Rallying
Defending champions Richard and Sara Mason of Masterton looked to have the third round of the Brian Green Property Group New Zealand Rally Championship, the Go Pro Daybreaker Rally of Manawatu, at their mercy going into the final special stage, only for disaster to strike and force them to retire.
It was then the gearbox on the Masons' Subaru STI failed, leaving them stranded and out of contention.
The incident happened as the Masterton duo were holding a comfortable lead in an event held to the north of Feilding.
It was the worst of bad luck as victory would have had them challenging Geraldine's Hayden Paddon for the championship lead. Paddon did not compete on Saturday but is still top of the table on 88 points, 20 more than Ben Hunt of Nelson, who won the Manawatu rally, with the Masons third six points further back.