College sport: Busy times for multi-sporter

Competitors exit the water at the Auckland Secondary School Triathlon. Photo / Dean Purcell

Auckland Grammar's Sam Morreau is a young man in a hurry.

Last week he cleared out to win the Auckland SS triathlon title, tomorrow he will be in Karapiro for a much tougher test at the national championship. A few days later he will be off to Slovakia to represent New Zealand at the World Secondary Schools cross-country championships.

He also ensures he fits schoolwork into his disciplined, but obviously well-balanced, life.

First up though he will be on the start line at Lake Karapiro for the triathlon championships.

"This will be a harder test [than the race at St Kentigern College] and a big step up," said Morreau who completed a family double at the Auckland championships after his younger brother Jonty had claimed the junior crown. "I won the New Zealand intermediate title last year but know this will be a lot harder."

Morreau will probably not start as favourite but few would discount his chances provided he can keep reasonably handy on the swim, his weakest discipline, and power home on the cycle and run legs.

Taupo-based Aaron Barclay, representing Gore High, Cameron Todd (Taupo Nui-a-tia College) and Andrew Ranford (TGS), second behind Morreau at the Auckland championships, are all in with a chance.

Of the 5km race he then faces in Slovakia, a championship which will be contested by six-person New Zealand boys and girls teams, Morreau admits he knows little.

"I have been running between 80 and 90km a week," said Morreau who is also a member of the Auckland City - formerly Owairaka - Athletic Club. "I also swim between 15km-20km and between 150km-300km on the bike."

His training is overseen by former top New Zealand triathlete Tony O'Hagan with AGS teacher Rod Gordon as his manager.

His trip to Slovakia does not come cheap with each of the 12 athletes expected to pay $6300 of which Morreau has to find $2500.

"While I don't know too much about what to expect there, I will be as prepared as I can be," said Morreau who was encouraged into multisport by his father who counts the Xterra among his personal triumphs.

Sport is big in Sam Morreau's life but not at the expense of his school work.

Like his older brother Matt, also a top multisport performer, Sam has his sights set on Bio Med studies at Auckland University next year.

"I am able to fit my school work in around my sport," said Morreau.

"I have had reasonable results but will need to keep them up if I'm going to get into university next year."

TENNIS

St Kentigern College ended one of the great unbeaten runs in Auckland Secondary School sport with their win over Diocesan in the Champion of Champions tournament.

In claiming the James Aitkenhead Shield, St Kentigern ended the record 11 straight triumphs by St Cuthbert's College.

It was a dominant performance from the St Kentigern girls who amassed an outstanding 17 points across the three grades to claim the title from WGHS with St Cuthberts sharing third place with Takapuna GS.

Sadly, some matches were not played with players forced to default through injury while in others players were hampered by injury.

In the junior singles, top seed Kelly Drew (St Kentigern) was unable to serve properly and defaulted her final to schoolmate Lucy Macdonald. The pair did however regroup and win the doubles with a 6-3, 6-2 win over St Cuthberts' Ella Barclay and Kate Stevens.

The intermediate singles final produced the best match in the girl's division with Danielle Feneridis (WGHS) bouncing back from a set down to beat top seed Monica Chen (Senior College) 2-6, 6-4, 6-1.

The senior boys singles final was another epic with Chris Simich (Liston) winning his 3-hour battle with Chester Espie (WBHS) 7-6, 5-7, 6-1 to deny Espie of what would have been a remarkable hat-trick following victories in earlier years in the junior and intermediate singles.

Espie did have something to celebrate however when he and partner Hamish Duff beat David Haberson and Connor Smith (St Kentigern) 6-4, 6-1 in the doubles final to earn valuable points for WBHS who shared the James Aitkenhead Shield (boys) with AGS with both schools earning 10 points.

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COMING UP

TODAY: Cricket, Frank Grattan Cup, Waikaraka Park (all 10am), last round, Wednesday, Auckland v Canterbury, Wellington v Hamilton. Auckland girls (4pm, home team first), St Kentigern v Baradene, One Tree Hill v EGGS, Diocesan v St Cuthberts, MAGS v Avondale, MRGS bye.

Orienteering, sprint series #5, TGS 5pm.
TODAY-TOMORROW: Cricket, NZ junior boys finals (continue), Taupo.

Tennis, NZ SS teams finals (continue), Christchurch.

TODAY-FRIDAY: Softball, NZ SS division one (continues), Hastings.

Waka Ama, NZ SS Championships (continue), Blue Lake, Rotorua.

TODAY-SATURDAY: Rowing, NZ SS Maadi Cup regatta (continues), Lake Ruataniwha.

TOMORROW: Triathlon, NZ SS championships, Lake Karapiro, individuals 8am; teams 1pm.

TOMORROW-SUNDAY: Softball, division two North Island SS championships, Wanganui.

FRIDAY: Equestrian, North Island SS dressage, St Peter's School, Cambridge.

SATURDAY: Cricket, Auckland, premier A, two-day championship, round two, second day, St Kentigern 372/7 v WBHS, St Kentigern, AGS 51 v Kings 252/8, AGS, Rangitoto 185 v St Peters 66/2, Rangitoto. Two-day plate, MAGS 291 v Sacred Heart 26/1, MAGS, Avondale 419/8 v Macleans, Avondale, Rosmini 252 v KBHS 14/0, KBHS.

Wrestling, NZ SS championships, Police College, Porirua.

SATURDAY-SUNDAY: Cricket, Waikato, finals/play-offs (home teams first), division 1A, final, St Peters v St Pauls. 3rd/4th: Matamata v HBHS Development. 5th/6th : Cambridge v Hillcrest, Victoria Square, Cambridge. Division 1B, final, St Johns v Morrinsville. 3rd/4th: Te Awamutu v Melville. 5th/6th, St Peters v HBHS Emerging.

Mountainbiking, NZ SS championships, Levin.

SUNDAY: Dragon Boats, NZ SS championships, Lake Hood, Ashburton.

MONDAY: Golf, Auckland SS premier, final, Kristin v St Kentigern, Manukau GC 12.30pm.

Swimming, Auckland SS Champ of Champs, West Wave Aquatic Centre, Henderson, 10.00am