College sport: Third place pleases Kings rowing coach

By JENNI RUTHERFORD and MURRAY McKINNON
Head1: Third place pleases Kings rowing coach

Kings College rowing coach Ross Tong wrote in his diary six months ago that if his Maadi Cup team made the final he would be pleased.

So Tong, who started coaching at Kings at the end of last year, was reasonably happy with their third place in the glamour event at the New Zealand secondary schools championships at Lake Karapiro.

Kings were beaten by defending champions Wanganui Collegiate and Christ's College. The result for Kings is commendable because almost half of the under-19 eights crew are novices.

Four crew members left the regatta with two bronze medals each after they were also third in the Springbok Shield.

Auckland made a clean sweep in the under-15 four, quad scull and eights. Kings comfortably won the four from Westlake and Takapuna Grammar, and headed off Auckland Grammar and Takapuna in the eights.

Takapuna gained some revenge, winning the quad scull from St Kentigern, with Kings adding another bronze medal to their haul.

Westlake Girls High School were just out of the medals in the Levin Jubilee Cup, finishing fourth in the girls' under-19 eights final which was won for the first time by St Margaret's College, Christchurch.

Diocesan School were successful in taking gold in the under-16 eights, and silver behind Rangi Ruru in the under-17 eights and novice four.

Westlake came home with bronze and silver when Ruth Scott was third in the under-19 single scull and Nicola Davis and Tessa Mitchell were second in the under-17 double scull.

fuxh ATHLETICS

Erin Montgomery, of Northland, went close to qualifying for selection to the world youth championships in Hungary when she won the intermediate girls' 800m at the North Island athletics championships on the North Shore.

She recorded 2m 11.68s, just outside the standard of 2m 11.5s set for selection.

Montgomery later won the 1500m in 4m 38.93s, beating Elizabeth Orchard, of Auckland. Orchard qualified for the world youth champs in the 1500m last week when she ran 4m 31.09s.

The Epsom Girls Grammar 15-year-old is the national secondary schools junior girls' 1500m champion, and was one of four chosen to represent New Zealand as a youth athlete ambassador during the Sydney Olympics.

Evarn Tuimavave, of Auckland, set a record of 15.75m in the senior boys' shot put. He also won the discus with a throw of 50.56m.

Ben Allen showed his hurdling prowess, winning the 110m and 300m events. The tall, powerful Aucklander also won the triple jump with 14.08m.

April Brough set a record of 24.41s in the senior girls' 200m.

Jordan Vandermade, of Auckland, looks to have a great future in the decathlon after dominating the junior boys' events.

He won the 200m and 300m, demolished the long jump record with 6.16m, and won the discus with 50.92m.

SOFTBALL

St Peter's College successfully defended their New Zealand secondary school title for a third time, beating Lower Hutt's Naenae College 6-3 in the final.

St Peter's scooped the tournament in Dunedin.

Captain Taiki Apu was named Most Valuable Player, as well as top pitcher, and the team won the Eric Lie sportsmanship award.

It was two out of two for Auckland colleges, Kelston Girls High School winning the girls' title.

Kelston beat Wellington East Girls College 6-4 in the final after upsetting Auckland Girls Grammar in the semifinal.

Auckland Girls Grammar regained their composure, winning the third-place playoff against Naenae College.

VOLLEYBALL

Hillary College blocked out their opposition at the New Zealand secondary school championships in Tauranga to win their first senior boys' title.

The small Otara school side, who have been the dominant team this season, lost just three sets during the entire tournament, taking out the final against Westlake Boys High School in straight sets, 25-17, 25-18, 25-18.

Tauranga's Otumoetai College extended their outstanding record as the most successful team in college volleyball history, winning the girls' title.