Water polo: National success
Local water polo teams have returned from recent national championships held in Invercargill with three bronze medals.
First it was the Tauranga Under-16 men's team that won bronze playing in the top Division One grade. Led by New Zealand rep Cameron Hayes, who was also named one of the tournament's most outstanding players, Tauranga thrashed Harbour City from Wellington 14-7 in the bronze medal game.
Then it was the turn of the Under-16 girls' team who beat Waitakere 5-3 to win bronze in the Division Two grade. Grace Eglinton was named one of the tournament's most outstanding players.
Finally the Under-18 men went to their national championships in Auckland. With three NZ Under-18 reps in the team, hopes were high for a podium finish.
After some early big wins against Waitakere (16-5), Waikato (21-6) and North Harbour B (16-8), the team faced Marist (Auckland) in the semifinals but lost 10-6. This meant a bronze game against Hutt from Wellington. Tauranga raced out to an early 5-0 first quarter lead, and although Hutt fought back Tauranga ran out eventual winners 13-6, with Daniel Kayes winning another most outstanding player award for the club.
Four Tauranga Water Polo Club members are off to the World Under-18 Water Polo Championships to be held in Perth, from Dec 1-9. Simone Couvee (Mount Maunganui College) is in the Women's team, while Daniel Kayes (Mount Maunganui College), Cameron Hayes and Matt Hansen (both Tauranga Boys College) are in the Men's team. This is record representation from Tauranga to a world championships.
Golf: Finals loss
Bay of Plenty golfers came close to taking out the titles at the New Zealand Golf Mixed Foursomes Championship held at the Taupo Golf Club on Sunday.
Bay Of Plenty district representatives Craig Hamilton (Omanu) and Grace Senior (Tauranga) were the top seeds but came undone in the final round to lose 4/3 to Wellington district representatives Malcolm Gullery and Alanah Braybrook.
Hamilton and Senior had earlier beaten Blair Murdock and Brooke Polley from Tauranga 5/3 in the semifinal.
The Championship Plate was won by Peninsula members Norman and Colleen Fairweather, who beat Gil Wallace (Titirangi) and Dorothy Wallace (Chamberlain Park) in the afternoon's semifinal 4/3. Taupo club members Ricky Scammell and Kani Peneueta won the 2nd division handicap foursomes match play.
Scammell and Peneueta beat Michael Earley (Fitzroy) and Jill Lloyd (Wairakei) 6/5 in the final.
The Championship flight was won by Murdock and Polley (Tauranga) while Omanu members Ron Sisson and Susie-Jane Hikario took out the 3rd flight in the championship.
Plate flight winners in the championship division included Shinji and Yuriko Manabe (Shandon), Mark Tito (Taupo) playing with Grace Thompson (Wairakei), and Nan Johnston (Hamilton) paired with Titirangi club member, Barry Wither.
Division Two flight winners included Aaron & Marnie MacDonald (Whangaparaoa), Pip Idour (Otago) and Neville Idour (Christchurch), David & Ramona McDowell (Judgeford), Nigel Langdon and Mary Plummer (Taupo), John & Sally Millar from Howick and Mo & Tony Reardon from Australia.
Cricket: Defending champs
Two Bay of Plenty senior representative cricket teams are going through preparations to defend a piece of Northern Districts Cricket silverware.
Last season the Bay of Plenty senior men's representative side annexed the Fergus Hickey Rosebowl, which is the symbol of ND minor association cricket superiority. To add to the Bay of Plenty superiority in the ND representative season, the Bay Development team won the Basil McBurney trophy, awarded to the winner of the annual ND Development competition.
The third Bay side after silverware is the Bay of Plenty women's team, who won the ND Women's Championship for the first time two seasons ago. The Bay women's team kick it all off with three games this weekend. On Saturday they play a limited over encounter with Poverty Bay at Blake Park, Mount Maunganui, before backing the next day against Hamilton and Waikato Valley in two Twenty/20 games at the same venue.
Bay of Plenty's defence of the Fergus Hickey Rosebowl kicks off in Taupo in mid-November. In three days of cut- throat competition, the six teams take part in the annual ND one-day tournament. A good start can set teams up for the season long competition, while two defeats (or more) usually means catch-up cricket for the remainder of the Fergus Hickey competition.
Also at stake are Hawke Cup qualifying competition points. In a separate calendar year competition, the ND winner receives a mandatory challenge in February or March of the following year. Going into the ND one-day tournament, the Bay team lead the Hawke Cup qualifying on 20 points from Hamilton (15 points) and Northland (10 points).
On the first day of the Taupo tournament, the Bay side could cement the ND Hawke Cup challenge, if they defeat long time rivals Northland. On day two they square up against current Hawke Cup titleholders Hamilton, with the Waikato team not participating in the qualifying series, as they will defend the prestigious NZ Cricket minor association trophy in the first defence of the season.
If the Bay side defeats Northland, they could enter the last day's qualifying play against Counties Manukau secure in the knowledge that they will be the Northern Districts Hawke Cup challenger.
BOP Senior Men's Representative Team Programme (Fergus Hickey Rosebowl)
11/13 November ND Fergus Hickey One Day tournament, Taupo
11 Nov v Northland
12 Nov v Hamilton
13 Nov v Counties Manukau
24/25 November BOP v Northland, BOP Oval, Blake Park.
8/9 December BOP Counties Manukau, BOP Oval
13 January BOP v Waikato Valley, Cambridge Square
3 February BOP v Poverty Bay, BOP Oval
16/17 February BOP v Poverty Bay, Harry Barker Reserve
2/3 March BOP v Hamilton, Galloway Park, Hamilton
BOP Development Team Programme (Basil McBurney Trophy)
18 November ND Development BOP v Waikato Valley, Cambridge Square
27 January ND Development BOP v Northland, Tauranga Domain
28 January ND Development BOP v Counties Manukau, Tauranga Domain
10 February ND Development BOP v Hamilton, Jansen Park, Hamilton
BOP Women's Team Programme ND Women
27 October BOP v Poverty Bay, Blake Park
28 October BOP v Hamilton, Blake Park
28 October BOP v Waikato Valley, Blake Park
27 January BOP v Hamilton, Jansen Park
28 January BOP v Waikato Valley, Jansen Park
3 February BOP v Poverty Bay, Gisborne
Past players wanted
Former club cricket players are wanted to return to the game in a new Over 35 Twenty 20 league to be played on Sunday afternoons.
"The new over 35 years T20 league is being established to get former competitive club players back into cricket," cricket manager at Bay of Plenty Cricket Mark Webb said. "Many players drift away from the game on retirement from club cricket and it is hoped the new Sunday league will see former players re-establish links with Bay of Plenty clubs."
The Sunday T20 league would be club- based, with Bay of Plenty Cricket's communication with the region's clubs receiving many positive responses.
"While several Western Bay of Plenty cricket clubs have indicated that they will field sides in the Over 35 league, we are keen to get teams from throughout the region involved," Webb said.
Twenty 20 cricket is the ideal vehicle for the new Sunday league, as games are usually completed in three hours, which should work well for many of the former players who now have young families as their main priority at weekends.
Twenty 20 has exploded around the world with every major cricket nation having a T20 league. Some of the biggest crowds in New Zealand will fill the confines of the BOP Cricket Oval at Blake Park in Mount Maunganui, when the HRV Cup hits town for two matches in early January.
It is hoped the return of former players will have a flow-on effect with clubs. Many former players have picked up a vast range of transferable skills since retirement from the game, which would be ideally suited to administration duties in the region's clubs. Further information on the Over 35 Sunday League is as simple as calling Mark Webb on 021 734 128.
Athletics: New season
Mount Athletics Club, registration and fun night is on Monday, October 29 at 5.15pm at the Mount College field. Please use Macville Park entrance. Club nights are Monday from 5.30pm. The club caters for children aged from two to 14. Mini club subs are $15, five and up $35, and family $80. Any questions contact Chris 027 297 9601.
Golf: Speed record
Have you ever seen anyone hit the ball like Rory MclIroy, run like Usain Bolt with the endurance of Cameron Brown? Charlie Hillier (Golf Te Puke Junior Member) and Nicholas Davey (Golf Te Puke Head Professional) are embarking on a fundraiser with a twist to see how many holes of golf they can play in one day. It is happening this Friday, October 26, at the Te Puke Golf Club and sponsorship is needed to raise funds for a new Dotgolf booking terminal in the clubhouse and a new greens mower.
In 2009 Scott Pickett and Nicholas Davey completed the golf marathon by starting at 5.52am and finishing at 3.03pm. Further details are available from Nicholas Davey, 021 328362, or email nickdavey64@gmail.com.
Christian Lio-Willie has been called into the squad as cover.