First-timers stack up well against world hopefuls

BIG TURN-OUT: There were plenty of fresh faces at the Central Districts Sport Stacking Championships in Wanganui on Saturday. Here, Emma Howarth and Steph Robinson from the United Kingdom have a go.PHOTO/BEVAN CONLEY 190915WCBRCSTA01

The big names were there but also plenty of new ones for the Central Districts Sport Stacking Championships, held at the Wanganui Girls College Gymnasium on Saturday.

All four of the wider Wanganui region 'Black Stacks' representatives were in attendance, with three of them setting their sights on the 2016 world championships in Germany.

Wanganui Girls College's female national champion Jasmine Anthony was pleased to see such a strong turnout of first-timers from her old St Mary's School, where she and fellow international Allanah Millar, now Cullinane, first learned the sport.

"There's lots of new people, lots of novices," said Anthony.

Having finished in the Top 10 of the female 13-14 age grade at the 2015 world championships in Montreal, Anthony was very excited about her prospects in Germany, having now seen the international standard where competitors can take the playing cups up and down into formations as quick as lightning.

"I'm getting faster," she said.

However, on Saturday, both Anthony and Millar had to acknowledge the speed of visiting Aucklander Sarina Wang, who took out the Best Overall Female.

Winning Best Overall Male was Feilding's Ben Flightly " basically the star of the sport in this country after coming third overall among all age groups in the male 3-3-3 formation at the world championships.

"I'm still practising. Trying to get a little bit faster."

Flightly is expecting to face Americans William Orrell and Andrew Dale, who were just 0.04s faster than him, once again in Germany.

He was also pleased to see a bigger turnout at the regional level on Saturday.

"Lots of people I haven't seen before, it's always positive for the sport.

"It's good to get whoever to do it."

Watching but not taking part due to his arm being in a sling after a hockey stick accident while playing with his brother, Turakina/Marton competitor Caleb Arthur is also excited about 2016.

Part of a large family of speed stackers, Arthur went to the 2012 world championships when they were also in Germany.

He has been selected for the New Zealand team for the past couple of years, but been unable to attend international events due to the costs.

"I had a bit extra available, so it's been easier [to raise funds]," he said.

Family was once again excited he could go on to represent the Black Stacks.

Results

Overall male: 1. Ben Flighty (Feilding); 2. Philip Kananghinis (Wellington); 3. Nicolas Kananghinis (Wellington). Overall female: 1. Sarina Wang (Auckland); 2. Allanah Millar (Wanganui); 3. Jasmine Anthony (Wanganui).