College sport: Australia shares problems

By DAVE WORSLEY

Australia's problems in school sports are similar to those experienced in this country, says New Zealand secondary schools sports head Peter Sharp.

He was speaking after the annual conference of sports managers and Sparc representatives held in Napier this week.

The keynote speaker at the conference was Steve Kalend, the executive officer of School Sport Australia.

Inadequate funding, meagre resources, high turnover of staff and the issue of schools versus clubs were common in both nations.

Working parties were set up after the conference to look into several issues.

Sharp said events held in the Waikato region during the recent winter tournament week were given top marks by those taking part.

Both the netball and the girls' soccer were awarded near-perfect marks, which Sharp said was a tribute to organisers.

CURLING Rangitoto College Ice Cutters won the boys' competition at the North Island championships, after being undefeated throughout the tournament.

Their closest challenge was an 8-8 draw with Birkenhead College.

The Rangitoto team were led by Michael Schifferli.

Birkenhead, led by Natsumi Izuchi, and Long Bay College, skipped by Anthony Brown, tied for second.

In the girls' final, Westlake Ice Swans were leading 6-4 going into the last end without last stone. Birkenhead skip Catherine Vaka had to make a tight draw through a narrow port to score three and take the game.

Third place went to the Baradene second IV, a young team who took up the game only this year.

YACHTING

The second day of racing gets under way today in the national girls' championships on Lake Pupuke.

In the Sunbursts, Jo Aleh and crew Tali Abercromby, of Westlake Girls, won all four of their races and head the standings over Chloe Parkinson and Claire McMeeking, from St Cuthbert's. Stephanie Williams and Natasha Rivac, from King's College, are third.

Justina Sellers (Macleans) had four wins in the Optimist class.

BADMINTON

Chance Cheng and Henry Tam showed their class to help their Westlake Boys' team win the national teams event in Wellington.

Ranked at one and two respectively at under-17 Australasian level, they led their team to a 5-1 win over Auckland Grammar in the boys' final.

Michelle Chan dominated the girls' draw by leading her Epsom Girls Grammar team to a 6-0 victory over Invercargill's James Hargest High School.

RUGBY

Rotorua Boys High School have had one of their most successful first XV seasons after a 31-11 victory over Napier Boys High at Jade Stadium on Saturday.

The win was reward for Rotorua, who drew with Napier at Eden Park last year.

Rotorua were able to turn around an 6-11 deficit to grind down their opposition, and now hold the coveted Moascar Cup over the summer.