Rolling to the future

SKILLS: Whanganui's Jimi Blinkhorne carves through the Aussie pack during the national U16 Trans Tasman Cup clash in Auckland at the end of August.

Whanganui holds the key to the future of New Zealand roller hockey with no less than seven of the national under-16 squad hailing from the River City.

In fact, 19 Whanganui players featured among New Zealand teams competing in the six divisions that made up the annual Trans Tasman Cup Tournament in Auckland at the end of last month. Jess Jones was the only female from Whanganui to play at the tournament.

The national U16 squad of 10 is coached by Whanganui skaters Carlin Barry and Dean Fitness. Barry played for the New Zealand senior men team alongside Joe Zinzli who is also from the River City, while Fitness would have too, but was sidelined through injury.

New Zealand only retained one Trans Tasman Cup from the six on offer. The veteran's side that featured three Whanganui players - Kerry Woodthorpe, Blair Lockett and Brett Palamountain. Woodthorpe was named goal keeper of the tournament in the veteran's grade.

The U16 team were whipped 7-2 by their Australian counterparts in game one of three, but bounced back to be 3-all at the final whistle in game two.

The match went into golden goal time where the first goal scored determines the game.
Young 15-year-old Whanganui High School player Jimi Blinkhorne netted two minutes into golden goal time to claim the win for the Kiwis.

In game three, the New Zealand side failed to lift to the occasion going down 11-8 to the Ockers, but not before several players caught the eye of astute judges.

The Whanganui players in the side - Blinkhorne, Mitchell Lockett, Cody Lockett, Brodie Hurndell, Kaelin Mooney, Eli Zinzli and Ricky Wilkinson - all caught the eye.

U16 co-coach Fitness said New Zealand roller hockey had died of somewhat a few years back, but the Trans Tasman Cup Tournament had helped revive the sport.

"It used to the Oceania, but that went into recess for about five years. This tournament has now replaced and has been going about four years now," Fitness said.

"Whanganui has always been a strong roller hockey centre, but it's really strong now especially in the younger grades. These youngsters in the U16 squad are the core of the New Zealand senior team in the next few years."

Blinkhorne, for instance will step up to U21 grade next season despite only turning 16 in 2017. Others also have their ambitions and aspirations.

Many are also adept at field hockey, including Blinkhorne who immediately slipped on his Whanganui High School colours to player for the 1st X1 during Tournament Week in Masterton just days after the Trans Tasman roller hockey competition. WHS ended Tournament Week in third for field hockey. Blinkhorne also plays in the U15 Whanganui hockey representative team.