College sport: Waikato schools set pace

By JENNI RUTHERFORD

Waikato secondary schools came and conquered at the Head of Harbour on Lake Pupuke on Saturday, marking overall winners St Paul's Collegiate and Waikato Diocesan as the schools to watch at the upcoming North Island secondary schools championships on March 8.

Buoyed by a strong club system in Hamilton and Cambridge and with Lake Karapiro, venue for the North Island championships, in their back yard the Waikato rowers are expected to be as strong as ever.

St Paul's won six titles including the prized under-19 eight, putting them on track for a successful Maadi Cup bid.

Many of the eight who finished fourth in the blue riband event last year are back and have a score to settle.

Waikato Diocesan have launched themselves into real contention for North Island honours at least.

Director of rowing at the school, Simon Hoadley, was pleased with his squad's performances against Auckland crews that have tended to dominate the short course regatta.

Diocesan won seven races and were surprise winners in the under-19 eight with a crew racing up an age group.

Triathlon

A marathon effort to make the inaugural North Island teams triathlon championships was well worth it for Gisborne Girls High School, winner of the senior girls division at Horsham Downs.

The team of sisters Hosanna and Amy-Kelly Horsfall and Kate Fooks, made a 16-hour round trip from Gisborne to the race, arriving back home at 3.30 am the next day.

They finished ahead of Sacred Heart Girls' College, Hamilton and Te Awamutu College.

St Paul's Collegiate were too strong for Waikato regional defending champions Te Awamutu College, winning the regional and North Island senior boys titles.

First-timers Hamilton Boys' High School should gain confidence for future events with their first and third places in the junior boys regional championships.

Te Awamutu College won the Waikato regional secondary schools points trophy after their teams placed in all of the divisions.

Kamo High School's Ben McDonald and Kelly Bruce from Otamatea High School confirmed their favouritism for future events after winning their respective senior titles at the Northland secondary school championships. They will now look to the New Zealand secondary school championships at the end of term one for their next real test.

Surf Lifesaving

A well-organised Mt Maunganui College No 1 team ran away with the Bay of Plenty secondary schools title, winning by 21 points.

The school finished third at the championships last year and made sure they had the best athletes for the job, testing over 40 students who were vying for the 24 spots.

Carmen Wills, who anchored the swim events, led Mt Maunganui's charge, and other Mount competitors to stand out were Sven Hodkinson and Alyssa Lowe.

Just one point separated second-placed Otumoetai College from the Tauranga Boys and Girls Colleges combined team.

Waka Ama

World champion paddler Nancy Rae Tarawa will spearhead her Lytton High School team when they take to Gisborne's Marina Park waters on Saturday for the Eastland secondary school championships.

Tarawa is the under-16 W1 world champion.

All nine schools in the region are expected to be represented. Teams of six will race over 100m and 250m.

This week:

* Today:

Northland: North Power Cup, south zone cricket.

Eastland: Qualifying tennis tournament.

Waikato: Touch rugby tournament.

* Friday:

Northland: Central and northern zone volleyball.

Eastland: Qualifying touch rugby championships.

* Saturday:

Northland: Grommet surfing championships.

Bay of Plenty: Senior top 12 volleyball championships.

Eastland: Waka ama secondary school championships.

* Sunday:

Northland: Robertson Shield cricket.

* Tuesday:

Northland: Junior duathlon championships, south zone cricket.

Eastland: Hawkes Bay team triathlon championships.

Waikato: Secondary school show-jumping championships.