Woods, Federer grab auction spotlight

International sporting superstars Tiger Woods and Roger Federer grabbed the spotlight at the sports memorabilia auction held in the Masterton Town Hall on Saturday night.
Items donated by them were always likely to attract the most spirited bidding and so they did, a framed glove and two golf balls signed by Woods bringing $4020 and a signed shirt from Federer $1030.
Two of the other 40 items for auction made over $500, a signed photograph of the Ever-Swindells victory ceremony after they had won gold in rowing at the Beijing Olympics reaching $640 and a shirt signed by 2008 Indianapolis 500 winner Scott Dixon $520.
Making $300 or more were Josh Kronfeld's harmonica ($430), Dan Carter's underpants ($420), Lennox Lewis's signed photograph ($410), a signed shirt from the New Zealand equestrian team at the Beijing Olympics ($390), Sarah Ulmer's signed shirt ($370), Casey Stoner's signed shirt ($340), Shane Cameron's boxing gloves and shorts ($320), a signed shirt from Team Vodofone Bathhurst winners Jamie Whincup and Craig Lowndes ($320), Tom Boonen's cycling shirt ($310), Ross Taylor's cricket shirt ($310) and a 2009 Black Caps training shirt ($300). All told the 42 items realised a very impressive $15,430 and were well spread among the big crowd who attended the Tui Dance and Sports Auction organised by the Masterton Squash Club as a fund raising venture for the Wairarapa Community Hospice.