Storm ends Dalefield game

BALANCING ACT: Willie Waitere, of Dalefield, demonstrates his juggling skills.

The wintry blast which struck the whole of the Wairarapa province on Saturday led to a Wellington premier division men's hockey match being played at Clareville being called off early.

It was a move welcomed by Dalefield coach Dave Blackwood whose team was doing battle with Victoria University. The latter were leading 1-0 after about 20 minutes of play when the match officials decided the powerful winds and squally rain made for unsafe conditions.

"It was pretty horrific ... it was like we were being hit by a hurricane," Blackwood said. "You don't usually see the lights around the playing area swaying around but they were shaking big time, it was just too dangerous to carry on."

Adding to the problems for the players was that the heavy showers of rain left the artificial surface covered in water and this severely hampered the passage of the ball when hit along the ground.

"Passing was a lottery, all you could do was hit and hope," Blackwood said. "It was miserable for everyone, the officials made the right decision, no doubt about that."

With so much time left when the move to abandon was made it seems certain that Hockey Wellington will require for it to be replayed at a later date.

The combination of heavy winds and persistent rain also made life difficult for other sporting codes operating in the Wairarapa on Saturday but apart from a couple of lower grade netball games being cancelled at Kuranui College, they generally managed to complete their schedules.

There was extra excitement when a tree was blown over during a rugby game at Whareama.