's marathon and 15,000m points elimination, respectively, while Blenheim's Shaun Perkinson won the 500m and 15,000m points elimination and teamed with Wayne Begg and Andrew Marker to win the junior boys relay.
